Custom Vinylmation - Do It Yourself Tutorial

[WDWTigger72]

Changes will be forthcoming on this thread, as I want to change things around quite bit. See ya real soon...

[WDWTigger72]

More to come (saved for more information)

[WDWTigger72]

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[WDWTigger72]

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[WDWTigger72]

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[WDWTigger72]

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[WDWTigger72]

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[WDWTigger72]

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[slagles]

Son of a flip! LOL I just asked Sledge in his custom thread to elaborate on paint, etc. and now I see this. I must learn to look at all posts before I ask questions. Thanks for sharing the awesome info!!

[Sledge]

I keep having the problem of painting the feet once I think I'm done, then I end up finding a few other things I want to touch up and end up leaning the figure on it's feet. This always leads to the paint peeling. I try to smooth it out by picking away the little specks and repainting, but it never looks very good and is noticeable that the paint had peeled there. Same thing also happens on the top of the ears sometimes. Do you have any tips on smoothing it and and getting it to blend? :shrug:

Also, I've heard a few people mention sanding between coats? Do you know anything about that and could you put up a tutorial about how that works? :)

[WDWTigger72]

I would highly recommend sanding you can get your paint strokes, bumps, over painted lines, etc pretty smooth and clear. For the Apple Barrel Plaid, I have a figure I am currently working on that I will show a bit later but I have pretty much lightly sanded down most of it. I am using Grit 400 sandpaper that you can pick up at your local home depot, and I sand very very very lightly (I stress this one or you will be back down to your vinyl). The light spots that your talking about I just cake on some paint sometimes because I get frustrated seeing a little translucent area LOL so I just sand it down afterwards. Obviously, This takes a long time to complete one vinyl and probably isn't the best way to do it if you want to push them out quickly. It works for me though and looks really good. I have different grits 100, 200, 400, 600 and 1000...the lower the grit the more coarse the sandpaper is, and obviously the higher grit the less coarse the sandpaper is. The lower grits I use for really bad lines, grooves, strokes, bumps, etc. The higher grit you can think of as your polisher to go over one time to smooth things down one more time before sealing. I will definitely be putting something together on this down the line, just want to finish this first one to see how it comes out...Afterall, If it didn't look good I wouldn't want to see others use a sandpaper technique that doesn't work. I have been playing with different paints and just bought a set of sharpie markers, will be playing around with those also...So, Lots more to come on this thread here...

P.S. I did purchase an airbrush also :D Not bad regarding cost, I mean it didn't cost me anymore than a case of 3" for the most part, and I will be playing with that down the line too. I also will be talking more on acetone and goofoff using those to break down a vinyl you don't like that comes out. I mean after all why pay $9.95 and have to purchase a new one if you wanted to just take the paint off and start from scratch....

[HT_NSU]

I keep having the problem of painting the feet once I think I'm done, then I end up finding a few other things I want to touch up and end up leaning the figure on it's feet. This always leads to the paint peeling. I try to smooth it out by picking away the little specks and repainting, but it never looks very good and is noticeable that the paint had peeled there. Same thing also happens on the top of the ears sometimes. Do you have any tips on smoothing it and and getting it to blend? :shrug:

Also, I've heard a few people mention sanding between coats? Do you know anything about that and could you put up a tutorial about how that works? :)

I posted this on my DIY thread, but figured I'd share it here also:

I had read previously before the site going down from some people who sanded their figures down between coats of paint. Someone suggested 400 grit sandpaper. I was discussing this with my husband and he suggested trying steel wool instead.

I tried that this morning and really loved it. It left everything completely smooth and didn't scratch the paint at all. After sanding it down, I used canned air to blow off the shavings and applied the second coat with no problems.

Just something to think about if you're interested. Hope this helps!

