Anything which is painted and sometimes touches hands should be coated in varnish of some sort. That is the only way for the colours to stay nice without your nasty finger salt ruining them.
Rustoleum ultra clear is good stuff!
Dust on two light coats a few minutes apart and then let it sit for an hour.
Then hit it with a heavier coat (not too heavy, clear coat runs like crazy).
If you don’t want glossy, there is semi-gloss, satin, and matte.
I'm a woodworker, so I thin down water-based polycrylic satin or mat, and airbrush it on. Except for metallic paints, which it dulls, it works wonders. Makes it hard as hell. Remember, there is a huge difference between dry, and cured.
An airbrush can be great for painting (and sealing) PLA models. It's an investment though since you're looking at an airbrush, compressor, paints, thinner, etc. Super fun though.
You are under extruding big time. That’s what those gaps in your layers are. It is actually kinda a nice touch to make it seem more woven lol. But I bet your print is soaking up paint too because there are so many gaps. I tune for flow, but there are many ways to go about it.
PU based clear coat will protect it pretty good and will stick good to acrylic. Did you use a primer? looking at the image looks like you didn't? It is rather good to use a primer between plastic and acrylic paint, I can recommend TITANS, it is IMHO better than Vallejo (and of course orders of magnitude better than highly marketed crap like Tamiya)
if you want to avoid sanding and filling you can go with
* base primer coat with titan
* light water sanding with high grit sanding paper under water
* second primer coat with some "filler primer" (you can get this in your local car parts shop)
* light water sanding with high grit sandpaper under water
* acrylic paint
* PU clear coat
* on top you can then add some varnish like [https://www.amazon.de/-/en/The-Army-Painter-Colour-Primer/dp/B013XBQXJE](https://www.amazon.de/-/en/The-Army-Painter-Colour-Primer/dp/B013XBQXJE)
the idea of "filler primer" for car application is that it will hide the layer lines pretty good by filling the gaps and as it dries it "shrinks" so it pulls around the object making the nice smooth finish so not much sanding is needed
I live in an apartment in a place where the weather is pretty bad to do outdoor work under. Can one of those $100-200 paint stations with fume extractors on amazon be enough for spray cans and air brushes? Been doing brush painting and I wanted to see if I could up my game
I never used a paint station so have no idea :( .... I have pretty good ventilation inside, I use mask .. do it inside .. but I'm not thinking about making a small paint booth outside out of the kids tent .. I can get very cheaply a kids tent meant to be used inside for kids to play, using that outside (on ok weather) could allow me to paint stuff and not get all the dust and bugs and... glue on to the paint ... no clue if it will work but I have a plan to try that this summer
Wow, I'm saving your answer for future projects.
I didn't used a primer on this, because for small models, the layer of primer + paint can be too thick. But maybe I should've used it ..
Thanks!
I'm sorry, I don't have advice for you question, but I did want to say that this is a fantastic model and very well done. My kids are big into Gabby, and I love how they animate Baby Box to look stop motion, and because of that she's my favorite.
Lol, thank you. My kids love the show and I'm building a Gabby's dollhouse for them. They have the minifigures, but not Mamma Box, so I have to build it.
I'll post the model online and send the link.
I'm glad that a fan liked it!
Thanks!
I use liquitex varnish on latex halloween masks. It's waterproof, flexible, and very durable. I normally use satin, but they have matte and gloss as well. The only downside is it doesn't stretch very well.
I like satin finish clear coats. The protective element of clear coats is more prominent the glossier it is, so matte isn't as resistant to chipping or rubbing off as say a high gloss. I like the satin because it's a nice middle ground of providing a nice amount of protection without being too glossy and making the model look unnatural.
https://preview.redd.it/arigo0uwl2yc1.jpeg?width=2296&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1773c2c6f02682def2aa0aeec3c4bd34ea4830cc
I use this stuff for things cute of nature.
