How to Paint Plastic Models

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

Painting your plastic models is an excellent way to take your hobby to the next level. While painting intricate details and waiting for layers to dry can be time consuming, the process is highly rewarding and fun. Use a combination of brush and spray painting to layer colors, working from your largest coats of paint down to the tiniest details on your model. Take your time and work slowly. Use an even hand and overlap your brushstrokes to ensure that your models come out beautifully every time. When spray painting, use quick bursts of color to apply coats evenly. With enough practice, you’ll be producing elegant models in no time!

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Choosing Materials and Preparing Your Model

PDF download Download Article
  1. Acrylic modelling paint is the standard paint of choice for most model enthusiasts. It’s easy to work with and can easily be thinned by mixing it with water. However, acrylic paint is not as durable as spray paint or enamel. Use acrylic paint unless you have a special need for durability.
    • It’s easy to touch up acrylic paint if it ever fades or smears.
    • You can use water to clean up acrylic paint if you ever spill it. If it dries before you have time to clean it up, use dish soap and water to scrub it off.
    • Purchase acrylic modelling paint at a standard arts and crafts store.
  2. Enamel modelling paint is a thicker, stronger option that will leave a stronger coat behind when it is applied. Enamel paints require a few drops of enamel thinner to soften the texture, and you can’t clean it without the use of an acidic solvent, like paint thinner. Choose enamel paints if you want to achieve a permanent finish that won’t easily wear away.
    • The amount of thinner that you need to soften the texture depends entirely on the type of finish that you’re trying to achieve. Using a small amount of thinner will result in a thicker coat, while creating a mixture of 1-part enamel and 1-part thinner will create a nearly-translucent color.

    Warning: Most enamel paints are noxious. Wear a respirator when you use enamel paint in an enclosed area. Put on a pair of rubber gloves to keep the paint off of your hands. Read the label on containers of enamel paint carefully before purchasing them to ensure that you always take the proper safety precautions.

    Advertisement
  3. Cheap natural or plastic brushes tend to fray when they’re used over a long period of time. On the other hand, high-quality synthetic brushes tend to hold their shape quite well. Smaller synthetic brushes are also less likely to split when you’re making smaller brush strokes, which is a common requirement for painting plastic models. Get a set of synthetic brushes in a variety of sizes to make the painting process easier.
    • Synthetic sable or fox hair brushes are excellent choices for painting plastic models.
    • You can use high-end natural hair brushes if you prefer, but these brushes tend to be extremely expensive. You also won’t notice much of a benefit unless you’re a veteran model painter.
  4. Primer helps paint adhere to a model, but it can fill in intricate engravings and make your model thicker. In addition, you won’t need the extra protection if you aren’t handling your models regularly. Skip the primer unless you plan on touching your model regularly, or your model is made out of a combination of plastic, wood, or metal. If your model is made out of a variety of materials, primer will help produce a uniform color.
    • Use a white, spray primer if you need to prime a surface. Hold the can 10–12 in (25–30 cm) away from the model and spray in quick, even strokes until you’ve covered the entire model. Wait 24 hours for the primer to settle.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    Enamel and acrylic modeling paints tend to separate when they’re sitting in their bottle for a long period of time. Before you paint, always use a mixing stick or spare brush to mix the paint in the container. Mix it for 20-30 seconds before pouring it on to your palette or easel. For smaller miniatures, use a dropper to add small amounts of paint.
    • Mixing the paint ensures that your colors come out evenly. If you don’t mix a red paint for example, some of the red may be darker or lighter than the color is supposed to be.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    Before you paint your model, clean it to ensure that dust particles or contaminants don’t get sealed into your paint job. Fill a bowl with warm water and add 1–2 teaspoons (4.9–9.9 mL) of dish soap. Mix the water and soap together before submerging your model. Brush it by hand using a clean toothbrush for 1-2 minutes. Then, rinse your model under water and dry it with a clean cloth.
    • Many plastic models are coated in a resin or chemical agents to help the model keep its shape while it was manufactured. These resins and agents are no longer necessary, and brushing them off gives your model a better finish in the end.
    • You can submerge your model in isopropyl alcohol before rinsing and cleaning it if you prefer.
    7. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Painting Intricate Models with Brushes