[WDWTigger72]

That was probably me :) I haven't tried steel wool yet, although I do have some laying around somewhere in my art supply box. What type of steel wool did you use? Similar to sandpaper you can get it in different grades, so I would hate to see someone buy a coarse grade and take all their paint off LOL. You can also buy steel wool at your local hardware store such as home depot or lowes for anybody looking for this. Here is a chart of the grades which I will also have somewhere on the first few posts when I start talking about sanding:

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/7436/rhodesamericansteelwoolp.jpg

Something I didn't mention last night regarding sandpaper grits, was that anything over 1000 grit you typically have to get at an Auto Body store. I think it was AutoZone where I saw grit 1000-2000 sandpaper. These higher grades are very fine sandpaper and can really make something very smooth without taking too much off, the really high grits are sometimes even used to polish an object instead of sanding. Also, Besides a can of air to blow away any chalky/powdery paint pieces, you can also use just a damp paper towel. The damp paper towel has worked pretty well for me also with taking away the dust particles.

[Sledge]

Great information, guys. Thanks.

Now I'm wondering... Because of the small lines and tons of detail, I'm going to be using the oil-based Sharpies (or should I be using water-based?) on a 3". Once I am finished, do I seal it with the same matte finish spray I use with acrylics. I'm not even sure if sealer is necessary. I'm still a noob when it comes to Customs. :lol:

[disneyfan168]

Great information, guys. Thanks.

Now I'm wondering... Because of the small lines and tons of detail, I'm going to be using the oil-based Sharpies (or should I be using water-based?) on a 3". Once I am finished, do I seal it with the same matte finish spray I use with acrylics. I'm not even sure if sealer is necessary. I'm still a noob when it comes to Customs. :lol:

Your going to make one with sharpies instead of paint? Or just for the details?

[WDWTigger72]

Great information, guys. Thanks.

Now I'm wondering... Because of the small lines and tons of detail, I'm going to be using the oil-based Sharpies (or should I be using water-based?) on a 3". Once I am finished, do I seal it with the same matte finish spray I use with acrylics. I'm not even sure if sealer is necessary. I'm still a noob when it comes to Customs. :lol:

If you don't have a finline airbrush that goes down to microns, then the only option for getting good detail is using a sharpie marker. I just purchased a set of "24 Assorted Sharpie Ultra Fine Point Permanent Markers", which I still have to play around with a bit. Sharpie has a slew of products you can find here:

http://www.sharpie.com

Both the "Sharpie Water Based Paint Markers (Extra Fine, Fine, Medium and Bold)" and "Sharpie Oil Based Paint Markers (Extra Fine, Fine, Medium and Bold)" I have read on numerous custom sites as people using when doing their detail work. I have read in numerous places that the paint markers do not tend to run, but then again I still having tried them out. I have heard the sharpies I bought tend to run and discolor, but that is the beauty of testing things out. Whatever you do with your sharpie make sure you seal it first before putting the matte finish spray on it because most spray cans have Acetone and will make things run (Acetone is used for stripping paint, is in a women's nail polish remover, etc). If you spray your custom vinyl without sealing you may notice that your sharpie detail work may (1) Fade or (2) Run or (3) Possibly paint will have fine line cracks. You can usually check the back of the can to see if it contains Acetone, but most products I have checked so far unfortunately have it. You can use "Liquitex Acrylic - Matte Varnish" just around your detail work to seal the custom vinyl. Its almost like a clear coat but it doesn't have those harsh chemicals that will ruin your detail.

NOTE: Since I am just starting to play around with this stuff I just want to say these are things I have read on custom vinyl sites. I do know for sure, That Acetone will literally just take away everything since I have done this a few times on vinyls I was playing around with. Just be careful when using any product with Acetone in it, if its in a spray can it probably has it.

I have a few sites bookmarked and will create a reference guide for books, sites, etc on some of the main posts but wanted to share one site that had a lot of information on it. Many different things I am trying I have found within this post, but there are a few others out there that some professional artists have that detail the beginning to ending of a custom vinyl, porcelain, etc.

http://forums.kidrobot.com/viewtopic.php?t=56606&sid=19056c99fd28c22700bf36be3841dae2

[HT_NSU]

