How To Customise Figures

Tools

Customisers use all kinds of different tools. I use these: Super Sculpey, Galleria artist acrylic paints, Uni-Ball gel pens, Testors Dull Cote spray, and Superglue.

 

My painting tools are fairly standard. For sculpting, I use a scalpel and 2 "colour-shapers", one pointy, one wedge-y. I use a metal file to sand the sculpted figure and a dry blusher-brush to keep the dust off (see the photos below).

Directions

If you boil the plastic figures for a few minutes to soften them, the heads and limbs pop off easily. If you are planning to re-sculpt hair, it's a good idea to cut off existing hair first to avoid the big-hair syndrome.

 

Super sculpey is soft for molding onto the figures. I find I can achieve most things with my thumbs and a pointy stick (much like Buffy herself)! You are supposed to bake sculpey clay but this would damage the plastic figure, so boil it instead. When you are happy with the sculpt, put it in a pan of lightly boiling water for 3 minutes. This hardens the sculpey. I sculpt in stages, boiling to harden between each stage.

 

You can then paint the figure. I use at least 2 coats. I often use metallic pens for hair highlights or clothing detail. If you use pens, make sure to spray the figure with a sealant, as the pens can smudge. I prefer matt.

 

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