PDF download Download Article
  1. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    To start painting a smaller or intricate model, grab the color that you’re going to use for the base of your model. Load your brush with your base color and wipe it back and forth on your easel or palette to remove the excess paint. Apply your base coat over the areas that you want to paint using as few strokes as possible. Hold your brush at a slight angle and make each brush stroke as large as you can without brushing a part of the model that you aren’t trying to cover.
    • For larger surfaces, use a flat brush. The tip of the brush must be smaller than the surface that you’re painting. For models smaller than 1 foot (30 cm), a 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) brush is appropriate. The size of the brush is largely a matter of personal preference, though.
    • If your base coat is a lighter color, feel free to paint the entire model. The other paints will easily cover the surfaces you’ve painted. If the base coat is a darker color, like a black or blue, try to avoid painting other surfaces of the model. It will take multiple coats to cover a darker base coat.
    • To figure out what your base coat’s color is, determine what color will cover the highest percentage of your model’s surface. This is the color of your base coat.
    • Some models have instructions for which colors you should use, but you can always pick your colors out yourself. There are no right or wrong choices when it comes to picking colors. It’s totally up to you!
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    When painting your model, overlap each brush stroke to avoid leaving gaps between them. If you try to place each brush stroke perfectly against one another, you’ll naturally miss small areas in between the paint strokes. Overlap each stroke to ensure that your colors come out evenly.
    • This will also prevent smearing, since you’ll be spreading the paint out before it has an opportunity to start drying. If you have to go in and add paint to spaces that you’ve missed, you’ll have to wait for the coat to dry entirely before you can add more color.
  3. After you finish your base coat, wait 24-72 hours to give the paint time to settle. Acrylic paint will dry closer to the 24-48 hour range, while enamel usually takes 48-72 hours to dry. The thickness of your coat will also impact the amount of time it takes for your paint to dry.
    • If you’re trying to blend colors, feel free to continue painting while your paint is wet.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    Once you finish your base coat, add your next biggest layer of color. Work from larger layers to smaller layers to avoid having to work around smaller brushstrokes. Use a smaller brush to cover smaller layers, and continue to use as few brush strokes as possible. Overlap each application of color to ensure that the coat comes out evenly.
    • For example, if you’re painting a model police officer, your base layer is probably the blue uniform. The next biggest section of color will be the skin tone, followed by the silver buckle and buttons and the black details on the uniform.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    Once you’ve added your key layers of paint, start adding your details. Use the thinnest brush that you have to carefully apply small lines, textures, or shadows. Use a short, flicking motion and only load the tip of your brush to avoid adding too much paint. Work slowly and be careful to avoid putting paint where it doesn’t belong. [1]
    • For some people, it’s easier to keep their hand steady if they brace it on a table or small stack of books. Maintaining a steady hand is the best way to ensure that you don’t miss a stroke.
    • Don’t be too hard on yourself. It can take a lot of practice to develop the skills required to paint small details. The more you practice though, the better you’ll get at it.
    • For smaller miniatures, use a 0, 00, or 000 round brush. These brushes are smaller than 1 ⁄ 32  in (0.079 cm). For larger models, details may be painted with a 1 or 2 brush, which are only slightly larger than 1 ⁄ 32  in (0.079 cm).

    Tip: Curved lines are typically easier to accomplish if you don’t do them in one stroke. Instead of adding a big arcing line, paint a sequence of shorter straight and bent lines to create the appearance of a curve.

  6. If you want to add dirt, blood, dust, or some other texture, thin your paint before applying it. Acrylic paint is thinned with water, while enamel requires a special modelling solvent. Start with a drop or two of thinner when mixing your paint. Continue to add thinner until you’ve achieved the opacity and look that you desire.
    • Test your mixed paint on a blank sheet of paper to see how it looks. If you don’t like the texture, add paint or thinner to change the opacity as desired.
    • Use droppers to mix small amounts if you’re painting a smaller model. You usually don’t need more than a drop or two to adequately thin out paint for a texture.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    For extremely intricate details, grab a toothpick with a sharp point. Use the toothpick to carefully remove small sections of paint and add details. You can also dip the tip of your toothpick into paint to apply small specks of color where you want them.
    • If you’re trying to add shadows, use a cotton swab instead of a toothpick. This usually produces a shadowy effect without adding too much paint.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    When you’ve finished painting, fill a cup with 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) of your cleaning solution. Use water to clean your acrylic brushes and use paint thinner or enamel cleaner for enamel brushes. Wipe your bristles against the side of the cup repeatedly to remove the majority of the paint. Once most of the paint is gone, rinse your enamel or acrylic brushes under a stream of warm water.
    • Never push your bristles directly into the bottom of the cup. This can damage your brushes by fraying the bristles.
    • After you’ve dried your brushes, you can rub petroleum jelly on the bristles to preserve them.
    • If you don’t clean your brushes, you’re going to waste a lot of money replacing them.
    9. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Spraying Paint for Base Coats or Simple Models