That was probably me :) I haven't tried steel wool yet, although I do have some laying around somewhere in my art supply box. What type of steel wool did you use? Similar to sandpaper you can get it in different grades, so I would hate to see someone buy a coarse grade and take all their paint off LOL. You can also buy steel wool at your local hardware store such as home depot or lowes for anybody looking for this. Here is a chart of the grades which I will also have somewhere on the first few posts when I start talking about sanding:

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/7436/rhodesamericansteelwoolp.jpg

Something I didn't mention last night regarding sandpaper grits, was that anything over 1000 grit you typically have to get at an Auto Body store. I think it was AutoZone where I saw grit 1000-2000 sandpaper. These higher grades are very fine sandpaper and can really make something very smooth without taking too much off, the really high grits are sometimes even used to polish an object instead of sanding. Also, Besides a can of air to blow away any chalky/powdery paint pieces, you can also use just a damp paper towel. The damp paper towel has worked pretty well for me also with taking away the dust particles.

Ummm....I'm not really sure what kind I'm using. It's whatever my husband had in his tool box. :lol: I didn't even know there were different grades for steel wool... :lol: I'll have to check with my husband and get back with you. :bonk:

[Randall]

I have a glue question and didn't want start a whole new thread. Has anyone tried super glue or hot glue? Which is better?

[WDWTigger72]

I have a glue question and didn't want start a whole new thread. Has anyone tried super glue or hot glue? Which is better?

This is another area I still have to get into, regarding playing around with, but I have at home both Gorilla Glue and "Studio By Sculpey - Bake and Bond" for my sculpey. The Gorilla Glue worked pretty well on something else I did, but I have yet to really use it on vinyls. I have never had luck with super glue on any object, and it always seems to fall off and not adhere very well. Hopefully, Some others have used some stuff and can give better feedback, when I have used these glues more I will be sure to add something on the first post. There is a nice crystal vinylmation and not sure what they used so hopefully can provide some information on that, and also a mummy and googly eyes by same person (VinylMummy, I THINK!) so hopefully they can give some feedback on what they used.

[aspm71]

I have a glue question and didn't want start a whole new thread. Has anyone tried super glue or hot glue? Which is better?

My gf used E-6000 glue for "Rhinestone Mickey" and I think the person who did the googly eye one used the same thing.

[HT_NSU]

Ok. I, like many of you, have been using the Apple Barrel 97-cent acrylic paints from Micheal's. Today I was walking through the crafts department in my local Wal-Mart and saw the same paints for only 57-cents. Micheal's had a much bigger selection, but I thought I'd let you guys know to check your local Wally-world first...you might be able to save a little money.

[disneyfan168]

Ok. I, like many of you, have been using the Apple Barrel 97-cent acrylic paints from Micheal's. Today I was walking through the crafts department in my local Wal-Mart and saw the same paints for only 57-cents. Micheal's had a much bigger selection, but I thought I'd let you guys know to check your local Wally-world first...you might be able to save a little money.

I was about to post this too, I saw them for 57 cents at Wal-Mart, but there were only the basic colors.

[Randall]

I go to Wallyworld for the basic black, white, and red. But I hit Michael's when I need a large variety of colors.

[daveyjoe76]

Where would I go about getting the blank Vinylmations so I could create my own?

[disneyfan168]

Where would I go about getting the blank Vinylmations so I could create my own?

They are should at most of the stores that sell regular vinylmations. Check the vinylmation tracker to see where they have been spotted last.

[BigBenj]

Maybe I'm missing it, but what's the sandpaper for? Also, how many coats should I apply?

[HT_NSU]

Maybe I'm missing it, but what's the sandpaper for? Also, how many coats should I apply?

The sandpaper (or in my case, I use steel wool) smooths out the paint between coats and helps to keep it smooth. It's not something you absolutely have to do, it's just really a matter of personal preference. I usually put multiple thin coats. I really couldn't tell you how many. I just keep applying until I get the look I'm after (making sure a coat is completely dry before adding another).

Hope this helps!

[BigBenj]

The sandpaper (or in my case, I use steel wool) smooths out the paint between coats and helps to keep it smooth. It's not something you absolutely have to do, it's just really a matter of personal preference. I usually put multiple thin coats. I really couldn't tell you how many. I just keep applying until I get the look I'm after (making sure a coat is completely dry before adding another).

