Post by sageforsaken on Apr 12, 2017 17:24:21 GMT
Hello I am starting this topic to house little things Ive found while customizing or researching how too customize. In the future I plan to include pictures or tutorial videos etc. I may discus matterials, tools, technique etc. I may link to videos or just do what ever. I intend to start continuing to updating this post instead of having individual topics.
Tool Tip: wood burning kit. Pros They make exacto blades for wood burning kits. This can be a great tool when you want to customize harder plastics. Also If used correctly it can substitue for a dremmel. It can leave a clean cut that takes less clean up. Cons it takes a while to heat up. Burning yourself is bad. Needs more ventilation than a dremmel.
Let me know if you use this tool!
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Tip: Cleanliness is next to... Stickiness.
Want to know one thing that makes it so hard to get paint to stick? The mold release oils they use in factory production can keep you paint from sticking as well to your figure. Solution Soap and water. A little elbow grease!
--------
More on paint. Acrylic paints are a must. Stay away from enamels or oil based paint. I buy model paints like Citidal, Games Work shop, Tamiya color paints. And have used testors now and then. But dont like them as much as Tamiya Color paints and Citidal.
While the paints can be expensive if you buy them all at once. Look at most action figures or comic characters. Most are really only 2-3 colors of costum. So only buy 2-3 bottles at a time. You can do alot with with a limited pallet. It also cane make it easiser to make teams stand out if the all have the same colors in general.
-----------
Paint/Dye. So Ive been scuppting with epoxie sculpt and it come out white. If you mix it alone. You can add some color by mixing in some acryllic paint. This way if you paint job was scuffed the base color that shows through isnt white. It does make the sculpt a little softer so you mihh want a extra coat over it anyway.
_________
Tried out mogpog. (Not sure of the spelling ill shornt to mp). So mp is a almost glue like coating. You can "paint" is over a figure after painting and it creates a clear slightly glossy coat over it. When you pain it on it looks like elmers glue. But it dries clear. The issue Ive had with it is it can be pealed off if you find an edge and it will seal around a joint so you have to cut it slightly so it will break free. I think if it wear applied carefully to small areas allowed to dry then applied to the next area it might be fine. I used it on my logan custom. It does mean if you drop a figure etc that you might not scuff your custom paint job. I am going to continue to explore this clear coat and know i will use it on dioramas since they dont have so many moving parts. Let me know any tips you have for mp or other matterials
_____
Sculpting Matterials:
Green Stuff: all my research say its a two part epoxy that based on the mix can be a little softer then most other matterials. I havent used it.
Milliput: Had to try this stuff out because Youtubers Glenn Webb and Craig Warrick use it.it worked about the same as what I use but seemed like I got less for my money.
Apoxie sculpt: This is what I use they say it can go bad but my batch has lasted a year and a half easy with not special storage. It mixes and turns white. I mostly sculpt with box cuters and tooth picks. Just be sure to keep your tool wet. I wear gloves because Ive read online some people become allergic to it. If not to avoid finger prints wipe wet finger over the smooth parts of your scuplt to smooth it out. This matterial can be added in layers if you are willing to wait for dry time in between. My work flow is that I ussually keep a small pile of stuff by my desk to sculpt mix a small batch. Sculpt one 1-3 figures I planned to work on one part at a time to avoid fat fingering my sculpt. I might sculpt a bandana on a figure then set it to the side and sculpt a belt on another etc. Somtimes I do more at once but not alot because I have messed up a sculpt on accident to many times.
After it dries apoxie sculpt can be sanded. Slightly carved (Example to the straight out the edge of a belt, even up where the sculpt isnt symmetrical etc.)
Warning while carving you are stressing your sculpt. It can Crack.
Sugru: this stuff stars to set when exposed to air so its sold in small Batches. It is also super rubbery after it sets. So you have a small work time. Its great for hair or gear you want to flex. I comes in diffrent colors. But doesnt take paint well. Ive only found it on asian websites so it can be a pain to track down. But if you watch craig warrick's video on his Gannon from zelda custom you can see it might be useful
__________
Sorry not been doing much lanard stuff latey. I have a new tip but the picture is not lanard sorry. The guards from razors can be cut to add holsters you your figures. Just glue them on after shaving to the size you want. I plan to sculpt over it to hide the glue better.
_____
Head sculpting / painting tip. Need a way to hold your head for carving/ painting or sculpting get a cheap exacto handle and you might be in business!
________
Head Swaps when the peg is diffrent. Buckshot plus tons of other figure from everthing from chapmei to sports statuesmay be in scale to work with the corps. But ussually the neck is too long or the peg isnt the same size. Ive even need to shave down the thickness of the neck to make things work. One of the people on the form sujessted they use a screw to replace the ridge that holds the head on a figure. So I decided to try it out. I took 2 diffrent size kneck ridges to Home depot and look at screws for a while. I settled on trying two diffrent Sizes #8 3/8 in and #6 3/8 in screws. It seems the number has to do with the diameter on the head.... It worked great!
I saw these ant think they migh be useful...