PDF download Download Article
  1. If you have a model that you’re planning on mostly painting a single color, use spray paint to produce a uniform texture for your key base coat. You can brush paint details or additional coats after the paint dries, and spray paint is the easiest way to cover a large surface area with a uniform color. [2]
    • You can use standard spray paint to paint your plastic models. Just read a can carefully to ensure that it isn’t designed specifically for wood, metal, or surfaces other than plastic.
    • Most models that are larger than 6 inches (15 cm) use a combination of spray paint and brush painting to complete them.

    Tip: This is a great way to paint model cars or tanks. Items like these often require only 1-2 color to make them pop. This is not a good way to produce base coats if you need to paint over more than half of the base coat.

  2. Spray paint can be noxious if you inhale too much of it, so take your model outdoors. If you can’t take it outdoors, open all of the windows in the room, turn a fan on, and grab a dust mask or respirator. [3]
    • You don’t need a respirator or dust mask if you’re working outside.
    • Spray paint really only works if you need to apply large sections of color or add your base coat. Brush painting is the most common model-painting method, although spray paint is a great way to cover larger models with monochromatic paint jobs. Common examples include model planes, boats, cars, or ships—all of which are typically 1-2 colors.
    • Wear rubber gloves if you want to keep your fingers clean. Spray paint has a tendency to splatter from the nozzle.
  3. Lay down a large sheet of paper or cardboard. Place your model on top of the paper or cardboard. If your model isn’t assembled yet, place the pieces in the center with 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) between each piece. This will keep the spray paint from splattering on to your floor, yard, or table. [4]
    • Paint details after you’ve assembled your item. Feel free to add base coats before painting, though. In fact, painting your base coat before assembly ensures that you don’t leave any gaps in between the pieces.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    This is near-impossible on smaller models, but if your model is larger than 7–8 inches (18–20 cm), you can use painter’s tape to keep larger sections of your model unpainted. Use multiple strips of tape to layer them on top of one another. Smooth each strip down as you apply it to the surface to ensure there are no gaps or air bubbles in the paint.
    • For example, if you’re painting a model car, use painter’s tape to cover both sides of the windshield. This will keep it clear while you’re spray painting the body.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    Before you paint, shake your can of spray paint back and forth until you hear the ball inside of the can rattle around. Then, hold your can upside down and press the nozzle for 2-3 seconds to remove any excess air. Turn your can over and spray it into the air or on a scrap piece of paper to ensure that the spray is even. [5]
    • Dry paint particles can harden inside of the nozzle. This causes the paint to splatter. Testing it first ensures that your coat remains even and beautiful when you apply it.
  6. Angle your can at a 45-degree angle towards your model or the pieces. Hold the nozzle 10–12 inches (25–30 cm) away from the item. If you’re too close, you’ll cause drips. If you’re too far away, you won’t cover the surface evenly.
    • As you’re applying the paint, adjust your distance from the model based on whether or not you’re happy with the coverage of your spray paint.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    Press down on the nozzle and move the can across the surface of the model. Do this quickly to avoid causing drips or adding your color unevenly. Repeat this process by moving the can in the opposite direction and then back again. Using a sequence of quick, short bursts of spray ensures that your coat comes out evenly. [6]
    • Work your way around the model to paint it from every side.
    • You can use multiple colors to produce textured effects, like camouflage, dust, or dirty paint.
    • Continue spraying until the model’s color matches the hue and texture that you’re going for.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    Read the label on your can of spray paint to see how long it will take to dry. Typically, spray paint settles in 30 minutes and completely dries in 1 hour. Wait the full hour before applying any additional coats of paint or turning the model over to paint the other side.
    • Paint the other side of your model using the same number of sprays to maintain uniformity in the coat and the color.
  9. Watermark wikiHow to Paint Plastic Models
    Even though spray paint settles in 1 hour, it is prone to absorbing fingerprints if you handle it immediately after the hour is up. To be on the safe side, wait 24 hours before brush painting or moving your model.
  10. Use an airbrush to spray smaller areas of your model. You can use an airbrush instead of spray paint if you want to recreate the look of spray paint on a smaller scale. To use an airbrush, get an airbrush kit and thin your paint with enamel thinner or water until it’s soupy and thin. Pour 10-15 drops into the cup at the top of the gun and hold the nozzle 4–8 inches (10–20 cm) away from the surface. Pull the trigger to release your paint. Wear a respirator when using an airbrush. [7]
    • Use water to thin out acrylic paints and enamel thinner to dilute enamel paint.
    • You can adjust the pressure settings on an airbrush. For most models, you’ll need a lot of control, so use a lower psi. A setting of 2-6 psi is usually appropriate.
    11. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    Do you have to prime a plastic model before you paint it?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    It’s not necessary, but some model enthusiasts prefer to prime their projects before painting them. Use a thin coat so you don’t obscure any details. The primer will slightly roughen the surface of the model, making it easier for paint to stick.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 2 Helpful 4
  • Question
    Can you use regular spray paint on a plastic model?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Not all spray paints are safe for plastic, but most paints you buy in a hobby store should work. Check the can carefully to make sure it states that it can be used on plastic.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 5
  • Question
    Can you use acrylic paints on plastic?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Acrylic paint shouldn’t damage your plastic model, but it won’t hold up as well as some other types of paint. You might want to avoid acrylic if your model is going to get a lot of heavy use.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 5
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      • If you have trouble seeing smaller details when you’re painting, get a jeweler’s loupe or standing magnifying glass to make your painting surface appear bigger.
        Thanks
        Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Things You’ll Need