Hope this helps!

It does. Thank you. Would you suggest sanding the figure before applying the first coat? This is the first figure I've ever painted, and I'm nervous that not prepping the figure first will lead to the paint peeling off.

Any other suggestions?

[Open_at_the_close]

It does. Thank you. Would you suggest sanding the figure before applying the first coat? This is the first figure I've ever painted, and I'm nervous that not prepping the figure first will lead to the paint peeling off.

Any other suggestions?

Although you probably wont have a problem with the paint grabbing on to the figure and sticking lightly sanding the figure before your first or base coat will help a bit. Since its your first figure I'd say dont worry too much about how it will come out. The more you make the more you begin to learn your little tricks to get certain things done. I'd say just have alot of fun with it.

As for tips.....I guess it depends on which size your using. The the 9" figures I'd say carefull with how you take off the arms because the way they're made they have a tendancy to begin to tear as you try and pull them off (something which I highly dont like). And also take your time with the paint. You have a larger canvas to try and do little details.

As for the 3" figures my main advice is patience, depending on how complex your design is.

Good luck with your designs!

[HT_NSU]

Definitely agree with Open_at_the_close. I also recommend using painter's tape to create straight edges or to keep completed parts from getting paint on them.

[phino]

ahh how i miss using caps on cans! :) good thread!

[la_canuck]

Great thread, was wondering how people were doing these on their own. Not that I am good artist. But wouldn't mind taking a crack at it. Thanks!

[bamsk8er49]

Heyy, so this is what I do sometimes, i'm just starting it out, i take those cheap sponge brushes to get a clean no brush stroke look, i'm gonna start to use a matte finish after I seal it, i usually put mod podge on after so i'll see how it looks with mod podge then a matte finish over it, and i think i am gonna start to use sharpie for any kind of details, wether its eyes or any small thing, and also i sometimes use artist tape to block off finished areas altho i find that some paint leaks under the tape which is rele annoying altho it worked for one of my vinylmations that there was a leak. hope this helps anyone and i hope to improve alot more with my vinylmations

[Mandelina4]

I used sharpie permanent markers and the ink keeps smudging and coming off on my fingers. What can I use as a top coat so that the ink doesn't smudge off anymore? Is acrylic paint better then permanent marker?

[WDWTigger72]

I used sharpie permanent markers and the ink keeps smudging and coming off on my fingers. What can I use as a top coat so that the ink doesn't smudge off anymore? Is acrylic paint better then permanent marker?

A.C. Moore and other art supply stores sell "Liquitex - Matte Varnish" and "Liquitex - Gloss Varnish" in a bottle, make sure you buy the bottle and not the spray can versions. Anytime you utilize a sharpie markie and then use some type of spray can clear coat, spray can varnish, etc they all contain alcohol and acetone typically, and you will see the ink run like crazy. Buy the bottles of "Liquitex - Matte Varnish" or "Liquitex - Gloss Varnish" and paint it on just like you would utilize a paint.

Acrylic paint goes on much smoother than sharpie marker ink, and also covers the area much better. I have played around with numerous sharpie markers and unfortunately what happens is the sharpie marker ink just spreads around and you find you have little white spaces. With acrylic paint it will cover the entire area and you shouldn't find any white spots on your vinyl.

[gyotaku]

I have a question for you guys. Has anyone tried dipping one for a base coat? Thin the paint down so that it doesn't glob? Another question is have any of you tried to thin the paint down so that you could do a translucent second coat? I have a couple of ideas in mind, but I would need the translucency for a couple of colors.

[jdmsneakerhead]

thank you for the info!!!

[UStayClassy]

have you seen the new blanks? They are colored!

