Painting Pieces

[Saint-14]

Hello all! The title says it all: I have some questions about painting pieces! I want to paint a bunch of regular masks into Ko-Toa/Ko-Matoran masks for MOCs and such (i.e. Great Komau and Huna being painted white). So, for those of you who have experience painting, what do you recommend? I'd like to try and recreate the same feeling, with it being matte rather than gloss, or the in-between look that Lego achieves on their masks. Thanks in advance for your help!

[Toa Kohron]

I can't help you, buy I'd love to know as well. I need to paint a Kauilisi silver for Nidhiki and...something white for a Ko-Toa self MOC as well.

 

Someone help us.

[Jacks]

Toa Kohron, since Nidhiki is usually just described as "emerald," you could always just use the dark green Kualsi from Defilak.

 

If you really want it silver, though, I've found that metallic silver Sharpies are a perfect match for the silver from 2002-05 (less so for the Pearl Light Grey silver we started getting in '06). The only downside is that the marker can dry out fairly quickly, so you may need a handful at your disposal just in case, and it can rub or scratch off extremely easily; you'll need to handle the mask only by the edges when it's done, and I wouldn't recommend this for a moc that you expect to experience anything rougher than permanent display. I've also never used it to color an entire mask -- only highlights myself; were I back home with my collection, I'd show you examples, but alas -- so I can't say whether the texture will look convincing, or if it will have an obviously "markered" look.

 

That's all I got, I'm afraid. Sorry I can't help with the white masks

[Toa Kohron]

Toa Kohron, since Nidhiki is usually just described as "emerald," you could always just use the dark green Kualsi from Defilak.

 

If you really want it silver, though, I've found that metallic silver Sharpies are a perfect match for the silver from 2002-05 (less so for the Pearl Light Grey silver we started getting in '06). The only downside is that the marker can dry out fairly quickly, so you may need a handful at your disposal just in case, and it can rub or scratch off extremely easily; you'll need to handle the mask only by the edges when it's done, and I wouldn't recommend this for a moc that you expect to experience anything rougher than permanent display. I've also never used it to color an entire mask -- only highlights myself; were I back home with my collection, I'd show you examples, but alas -- so I can't say whether the texture will look convincing, or if it will have an obviously "markered" look.

 

That's all I got, I'm afraid. Sorry I can't help with the white masks

Oh man, that's great, thanks!

And now that you mention it, it makes sense for me to leave Nidhili's mask green. It's growing on me anyhow, it looks great... But the tip about the markers is brilliant! Thanks again!

 

Also, sorry ~Haxorus~ if it feels like I'm hijacking your thread D:

[Xabla]

I literally put them in a jar of paint and use something to fish them out.

[Saint-14]

Does anybody have a type of paint that they recommend?

[Gremlin]

There are many different ways to paint masks or Bionicle parts, but since paint does not willingly stick to plastic you may need to do a bit more than just paint - otherwise you'll find the paint will flake off and eventually you'll be left with what you started with.

 

I recommend using some sort of primer beforehand, painting it all over the mask and letting that dry. As for the types of paints to use, I mainly just use cheap acrylic paints that you can get at any arts & crafts store. Put these on after the primer is dry and they will stick for quite a long time.

 

If you do not want to hand paint the masks, you can get spray paint as a replacement for the acrylic. Then you can do details with a small brush and acrylics.

 

Hope this helped!

[Toa Kohron]

Any specific brands? Krylon, perhaps?

[Karetao]

I'm not a professional, but I've done some painting of pieces for OCs (as well as making jewelry and set pieces/costumes in the past), so here are my ideas:

 

If you don't want it to be glossy, use acrylic spray paint (it comes in all types of mattes, semi-matte is pretty nice, but be sure to experiment with different types on practice pieces before deciding), preferably with a smaller air brush (like those used in doll making). Primer is definitely a good idea, just be sure to give it 24 hourss to dry before you paint over it (minimum). If you use spray paint, you *must* wear a mask or filter of some kind (goggles too), as this is pretty horrible for you if you inhale it, and I'd strongly recommend doing it outside (or in a garage with the door wide open). You'll also want it either hanging from a string, or up on a small stand so you can get most of it in one swoop without touching it (though I'd wear gloves just in case, spray paint can be very irritating.) Though if you do use a stand, this paint can come out with some force, so you'll want to make sure the mask is attached somehow, so it doesn't get knocked off. There are websites dedicated to helping you find the color of paint you need, so that shouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, I can't recommend a brand, though a few things that can vary are: pressure of the spray, density of color, strength of fumes, etc. As a little side note, I know it doesn't matter much in your case, but I'd recommend painting the pieces WHITE first, before layering other colors on top, since it will make the top color much more clear and vibrant. Of course, multiple layers (let it dry first) should yeild a stronger/brighter color. Unless you're going for a transparent piece, of course, wouldn't help much then. As for letting it dry, I'd let it go for 24 hours in a very well ventilated place at the least, but I've had experiences that took three days (but that was when painting a wooden cane, so I doubt plastic would take that long?)

 

I think spray paint is the most professional looking of the types I've tried (short of actually moulding the pieces, but I can't do that), I don't know if some kind of "plastic dye" exists, but I would worry about the safety of that.

 

If you want to do details or go by hand, I'd recommend sculpting paint (sometimes called modeling paint), which you can find at most hobby stores and definitely at RPG stores (places that cater to DnD and the like usually have an *insane* selection of tiny bottles of paint + very fine brushes - just right for small models! Plus a lot of that paint is made with plastic in mind, and you might be able to get a good stand at those places, too.) You can get this stuff in a variety of gloss, matte, and whatever else you'd like. I imagine there are websites dedicated to it.

