Painting rubber Lego parts?

[Bring More Popcorn]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to the minifig customizing, and I was wondering if anyone has had success painting rubber pieces? For example, painting Arwen's hair from Lego's LOTR line. I'm thinking of using acrylic based paints and then sealing them with a semigloss. I'm just unsure if it will work. or crack, or whatever.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

[Wardancer]

I have painted rubber parts such as Thranduils hair. You can check the pictures if You Click on the Elvnoi Dozor Link in my Sig.

I have used citatel paint from Games Workshop. It works very well. But I think every paint will crumble if you bend the piece.

I have also painted the rubber crazy scientists hair with Revell enamel paint. It also crumbles when bent.

Edited January 22, 2014 by Wardancer

[Spitfire2865]

Acrylic paints are flexible but getting a thin coat would be hard.

[Bring More Popcorn]

I have painted rubber parts such as Thranduils hair. You can check the pictures if You Click on the Elvnoi Dozor Link in my Sig.

Looks awesome! Now I have a bit more confidence when it comes to painting my own pieces.

I wonder if there's a sealer or something that could be sprayed on to harden the rubber, almost give it a plastic finish so it loses it's flexibility. I'll have to investigate this.

[WaysofSorting]

Interesting link (even LEGO Related) about painting a leather Bomber jacket. The paint they chose specifically because it was flexible...

http://www.evilmadscientist.com/2014/cls-jacket/

The brand they recommend is Angelus Leather Paint, if you want to skip the article. Probably wise if you don't want to buy a leather jacket with the classic space logo emblazoned on it...

I wonder how these paints would work on the rubber...they seem comparable with price to the GW paints -

Of course. There's probably good flexible paint specifically for rubber out there, too...

I think what you would want to do is find a paint that is oil-based, as these are going to be more flexible than the acrylic enamels - which will harden by design and possibly crack when the rubber is bent.

That, or search for a "flexible acrylic medium" additive that could be added to the existing GW acrylics to allow it a bit more "play."

[Wardancer]

I am not sure if all the effort is necessary. Most custom figs are used for decoration only and regular paint will work as long as you dont bend the piece or play with it.