[pkthecat]

Gonna start one soon

[streetshutter]

thanks for all the awesome info. I just ordered a couple blanks and am really excited but was unsure as to the proper procedures to get awesome results

[Boolani]

I've only done my first custom this past week but, I found that using Glaze (http://www.sakuraofamerica.com/pen-3d-pen) 3-d Gelly roller pens seemed to work as well as sharpies for outlining and they dont run when spraying a clear coat, have to be careful though you have to outline super slowly or the ink globs together like rain on a window, but going slow and steady they gave nice outlines with a little raised edge if you go even slower. They have a nice glossy finish too :) unless you want a matte type then they have the souffle. can be a little costly for pens though, I picked mine up from Borders last year using up the last of a gift card that I'd been given ;)

[Comix]

before i start with my custom vinyl can someone please tell me what should i first spray paint or sanding it dwn? and can i paint over the spray paint with acrylic paint?

[HT_NSU]

I've never used spray pain on a vinyl, so I can't really help you with that. But I have sanded down my 9" before painting it. To be honest, after doing it, I don't really know that's it's necessary. Now I only sand the figure to remove paint to try to fix the occasional mistake.

[Boolani]

just thought I'd ask what everyone uses as a stand/holder for their customs whilst painting and sealing them?

Because I've found the head sits very nicely ontop of a sharpie wedged into a little inexpensive candlestick holder set I picked up a while back. They're only little glass blocks but they clean up well if I accidentally paint them by mistake and I've found the top of the 3" bodies (the bit that fixes into the head) sits nice and snug into the candlestick holder too and because they're glass, they are heavy enough to keep the vinyl safe from toppling over, they looked like this...

http://i50.tinypic.com/27x2ava.jpg

I've seen something similar on Amazon, just thought I'd share as I go looking for more or something else to use as a stand/holder so I can do more than one vinyl at a time ;)

[HT_NSU]

I use clothes pins to hold up the arms while they're drying. For the head, I use the handle of one of my thick paint brushes and put that into a narrow vase. The body, I don't really use anything because I don't paint the bottom of the feet, so I just stand it up on my paint pallette. Once the figure is completed and dry, I sign and date the bottom of the feet and just lay the figure on its back wile the feet dry (which really only takes about 5 minutes) then I seal it all with the spray sealer wich also dries pretty quickly.

[RedRocket]

lots of helpful tips thanks guys

[SquidTV]

Going to start my first custom Vinyl this weekend... either Brian from Family Guy a black Spider-man! Wish me luck!

[samuraismurfette]

Do the arms and head come off? easily? I'm afraid of breaking something.
Or do y'all just paint around them?

[Boolani]

on the 3" they come off pretty easy, the nubs flex a bit when you pull them off but stay intact. So don't fret if they feel like they're bending ;)
I don't think the arms come off the 9", I seem to remember someone saying they felt the nubs were going to tear..

[bamsk8er49]

i looked inside a 9inch nd it looked like they were locked in, if u tried to pull it out, i don't think you can haha.
ill try to take a pic if i have the time =)

[samuraismurfette]

Great thanks! Just what I needed to know!
I've done customs on other types of figures before, and I've torn a couple arms off in the past... : \

[HT_NSU]

The 9" heads come off too, but they're a pain to try to get back on.

[bamsk8er49]

well evilos gave a great tip online on youtube with the 9" heads, its so easy for me to pop the head off nd on now

[VinylGirl]

You can spray paint your vinyl, but it may take a few coats to thoroughly cover it. I rinse mine in hot water to get the oils off of it and sometimes it helps to sand it- though you don't always have to with 9" figures. Michaels sells a medium which acts as a primer and gives the paint something to grab onto. With practice- you can decide whether or not it's necessary based on what you're doing. You can find it in the craft paint aisle. If you want to paint your vinyl by hand, I recommend watercolor brushes and using the craft liquid paint. If you water it down a little bit, you shouldn't see as many brush strokes. When you're done- you'll want to use a sealer (craft paint aisle) or a spray fixative. Good luck with your custom! I hope this helps.

[Story]

Okay if this has been addressed before, sorry in advance as I try to keep up with what's been discussed and not, but I didn't see anything concerning this:

I had a blank vinyl, and I was just messing around and wanted to doodle on it, so I used sharpies. I know, they aren't the best thing to use as they don't give off a professional touch but I just wanted to try and see what my design would look like.

Now I'm planning to get some paint and some blanks for a few projects in a couple of weeks, as I have more ideas. I would kind of like to start fresh with my sharpied blank, but I'm not sure if that is possible, and I don't want to try to clean if if it's not going to all come off. I mean, it looks fine right now, but I would like to use it for a different project if it's possible.

So, short story is- How do you clean sharpie ink off a vinyl so you can redesign it? Is it possible? Anyone had any success doing it before?

Thanks ahead of time for any input on this :wave:

[polythene_pam]

I just got back from WDW. I was quite surprised to see the number of different vinylmation figures available since my last visit when only the first edition was out. I picked up a couple of blanks I'm eager to put the paint brush to them. (A hockey player for my sister and a zombie for myself.) I haven't had experience painting on vinyl but I do have experience with plastic and resin miniatures.

I would stay away from the Wal-Mart and Michael's craft paints. (Apple Barrell and the like) They are very thick and have a lack of color pigment. I highly recommend Valejo's line of model and game color acrylic paints. You can order them online. They are more expensive than the dept store paints but the coverage is excellent and can be thinned from the bottle for very smooth results.

Get a good quality brush. Kolinsky sable hair brushes are absolutely magic. They are very expensive in larger sizes but you can pick up smaller size brushes online at some good discounts. I personally use the Winsor & Newton Series 7. For detail work you wouldn't need anything smaller than a size 0 round. These brushes keep a very fine/sharp point. When cared for a natural hair brush will last.

When I paint plastic miniatures I used a spray primer. Here Wal-Mart Color Place gray primer is your friend at $1.12 a can. I have tried the Krylon white primer but it went on very rough and fuzzy. I may just have had a bad can but since then I have stuck exclusively with the Wal-Mart Color Place gray primer. The benefits of using a spray primer is that it gives you a nice even coat with a little bite to help with paint adhesion.

As for the question about stripping -- I'm not prepared to wreck a blank figure to test this out but I have had much success with Super Clean on plastic/resin miniatures. You pick this up at Wal-Mart or Autozone. It comes in a big purple jug. Place whatever you want stripped in a bath of the stuff for about 24 hours and the paint will come right off with light toothbrushing. (This will take off both the primer and the acrylic paint coats.) Another option is Simple Green though it doesn't do as a good of job. With both you will need to wear rubber gloves as a precaution. I have no idea how to take off Sharpie -- good luck with that.

---------- Post added at 11:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:03 AM ----------


[COLOR="Navy"]

If you don't have a finline airbrush that goes down to microns, then the only option for getting good detail is using a sharpie marker. I just purchased a set of "24 Assorted Sharpie Ultra Fine Point Permanent Markers", which I still have to play around with a bit.




Aww -- here is something far better than the Sharpie ---> The Sakura Pigma Micron Pen.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/sakura-pigma-micron-pen/

These are the finest detail pens I have been able to find. (Down to a .20mm) They have high quality archival inks. The only drawback is that the color selection is limited.

[tzeitel]

Wondering if the original post was going to be updated? I have read the posts but would like a clearer step by step instruction (Vinylmation for Dummies lol) and then I can apply the great tips found on this thread. Does anyone know where else I could find info about doing it yourself vinylmation?

[jklock]

Wondering if the original post was going to be updated? I have read the posts but would like a clearer step by step instruction (Vinylmation for Dummies lol) and then I can apply the great tips found on this thread. Does anyone know where else I could find info about doing it yourself vinylmation?

Yes I would greatly appreciate the step by step as well :)

[CompleetlyRandom]

I'm in the process of beginning a custom, and although I'm in the beginning stages I have a few questions. I'm wanting to work on a 9" and people seem to have issues with taking them apart. Would it be best for me to spray paint this whole, or use painters tape on each body part to ensure that there is no sticking to the other body parts. Also, I hear lots of feedback with sharpier markers. It seems that it's okay to use them as long as you seal your piece before you matte finish it. My question is, if you're using acrylic paint.. can you use sharpie for details on top? And if so, which type would be best. Any other feedback on doing a 9" would be very helpful. I'm trying to keep it simple here, but I still want it to look good :)

Thanks guys!