 

As for glossier/shinier paints, or if you're looking for a metallic finish, I'd actually go with nail polish - in thin, thin layers, but several of them. If you go with this method, try to soak the brush as little as possible and make sure it's a very thin, even coating all around - then let it dry for an hour or so, then go back and do your second layer and so on. You might have to do three to five (or more) layers, but this is to avoid it dripping or becoming goopy as nail polish likes to do, the color usually turns out nice, the fumes won't kill you or destroy your skin (but I'd definitely wash my hands afterwards), it's water resistant, but you CAN remove it pretty easily later on if you want to (so you may want to be careful). Just don't use acetone/nail polish remover, as it seems to react with some plastic. But nail polish is pretty easy to chip off once you get one hole in it.

 

I wouldn't do oil paints. I'm inexperienced with them myself, so maybe I'm wrong here, but they take like.. a week or more to dry. That's based on the two oil canvas paintings I've done in the past. Is it amazing paint? Yes, definitely. But the point of it is that you can mix colors very fluidly, and I assume you'd want solid colors for MOCing, though gradients could definitely be nice (I'd still do them with spray paint).

 

As with all paint, be warned it'll stink and stain, so wear old clothes, put an old tablecloth down, wear gloves, wear goggles, wear a mask, etc. (Hahah, wear a mask. Irony.) As a last note, almost every paint will peel or chip off some day, but it shouldn't happen too quickly. Anyway, I hope this helped, and I'd love to see how they turn out. Best of luck!

[Elephant Knight]

All I have ever done for painted masks (And other parts) is just spray paint. It's hit and miss (Usually miss) on how well it looks in the end. Often edges get left unpainted, as the paint 'flows' downhill. But I am lazy and impatient when it comes to such things.

 

Toa Han

[Ziontyro Metalhead]

You can use a clear gloss or matte sealer to help prevent paint chipping as well. Also, if you want to do more work but better results, go over the mask with a very fine sandpaper (maybe around 300 grit) to help the paint stick to the plastic. Also, make sure to use acrylic if you are using model paints, as they will dry out faster and not have any chance of damaging the plastic. You don't need to worry too much about this, as the ABS used in LEGO is very resilient.

 

With spray paint, do thin, light coats until it is completely covered. Don't use heavy coats as that will tend to leave drip marks.

Edited March 2, 2015 by Ziontyro Metalhead

[UnderscoreChronix]

I can't help you, buy I'd love to know as well. I need to paint a Kauilisi silver for Nidhiki and...something white for a Ko-Toa self MOC as well.

 

Someone help us.

Just thought I'd say, Nidhiki actually wore a Volitak in the story, so technically you don't need to paint anything for him.

[Jacks]

 

I can't help you, buy I'd love to know as well. I need to paint a Kauilisi silver for Nidhiki and...something white for a Ko-Toa self MOC as well.

 

Someone help us.

Just thought I'd say, Nidhiki actually wore a Volitak in the story, so technically you don't need to paint anything for him.

 

Of course Nidhiki wore a Volitak. But it's a very common headcanon that Nidhiki's Volitak was shaped the same as Iruini's Kualsi and the mask worn by Defilak, rather than the same as Nuparu Mahri's Volitak. Since the Toa Hagah's masks are specifically stated to have been shaped like masks of differing powers, and because the Toa Mahri came into being through some rather atypical transformations, there's no reason to assume that Nidhiki's Kanohi wasn't shaped like the mask we know as the Kualsi

 

(Greg says otherwise, of course, but he's also stated in the past that he thinks and imagines in words rather than images. If you ask me, that means we don't necesssarily have to take his word on matters of aesthetics)

[Saint-14]

 

 

I can't help you, buy I'd love to know as well. I need to paint a Kauilisi silver for Nidhiki and...something white for a Ko-Toa self MOC as well.

 

Someone help us.

Just thought I'd say, Nidhiki actually wore a Volitak in the story, so technically you don't need to paint anything for him.

 

Of course Nidhiki wore a Volitak. But it's a very common headcanon that Nidhiki's Volitak was shaped the same as Iruini's Kualsi and the mask worn by Defilak, rather than the same as Nuparu Mahri's Volitak. Since the Toa Hagah's masks are specifically stated to have been shaped like masks of differing powers, and because the Toa Mahri came into being through some rather atypical transformations, there's no reason to assume that Nidhiki's Kanohi wasn't shaped like the mask we know as the Kualsi

 

(Greg says otherwise, of course, but he's also stated in the past that he thinks and imagines in words rather than images. If you ask me, that means we don't necesssarily have to take his word on matters of aesthetics)

 

Plus Toa Norik and Iruini were originally supposed to be Toa Dume and Toa Nidhiki, correct?

[Jacks]

That was the original concept, yeah. Scrapped because neither Nidhiki nor Dume were involved in the 2005 storyline, nor were they even Toa at the same time, much less on the same team. It does perfectly explain why Iruini's mask is shaped like a Vahki head, though

 

So if we consider that the "masks shaped like other masks" thing would've been introduced to explain why Norik's Pehkui is shaped like a Kiril, it's no jump in reasoning to assume that Iruini's Kualsi is shaped like a Volitak -- we know it's not a Kualsi's standard shape, at the very least.

 

In fact, if memory serves, I'm pretty sure that this is what most everyone assumed until 2007 when Greg was like " nah son it looks like Nuparu's mask"

Edited March 4, 2015 by Junkbot Master of Trash

[Toa Kohron]

My god, what did I start.

 

It was just a passing remark, and now it's half a thread...

 

Yeah, I'm new to the forum game xD

 

Back on topic, thanks all for the paint advice. And everyone's already mentioned what I would have said about my Nidhiki moc, so...well that's about it I guess.