Getting Paint to stick to plastic. SteadyCraftin aka the craftsman has a great video about flame treating plastic to get paint to stick to it.
youtu.be/6Rc4LKMHC74
Tool Tip: wood burning kit. Pros They make exacto blades for wood burning kits. This can be a great tool when you want to customize harder plastics. Also If used correctly it can substitue for a dremmel. It can leave a clean cut that takes less clean up. Cons it takes a while to heat up. Burning yourself is bad. Needs more ventilation than a dremmel.
Let me know if you use this tool!
-------
Tip: Cleanliness is next to... Stickiness.
Want to know one thing that makes it so hard to get paint to stick? The mold release oils they use in factory production can keep you paint from sticking as well to your figure. Solution Soap and water. A little elbow grease!
--------
More on paint. Acrylic paints are a must. Stay away from enamels or oil based paint. I buy model paints like Citidal, Games Work shop, Tamiya color paints. And have used testors now and then. But dont like them as much as Tamiya Color paints and Citidal.
While the paints can be expensive if you buy them all at once. Look at most action figures or comic characters. Most are really only 2-3 colors of costum. So only buy 2-3 bottles at a time. You can do alot with with a limited pallet. It also cane make it easiser to make teams stand out if the all have the same colors in general.
-----------
Paint/Dye. So Ive been scuppting with epoxie sculpt and it come out white. If you mix it alone. You can add some color by mixing in some acryllic paint. This way if you paint job was scuffed the base color that shows through isnt white. It does make the sculpt a little softer so you mihh want a extra coat over it anyway.
_________
Tried out mogpog. (Not sure of the spelling ill shornt to mp). So mp is a almost glue like coating. You can "paint" is over a figure after painting and it creates a clear slightly glossy coat over it. When you pain it on it looks like elmers glue. But it dries clear. The issue Ive had with it is it can be pealed off if you find an edge and it will seal around a joint so you have to cut it slightly so it will break free. I think if it wear applied carefully to small areas allowed to dry then applied to the next area it might be fine. I used it on my logan custom. It does mean if you drop a figure etc that you might not scuff your custom paint job. I am going to continue to explore this clear coat and know i will use it on dioramas since they dont have so many moving parts. Let me know any tips you have for mp or other matterials
_____
Sculpting Matterials:
Green Stuff: all my research say its a two part epoxy that based on the mix can be a little softer then most other matterials. I havent used it.
Milliput: Had to try this stuff out because Youtubers Glenn Webb and Craig Warrick use it.it worked about the same as what I use but seemed like I got less for my money.
Apoxie sculpt: This is what I use they say it can go bad but my batch has lasted a year and a half easy with not special storage. It mixes and turns white. I mostly sculpt with box cuters and tooth picks. Just be sure to keep your tool wet. I wear gloves because Ive read online some people become allergic to it. If not to avoid finger prints wipe wet finger over the smooth parts of your scuplt to smooth it out. This matterial can be added in layers if you are willing to wait for dry time in between. My work flow is that I ussually keep a small pile of stuff by my desk to sculpt mix a small batch. Sculpt one 1-3 figures I planned to work on one part at a time to avoid fat fingering my sculpt. I might sculpt a bandana on a figure then set it to the side and sculpt a belt on another etc. Somtimes I do more at once but not alot because I have messed up a sculpt on accident to many times.
After it dries apoxie sculpt can be sanded. Slightly carved (Example to the straight out the edge of a belt, even up where the sculpt isnt symmetrical etc.)
Warning while carving you are stressing your sculpt. It can Crack.
Sugru: this stuff stars to set when exposed to air so its sold in small Batches. It is also super rubbery after it sets. So you have a small work time. Its great for hair or gear you want to flex. I comes in diffrent colors. But doesnt take paint well. Ive only found it on asian websites so it can be a pain to track down. But if you watch craig warrick's video on his Gannon from zelda custom you can see it might be useful
__________
Sorry not been doing much lanard stuff latey. I have a new tip but the picture is not lanard sorry. The guards from razors can be cut to add holsters you your figures. Just glue them on after shaving to the size you want. I plan to sculpt over it to hide the glue better.
_____
Head sculpting / painting tip. Need a way to hold your head for carving/ painting or sculpting get a cheap exacto handle and you might be in business!
________
Head Swaps when the peg is diffrent. Buckshot plus tons of other figure from everthing from chapmei to sports statuesmay be in scale to work with the corps. But ussually the neck is too long or the peg isnt the same size. Ive even need to shave down the thickness of the neck to make things work. One of the people on the form sujessted they use a screw to replace the ridge that holds the head on a figure. So I decided to try it out. I took 2 diffrent size kneck ridges to Home depot and look at screws for a while. I settled on trying two diffrent Sizes #8 3/8 in and #6 3/8 in screws. It seems the number has to do with the diameter on the head.... It worked great!
I saw these ant think they migh be useful...
Getting Paint to stick to plastic. SteadyCraftin aka the craftsman has a great video about flame treating plastic to get paint to stick to it.
youtu.be/6Rc4LKMHC74
