help with painting silicone rubber

[Phantom465]

Hello,

I need some advice. I wasn't sure if I should put this in the prop forum, or costume forum... but here we go.

I made a commpad like the kind you wear on the sleeve of Star Wars Rebel and TIE pilot costumes. I used silicone rubber. It turned out pretty good, except for the painting. I went to my local arts & crafts store and explained what I was working on. I used the paint they recommended. As you can see, it won't last much longer.

Can anyone please recommend a brand or type of paint (or at least a primer) that will stick to silicone rubber? Or, should I give up on trying to paint silicone? I used what I had at the time to make the commpad. Would I have better luck painting urethane rubber?

thanks

 

[El Duderino]

I believe you are supposed to use this kind of paint,

http://www.fxwarehouse.info/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=PAX

 

[defstartrooper]

Give up no paint will stick to silicone rubber that's the whole purpose of silicone the only thing it will stick to is more silicone.
The paint in the above link won't work either it's for latex.

 

[frosty]

I've actaully painted silicone with silicone caulking thinned with white spirit and mixed with oil paints, what type of silicone did you use?

 

[Phantom465]

I've actaully painted silicone with silicone caulking thinned with white spirit and mixed with oil paints, what type of silicone did you use?

Here is what I used to make the commpad:
http://www.hobbycast.net/products/hm150siliconerubber.htm

 

[Darth Mule]

Yep, silicone is the only thing that will stick to silicone. I suppose if you mixed paint into silicone, you could paint with that. I use silicone for severed heads from time to time in theatre, and I mmix the pigments directly into the silicone. Then to shade and highlight the face, I use stage makeup. Only thing I found that sticks. It does wash off tho, so not a painting substitute. Silicone has very skinlike qualities, it will treat paints just like your skin does.

On the upside, you have a great positive model that you can use to recast this item in plastic. One that will last forever. Just be sure you release the heck out of it before you cover it in silicone or you'll have a big block of silicone.

 

[frosty]

H,mmn not sure it'll work on a moulding silicone, it should do though, why not clean it off and recast it, or cast it in something else if you still have the mould

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Not to get too OT here, but the term recasting is used wrong here. When making a copy of something you are molding it and then making casts. Recasting is the term used for people taking that (your) cast and re-molding it to make copies to sell. So please stop using it in this instance.


The only thing to do, as paints won't stick, is to mold it and make solid casts from it. (Which again is not "recasting".)


Though, urethane rubber should probably be paintable, but I just don't know.

 

[frosty]

Casting your own piece is not recasting,i make copies of my own moulds to duplicate pieces and so i feel the term is valid, as yes you are recasting the item, quickest term to use rather than a long drawn out sentence

 

[defstartrooper]

Exactly recasting does not apply only to another party making a copy and yes urethane is paintable with the proper paints, but to be honest i don't know why you dont just make a resin copy no worries about specialist paints then.
Why make things complicated :unsure

 

[Darth Mule]

Not to get too OT here, but the term recasting is used wrong here. When making a copy of something you are molding it and then making casts. Recasting is the term used for people taking that (your) cast and re-molding it to make copies to sell. So please stop using it in this instance.

That is the silliest thing I've heard all day. If you do anything again, you are redoing it, ergo, cast something again, it is recasting. It is absolutely pointless to make this term exclusive to those that steal someone else's work. The word does not belong to them alone.