[bamsk8er49]

I'm in the process of beginning a custom, and although I'm in the beginning stages I have a few questions. I'm wanting to work on a 9" and people seem to have issues with taking them apart. Would it be best for me to spray paint this whole, or use painters tape on each body part to ensure that there is no sticking to the other body parts. Also, I hear lots of feedback with sharpier markers. It seems that it's okay to use them as long as you seal your piece before you matte finish it. My question is, if you're using acrylic paint.. can you use sharpie for details on top? And if so, which type would be best. Any other feedback on doing a 9" would be very helpful. I'm trying to keep it simple here, but I still want it to look good :)

Thanks guys!

Hey, in my experience (I've made about 20-30 customs), sharpies are not good. They smudge and when applying a sealer on with a brush, the sharpie smudges all around and messes up the whole vinyl. I do use a marker however for some details. I am not sure right now about the name but I'll get back to you on that. As for applying it on top of acrylic paint, you can use the marker on top. Make sure the paint is dry, if it is half-dry and half-wet it will not be good. The markers I use are meant for anime and are black but they allow me to outline and put small details. And for the painting of the 9", painter's tape can be useful, occasionally it will seep under the tape so make sure the tape has no bubbles on the edges. Also, if you use the tape to block off a section on the body and then you paint the body, there will be a little edge. I don't know if that matters to you or not. If you would like, you can remove the head and arms on the 9". You need a blow-dryer and a serrated edge knife. What you do is heat up the head(or arms). Then once it is heated up enough, the head will come off(a little force is needed). For the head to put back on, you need to cut a little bit in the head, it will not affect the appearance. I have removed the arms but I have not attempted to put them back on so I will update once I try. Hope all of this helps and good luck on your custom vinyl!

And for a video on removing and attaching the head on a 9", you can check out HauntedCollector's video on youtube.

[CompleetlyRandom]

Awesome! I forgot one question. I want to use glow in the dark paint on my piece for one spot. Any good brand? I haven't read about anyone using it here yet ...

[bamsk8er49]

Awesome! I forgot one question. I want to use glow in the dark paint on my piece for one spot. Any good brand? I haven't read about anyone using it here yet ...

Well glow in the dark paint will change the color that you want to use unless its like a green. The paint has a greenish tint to it so when it's in plain light, a red (for example) may be darker with a greenish tint over it it.

[MageGriff]

There's been a lot of great information in this thread! I bought two white customs at D Street a couple of weeks ago and have been juggling around ideas for what I want to create. I definitely learned a lot of tricks from the thread and feel more prepared for painting my customs. Thanks a lot!

[CompleetlyRandom]

Hey guys! I just bought my supplies for my first vinyl today and just wanted to let yall know about a few cool products that I picked up. It sounds like most people buy from walmart or somewhere a bit more generic, so I'm not sure if these are available there or not (I just went to an art store near campus). Anyway, I picked up an Iridescent Acrylic Tinting Medium and a Matte Acrylic Gel. I liked these because they came into tubes instead of huge tubs (which I wouldn't use). The iridescent acrylic is very cool, is just like a sheer pearlized acrylic (like a mica powder mixed in). I'm using this for the Thames River on my Peter Pan custom to give the water a little 'glisteny' effect. Instead of mixing it with the paint, she said its fine to mix with some water and I could just do it like a light top coat if I didn't want it REALLY shimmery. Anyway, very cool. Also, the Matte Gel is going to be perfect for my 'fog' effect. They also had ones with gloss finish, but this one is better for my needs. So yeah, very cool! They didn't have the GITD paint, so I'll still need to pick that up somewhere else, but I thought these were cool finds. Sorry if someone has already posted about these products, I didn't really have time to read through all the pages!