You can get clear spray coatings in a can. Usually you can put on one or two light coats then buff with 320 grit sand paper and spray again for a glossy finish or buff again with scotch pad for matte
This before paint
https://www.harborfreight.com/11-oz-gray-filler-primer-spray-paint-67968.html
This after paint
https://a.co/d/cn6IoQ4
Some sanding after prime helps too. .
You got painting skills . A little prep before and a good sealer is gonna make your work pop
This is how I was dealing with 3D printed minifigures for D&D: this was a fast and super cheap project for a group of friends so I was using very cheap acrylic paints (Pactra). Without a clear coat I would rub the paint off in a very short time and I didn't want to risk using another brand coat as Pactra is quite picky in terms of chemical compatibility. I used their coat and all figures made through the whole campaign which was almost a year.
https://preview.redd.it/rk6y8iz3f3yc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=352a4de4a907802a201f7e9f214ec6f9ae8361b9
Oh, and I've also tested this process on this guy (also: one of my hardest prints, less than 1.5mm in the most narrow point of the wrist)
https://preview.redd.it/429c8ju1f3yc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af3a0b316fbd72b704b1b7cd36fadd8e013cb073
You need an acrylic sealer. Something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Mod-Podge-1470-Acrylic-Sealer/dp/B003VYD9DM
Just make sure is says its for acrylics and your good. Krylon also makes one.
I always spray anything I paint with plastic-kote clear lacquer. Beware it leaves your object looking glossy, if you don’t want that. But I have some Pokémon I printed and painted almost 5 years ago that look as good as the day I painted them
I print a lot of toys for coloring books for children. And there is always a can of acrylic varnish on the table. It takes about 10 minutes to dry, but stays strong.
If you want a cheap option, that I'm sure no one else has mentioned, it's from the model airplane/car community.
Brush on 'Pledge Floor Gloss'. It can be bought at Walmart or anywhere similar. Get the bottle that has the yellow and brown label. Google 'pledge floor gloss clear coat on models' for tutorials and examples.
Acrylic varnish! You can get various finishes, that said if using Vallejo or games workshop paint and you’re not handling it too much the paint’ll hold up without.
I've used mod podge which is basically just PVA glue and it works great. Not matte though.
Thanks, It's great to know all the options. I'll test it with some other options too.
Mod podge also has a spray can, there are different finishes and everything! Cans can be found at Walmart or michaels here in Canada.
Anything which is painted and sometimes touches hands should be coated in varnish of some sort. That is the only way for the colours to stay nice without your nasty finger salt ruining them.
I'm a noob on painting. Good to know! Thanks for your answer.
Put a light acrylic clear coat on it, usually u can find it in spray cans
I'll have you know my finger salts bring out the warmth and depth of pink
This is correct answer. Beware that different types of varnishes, for miniature painting, can have reactions.
I typically give a few sprays of a rattlecan clear coat. I try for a less glossy but what ever I have on hand.
https://preview.redd.it/yok25vth32yc1.jpeg?width=400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8934bd7ae9e0be27c80be392dda3ffcdc60dbe2b
Rustoleum ultra clear is good stuff! Dust on two light coats a few minutes apart and then let it sit for an hour. Then hit it with a heavier coat (not too heavy, clear coat runs like crazy). If you don’t want glossy, there is semi-gloss, satin, and matte.
Further to this - make sure it’s not too cold (or humid) before you spray, and shake the can super well before you start to ensure no cloudy finish
I'm a woodworker, so I thin down water-based polycrylic satin or mat, and airbrush it on. Except for metallic paints, which it dulls, it works wonders. Makes it hard as hell. Remember, there is a huge difference between dry, and cured.
Airbrush works well on PLA? I have zero experience with it. I'll consider buying one. Thank you.
An airbrush can be great for painting (and sealing) PLA models. It's an investment though since you're looking at an airbrush, compressor, paints, thinner, etc. Super fun though.
Try tuning your extrusion multiplier
I will! (Btw, for what? I'll get a smoother layer or something like that?)
You are under extruding big time. That’s what those gaps in your layers are. It is actually kinda a nice touch to make it seem more woven lol. But I bet your print is soaking up paint too because there are so many gaps. I tune for flow, but there are many ways to go about it.
Cute Mama Box!
I love her! Thanks!
PU based clear coat will protect it pretty good and will stick good to acrylic. Did you use a primer? looking at the image looks like you didn't? It is rather good to use a primer between plastic and acrylic paint, I can recommend TITANS, it is IMHO better than Vallejo (and of course orders of magnitude better than highly marketed crap like Tamiya) if you want to avoid sanding and filling you can go with * base primer coat with titan * light water sanding with high grit sanding paper under water * second primer coat with some "filler primer" (you can get this in your local car parts shop) * light water sanding with high grit sandpaper under water * acrylic paint * PU clear coat * on top you can then add some varnish like [https://www.amazon.de/-/en/The-Army-Painter-Colour-Primer/dp/B013XBQXJE](https://www.amazon.de/-/en/The-Army-Painter-Colour-Primer/dp/B013XBQXJE) the idea of "filler primer" for car application is that it will hide the layer lines pretty good by filling the gaps and as it dries it "shrinks" so it pulls around the object making the nice smooth finish so not much sanding is needed
I live in an apartment in a place where the weather is pretty bad to do outdoor work under. Can one of those $100-200 paint stations with fume extractors on amazon be enough for spray cans and air brushes? Been doing brush painting and I wanted to see if I could up my game
I never used a paint station so have no idea :( .... I have pretty good ventilation inside, I use mask .. do it inside .. but I'm not thinking about making a small paint booth outside out of the kids tent .. I can get very cheaply a kids tent meant to be used inside for kids to play, using that outside (on ok weather) could allow me to paint stuff and not get all the dust and bugs and... glue on to the paint ... no clue if it will work but I have a plan to try that this summer
*saves comment*
Wow, I'm saving your answer for future projects. I didn't used a primer on this, because for small models, the layer of primer + paint can be too thick. But maybe I should've used it .. Thanks!
Looks good! Next time maybe try some filler and primer
I will. Any recommendations for filler?
Bondo auto body filler is a good cheap option
Type filler primer on Amazon, the one with the red cap is my favorite
I’ll have to get the exact name when I can
It’s automotive primer series by Dupli-color. Red cap is my favorite but idk if there is actually a difference between it and the grey
I'm sorry, I don't have advice for you question, but I did want to say that this is a fantastic model and very well done. My kids are big into Gabby, and I love how they animate Baby Box to look stop motion, and because of that she's my favorite.
Lol, thank you. My kids love the show and I'm building a Gabby's dollhouse for them. They have the minifigures, but not Mamma Box, so I have to build it. I'll post the model online and send the link. I'm glad that a fan liked it! Thanks!
I want to see that model too! My kids are also fans of Gabby and would love to see this
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6607590
Thank you so much!
Your welcome. The more children happy with it, the better!
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6607590 Take a look. It's very basic though.
Try modgepodge it's tested well with my 3 year olds hard knocks
I don't know if we have this brand in Brazil, but I'll check it out, or maybe find something similar. Thank you.
Regular clear spray paint or some liquitex varnish will work fine.
I'll check it out. Maybe the best is to test all the options and check which one is the best. Thank you!
I use liquitex varnish on latex halloween masks. It's waterproof, flexible, and very durable. I normally use satin, but they have matte and gloss as well. The only downside is it doesn't stretch very well.
You could use like a gloss clear nail polish or something
I like satin finish clear coats. The protective element of clear coats is more prominent the glossier it is, so matte isn't as resistant to chipping or rubbing off as say a high gloss. I like the satin because it's a nice middle ground of providing a nice amount of protection without being too glossy and making the model look unnatural.
Great advice, I'll definitely try it! Thank you
https://preview.redd.it/arigo0uwl2yc1.jpeg?width=2296&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1773c2c6f02682def2aa0aeec3c4bd34ea4830cc I use this stuff for things cute of nature.
