QUESTION: Getting ready to Start Skinning and Painting.

[fastburst]

Hi Everyone,

I have looked thru the forums quite a few times and need some advise or best practices.

I am about to start the Skinning of my WIP, and want to know whats the best way and what to use for the Painting of the skin itself? I have heard a few things:

• Paint with Latex mix
• Paint with Acrylics with Proside and Permawet
• Paint with Acrylics with Rubber Cement
• Paint with Createx paints with Proside
• Paint with Inks and Proside or Rubber Cement
• and many other ways.

What I want is something that will not crack while wearing it. What do you recommend? I have painted a lot of props and things like that but for display only. This is my first attempts at something wearable. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

And before you post anything about searching I have already done that, this is why I created this one as I want to know the Pro's and Con's of your suggested methods.


Thanks Everyone

-James

 

[Lazrith]

Hey James,

The method that was done with mine was a layer of Prosaide brushed over the whole thing and allowed to dry till tacky, then sprayed with standard Createx paints, then coated with one to three coats of permawet (can't remember how many).

This worked pretty well the first time I wore it (had some issues later on down the middle of the chest and stomach because I got a bit...larger), no cracking at the joints, though there was wear in the arm pits, between the legs and where the armor rubbed. Obviously expected and fairly easy to fix. My dad's skin was done the same way, the only difference being he didn't have as much wear from armor because he had the idea of felting the inside of his armor.

I'd heard of people doing layers or prosaide, then paint, etc until the final coat of permawet, I'm 99% sure it was Bovine who painted his skins that way, and they looked amazing. I'm not sure on if he had cracking issues or wear/tear issues from his armor, but that could work as well.

Those are the two methods I'd suggest playing around with personally. The rubber cement methods I'd assume would require watering it down and spraying through your brush, which I don't know how much gumming that would cause. And other then busts and stuff, I haven't seen how inks react.

Just my 2 cents based on observations I've made, hope it helps.

-Chase

 

[fastburst]

Hey James,

The method that was done with mine was a layer of Prosaide brushed over the whole thing and allowed to dry till tacky, then sprayed with standard Createx paints, then coated with one to three coats of permawet (can't remember how many).

This worked pretty well the first time I wore it (had some issues later on down the middle of the chest and stomach because I got a bit...larger), no cracking at the joints, though there was wear in the arm pits, between the legs and where the armor rubbed. Obviously expected and fairly easy to fix. My dad's skin was done the same way, the only difference being he didn't have as much wear from armor because he had the idea of felting the inside of his armor.

I'd heard of people doing layers or prosaide, then paint, etc until the final coat of permawet, I'm 99% sure it was Bovine who painted his skins that way, and they looked amazing. I'm not sure on if he had cracking issues or wear/tear issues from his armor, but that could work as well.

Those are the two methods I'd suggest playing around with personally. The rubber cement methods I'd assume would require watering it down and spraying through your brush, which I don't know how much gumming that would cause. And other then busts and stuff, I haven't seen how inks react.

Just my 2 cents based on observations I've made, hope it helps.

-Chase

Thanks Chase for all your input.

Anyone else care to throw their 2 cents in?

-James

 

[troggs]

hi James, I'm in the process of painting my first latex suit myself, I've been applying pros aide, then painting, then pros aide etc. This seems to be working ok at the moment, I've been flexing the suit wherever I can, the paint doesn't seem to be cracking so far. As I haven't used an airbrush before, this method means I'm never putting anything other than inks and acrylics through the airbrush. Hope this helps, Derek

 

[fastburst]

hi James, I'm in the process of painting my first latex suit myself, I've been applying pros aide, then painting, then pros aide etc. This seems to be working ok at the moment, I've been flexing the suit wherever I can, the paint doesn't seem to be cracking so far. As I haven't used an airbrush before, this method means I'm never putting anything other than inks and acrylics through the airbrush. Hope this helps, Derek

Thanks Derek,

How much Pros aide do you think one would need for an entire suit?

-James

 

[troggs]

Hi James, I'm actually using Aqua Fix, (the uk cheaper equivalent), I would say my suits about 3/4 done, I've also been using it on the hands and feet, and i've still got about half a 500g bottle left. I don't know if I've used a bit more than experienced painters may do, as I'm still learning how well different inks cover, so I've done quite a few layers so far. A little of this stuff goes a long way, maybe if it's put through an airbrush it'll go even further?
Cheers, Derek

 

[Andre de Jong]

I found this on the net:
http://www.formfx.eu/PDF/demonicusdemo2.pdf

http://www.formfx.eu/PDF/immortaldemo2.pdf

 

[fastburst]

Thanks guys I will check those out, anyone else have any suggestions or tips?

-James

 

[Andre de Jong]

http://www.thehunterslair.com/index.php?sh...art=#entry78479

 

[Effects Guy]

Hands down, you will find no better paint for latex than rubber cement paints. Basically, a high quality rubber cement, a tiny bit of artist's oil paints or finely finely ground powdered pigments, and thinned to desired consistency with naphtha. It will bite into the latex and bond at a chemical level, which prosaide does not do. Also, they do not dry tacky.