[photographymom517]

I was wondering if someone could help me. I read this entire thread the other night & took tons of notes! My main problem was that I wasn't sure what primer to use or what sealer to use. I wrote down suggestions & went to 3 different craft stores on Monday. When I got there, I couldn't figure out which one to buy. They all say VERY similar things on the bottle. I think I was looking for Krylon Crysta (I'd have to find my notes to double-check) but none of them said "crysta"...they said things like Clear, Clear Acrylic, Clear Matte, etc. I knew I didn't want the matte finish for the particular customs I'm doing, but I wasn't sure which to get. Does it matter or are they all as similar as their titles? I also wanted to buy a primer but wasn't sure where to look...should I try another craft store or the local auto parts store? I'd really appreciate any help!

[I <3 Vinyl]

im glad i just read this because i used sharpie on mine and i tried everything to get it off i.e. soapy water and a cloth. i even tried white paint

[HaroldSnowman]

Wow! such a wealth of knowledge. I just wanted to say thanks! and i had a quick noob question lol. and i think its been addressed before but just to be sure, do you need a primer for the vinyls or can you just paint dirrectly on them?

[ranchdip7]

Hi,

My brother just did his first custom for me. I am super excited. I need your help now. He wants to ship it to me but the vinyl is just painted there is nothing on it to protect it, and I am scared that it will get stuck to the bubble wrap and the figure will come ruined. Can you please suggest any ideas to prevent this from happening?

Thank You in advance.

[Boolani]

I ship all my 3" customs out in a 6x6" box with plenty of bubble wrap around the original box the CYO came in, costs about $4 to send but worth it to insure that it gets there safe and sound, I know others send theirs in bubble mailers without a hitch though :).

[ranchdip7]

I ship all my 3" customs out in a 6x6" box with plenty of bubble wrap around the original box the CYO came in, costs about $4 to send but worth it to insure that it gets there safe and sound, I know others send theirs in bubble mailers without a hitch though :).

Thank You so much for this advice Boolani. You are awesome. I will let my brother know so that I can finally get my hands on a custom.

[lighto]

Did anyone save this tutorial? Seems to have a lot of good info but I can't see the original posts anymore... :(

[Vinylmeition]

If i wanted to add accessories to my custom.. where can i find some?? like hats.. ive seen one with a mic..

[KRandle]

I want to make a custom miniature pinscher, hubby and my baby hehe, we bought a black cyo vm and have no idea where to start.......any ideas or suggestions?thanks VM friends!

[Snoreasaurus]

After reading everything I totally want to make my own Vinyl. This will be awesome/frustrating/sweet/disastrous. LET"S DO THIS!

[katymation]

I want to make a custom miniature pinscher, hubby and my baby hehe, we bought a black cyo vm and have no idea where to start.......any ideas or suggestions?thanks VM friends!

Well, what I usually do is print out one of the templates that they have available and draw out what you want it to look like, coloring it in with colored pencil or markers, I take the head and arms off, primer it (if you feel it necessary)...I like to start with the head first, and look at your drawing for reference. Good Luck! PM me if you'd like any more tips or I can put together one for you! :)

[Stitch517]

I'm a newbie and want to make my first CYO. Thanks so much for all the information! I have been hesitant to do anything with my vinyl because I had no idea what to do, but now I feel confident enough to give it a go.

[NeutralNovice]

Anyone have an idea when this will be updated?

[HiCeeVee]

Can't wait for the tutorials! :)

[mariorzam]

I just finished my first custom, a design my wife created for her work as a graphic artist at a portrait studio. Acrylic paint works great, sanding it down was helpful, and creating a template design is a huge help. I'll be posting pics right after I spray it glossy.

[LindsayinNJ]

Anyone have an idea when this will be updated?

Seconded

[Rust This World]

I'm not the guy who started the thread, but I'm planning on doing some painting this weekend, and I could probably take pictures of the whole process from doing a basecoat to painting with a brush and airbrush and touch on stuff like different brush sizes while I'm at it. I never read the first post in this thread and assumed that there actually was a tutorial.

[LindsayinNJ]

but I'm planning on doing some painting this weekend, and I could probably take pictures of the whole process from doing a basecoat to painting with a brush and airbrush and touch on stuff like different brush sizes while I'm at it.

Awesome! :happy: That's so nice of you to offer! Definitely post if you can!