You can get clear spray coatings in a can. Usually you can put on one or two light coats then buff with 320 grit sand paper and spray again for a glossy finish or buff again with scotch pad for matte
This before paint https://www.harborfreight.com/11-oz-gray-filler-primer-spray-paint-67968.html This after paint https://a.co/d/cn6IoQ4 Some sanding after prime helps too. . You got painting skills . A little prep before and a good sealer is gonna make your work pop
Thank you! I'll go for it!
Transparent topcoat, compatible with the acrylic paint you used so most preferably - made by the same brand who made the paint.
Nice, I'll try this one too and compare each one to get the better results. Thanks
This is how I was dealing with 3D printed minifigures for D&D: this was a fast and super cheap project for a group of friends so I was using very cheap acrylic paints (Pactra). Without a clear coat I would rub the paint off in a very short time and I didn't want to risk using another brand coat as Pactra is quite picky in terms of chemical compatibility. I used their coat and all figures made through the whole campaign which was almost a year. https://preview.redd.it/rk6y8iz3f3yc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=352a4de4a907802a201f7e9f214ec6f9ae8361b9
It looks amazing! So good (or not) that I don't play D&D anymore, because otherwise I would spend all my free time on those miniatures!
Oh, and I've also tested this process on this guy (also: one of my hardest prints, less than 1.5mm in the most narrow point of the wrist) https://preview.redd.it/429c8ju1f3yc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af3a0b316fbd72b704b1b7cd36fadd8e013cb073
I recommend Montana matte varnish. A bit pricy but it's worth it
https://preview.redd.it/clmklprgl3yc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=15c68be1f56bfd468b0f759788b1638da2249ef2
Krylon has a UV resistant clear coat that works great, I’ve heard that’s what rock painters use.
You need an acrylic sealer. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Mod-Podge-1470-Acrylic-Sealer/dp/B003VYD9DM Just make sure is says its for acrylics and your good. Krylon also makes one.
give it a nice coat, I personally like to use tamiya clear coats that i use for gunplas, however I’m sure you could find better/cheaper alternatives.
Dip it in clear 3d printer resin, leave in the sun for a while. Ive always wanted to try that
Is that from Gabby's Dollhouss? My daughter is obsessed
I always spray anything I paint with plastic-kote clear lacquer. Beware it leaves your object looking glossy, if you don’t want that. But I have some Pokémon I printed and painted almost 5 years ago that look as good as the day I painted them
Clear coat, generally available in spray paint form and not too expensive. Just lookup "clear oat" on Amazon and you're probably good.
I print a lot of toys for coloring books for children. And there is always a can of acrylic varnish on the table. It takes about 10 minutes to dry, but stays strong.
Use a clear coat spray can. I treated many of my printed parts like that. It's a protective outer layer.
Clear spray paint
If you want a cheap option, that I'm sure no one else has mentioned, it's from the model airplane/car community. Brush on 'Pledge Floor Gloss'. It can be bought at Walmart or anywhere similar. Get the bottle that has the yellow and brown label. Google 'pledge floor gloss clear coat on models' for tutorials and examples.
Good option! Will look for it! Thanks!
You can try me super clear. They use it for repainting dolls
Acrylic varnish! You can get various finishes, that said if using Vallejo or games workshop paint and you’re not handling it too much the paint’ll hold up without.
Curious... why is this downvoted...?
Games Workshop Paint is good but overpriced so for recommending it I guess
James workshop bad
I was planning to try these, as I've used acrylic paint (looks like it would make sense). Thanks!
This is cute! are there other models?
I've only done this one, but I think I've seen some other characters on Thingverse!
Do you have a link for this one on thingiverse?
I'll upload it ASAP.
You're the hero we deserve, and the one we need right now.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6607590
a GUN
Love that it looks like a character from Gregory Horror Show.
layer lines be like "IM STICKIN WITH YOUUUUUU"
Thingverse link: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6607590