      Using Your Supplies Effectively

      • Water
      • Dish soap
      • Bowl
      • Toothbrush
      • Mixing stick or spare brush
      • Respirator
      • Rubber gloves
      • Rubber gloves
      • Dropper

      Brush Painting Intricate Models

      • Brushes
      • Toothpick
      • Cotton swab
      • Water
      • Paint thinner or enamel cleaner
      • Cup
      • Petroleum jelly (optional)

      Spraying Paint for Base Coats or Simple Models

      • Fan
      • Respirator or dust mask (optional)
      • Spray paint

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Spray Paint Plastic
      How to
      Paint Mugs
      How to
      Paint Concrete Statues
      Learn to Paint Ceramic Like a Pro
      How to
      Paint Wine Glasses
      How to
      Diamond Paint
      How to
      Paint Fiberglass
      How to
      Create a Splatter Painting
      How to
      Paint Glass
      3 Ways to Finish and Protect Diamond Art
      How to
      Paint a Vinyl Record: Painting Tips & Tricks
      How to
      Paint Glass Lamp Shades
      How to
      Paint Over a Diecast Car
      How to
      Paint Foam
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.zombicide.com/dl/Zombicide-Painting-Guide.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.stormthecastle.com/diorama/military-dioramas/using-spray-paint-on-plastic-models.htm
      3. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-spray-paint/
      4. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-spray-paint/
      5. ↑ https://www.stormthecastle.com/diorama/military-dioramas/using-spray-paint-on-plastic-models.htm
      6. ↑ https://www.stormthecastle.com/diorama/military-dioramas/using-spray-paint-on-plastic-models.htm
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/pDmx6378B0s?t=123

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To paint plastic models, you should use either acrylic or enamel paint. Acrylics dry fast and are non-toxic, but they can leave brushstroke marks. Enamels can achieve an airbrushed effect, but they are toxic, so they must be used in well-ventilated areas. After you’ve decided on a type of paint, carefully paint small parts while they are still attached to the sprue, and then paint bigger parts after the model has been assembled. Finally, place each part onto a paper towel and allow them to dry completely before applying a second coat. For more tips, like how to spray paint your models, keep reading!

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 271,626 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Tom W.

        Apr 23, 2017

        "I am just a beginner in this new world of painting soldiers, size 1/35. I hope I don't mess it up, cost me a ..." more
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement