Many of usNerf enthusiasts love painting our blasters. We give them love, we take care of them and we want them to be ours. Its this little addition of flair that goes so far sometimes in making that first impression all the better. For many, that flair is a sense of realism or even a post-apocalyptic feel. For others, such as myself, the realm of whimsical toys may be where you dwell. There is no right or wrong way to paint, if you are open-minded about your personal preferences. The end result depends on the paints chosen for the job. Here are some tips to help you make the right choices for your next blaster paint project.
This is not a painting guide, per se, but more of a shoppers guide. As such, youll see a lot of brand names and paint types. These brands arent really as set in stone as some may have led you to believe. Think of them more as strong recommendations more than requirements,except maybe when youre going for specific colors. It is important to understand when and how to apply the paint to your goals. I will goapplication-by-application, but dont be afraid to ask me (DerpMods) directly or in the comments section below if you have a question you dont see answered here.
Realismcan bea dirty word when it comes to toy blasters. Orange tip laws aside. Many hobbyists avoid firearms because of it. Supposing you dont, you should take the time to make sure yourblack, realistic blaster has some character. This is why:just one shade or texture of black is not enough. There are many shades of black, and even more textures. This can make a big difference.
My recommendation is to carefully study the item youre trying to mimic, and youll soon notice these slight differences. For instance, a grip may have more of a textured, satin-like finish. I recommend a nice black
Satin spray, either from Krylon or Rustoleum, or perhaps even a rubberizing agent like Plasti-Dip or Rustoleum LeakSeal. The first is more tolerant of a clear-coat or lacquer and can be used for display or cosplay.
far more sturdy for actual play and extended handling.
If youre going on the cheap and dont want to use powder finishes on plastic (trust me, its a pain), try applying blackSemi-Gloss instead of matte for your metal. Yes, its going to dry a bit shiny, but well address this in just a moment with our clear coat. Semi-gloss paint, or even satin, has a smoother texture than regular paint. This makes blasterboth feel more professional.
Tacticalrails can be tricky if theyre not pre-colored, especially since you may want to add accessories but dont want the colors to rub off. I would suggest using a vinyl dye if you intend to use the rails frequently. Vinyl dye will stick to the material better than paint and, if it adheres well (results can vary), the texture should be very smooth. It is unlikely that the dye will be damaged by accessories being rubbed on rails.
Metal is a tricky thing, as so many people go for a steel or brushed steel paint right away, only to be disappointed when it dries too dark. If this has happened to you, try Rustoleums metallicAluminumspray instead. It has been great for me. It also takes to washes quite well, allowing you to give it a grimy look without much effort.
After all the work is done, protect your paint job by applying a nice satinclear coat to give it a smooth and not-too shiny finish. Semi-gloss and glossy are too shiny. I personally find matte to be both ugly and distracting. Follow these tips, and I think youll be happy with the results. Thats what I didwith my DM-24 heavy blaster, seen below, and I amveryhappy with the results. Its not all black and uses a few techniques we havent covered here, but it gives you an idea as to how realistic these paints can get.
But what about?toyYou may be wondering what -looking blasters are. I don’t want realism. I want aImaginativelook! You don’t have to worry. You’re more comfortable playing with textures and colors when you go for something whimsical and toy-like than with finishes and shades, at least most of it. For this reason, youre given a bit more room to play around with techniques, and you shouldnt be afraid to try new things. Some of my favorite paint jobs came about from when I was simply messing about, wondering how cre Wait, is that anElite-painted Vulcan over there? !
Yes, it is. Yes it is! While I wont lie and say my brush work is the best in the world, Im very happy with how this came out. This is a great example of how colors and textures can be combined to make something that looks just like Hasbro (or shouldhave). To create such an application, I tried a lotof paints before I finally found the ones I liked. Don’t be afraid to try different colors. This is the master formula I used for my own purposes.
- Rustoleum Painters Touch 2X WhiteFlatspray, both for primer and for most of the exposed white you see. This helps the colors you put on top of it really pop as opposed to a duller white primer,andit gives us a nice brilliant white to apply clear coat overagain, letting us play with texture.
- The blue is another Rustoleum product:Deep Blue Gloss.I played around with a lot of other blues before settling on this one for all of my Elite painting. It looks very close to what I see. Not quite spot-on, but good enough when you dont want a custom batch made at your local paint shops.
- Our black is black is black, but for my purposes I hand-painted the Vulcans lettering with CitadelsAbbadon Black. To match Hasbros color, you don’t really need to use a particular black. It’s very flexible. I was just sitting around with the Citadel paintssitting.
- You may think dark grey is darker grey than dark grey. However, the darker accents on my rails were hand-painted using Citadels Skavenblight Dinge.
It dries very close to Elite standards, so I’m quite content with it.
These are the key points to remember from this formula. Start with a base/priming coat that ismuchlighter than all the other colors youll be using (cant go wrong with white). Avoid mattes and satins for a more toy-like appearance. Instead, choose the smoother, shinier semigloss or gloss paints. You can also hand-paint your acrylics with ease. This will add visual interest to your textures. After everything is done, I finish my project with Glossclearcoat. This gives it a shiny, plastic appearance that is just what we are looking for.
While techniques may vary, it is mainly a matter of the paint you choose that will make or break your paint job. These ramblings may prove helpful in helping you decide what to do next. Just remember the most important points an all black paint job is never just one shade. You should have lots of different shades of black in there, achieved by using different product brands and types. This will add character to the product and increase its eye appeal. Toy-like blasters like Whimsical need more character so textures are essential to make this happen. And dont be afraid to play around with different products, anddifferent finishes for each. These tips will help you and your family to be more aware of your painting projects.
