FIGURE CLEAN-UP AND PREPARATION FOR PAINTING by John Perry

To begin with, you will need to have at your disposal the following items. The paints will last a long time as long as you remember to keep the tops closed when not in use. As for the brushes, purchase the best you can afford at the outset. If looked after properly they will last you a lifetime.

With the basic supplies gathered we're ready to start cleaning and preparing the figure for painting.

Clean the parts thoroughly with a mild soap and water. The casting process leaves residue that can make glues and paints not adhere properly. Use a sponge or a soft brush. Be careful not to break off any detail parts.

Remove any flash (thin pieces of unwanted resin). Use your files and sandpaper to carefully remove the excess. Next, remove any join seams in the resin. These may appear as very thin raised lines onthe resin which may be removed by carefully and lightly scraping your #11 blade along the seam. Finally , level your figure by placing a sheet of coarse sandpaper flat on your workbench, grit side up. Then place the figure against the sandpaper and move the part back and forth in a figure-eight motion to sand the base of the figure evenly. Change to medium-grit sandpaper when necessary. This technique is useful after you may have removed a section of the torso or waistline with a razor saw.

Note: Cutting or sanding resin will produce a fine dust that can irritate your eyes and nose, so wear a dust mask when cutting and sanding.

Used areosol can top used as temporary base. This keeps fingers off the figure as you work andprovides a better grip on the model as well. Note the use of velcro to secure the figure.	Pilot figure prepped and ready for painting.

Once you have cleaned up the figure, you can begin painting. The best way to handle your figure from this point on is to mount it on a temporary working base, which is nothing more than a scrap block of wood or the lid off an old aerosol can. Plasticine may be used to hold the two together temporarily.

Before painting you must give it a coat of primer. We recommend two types of primers. One is a brush-on coating which lends itself well to smaller figures, and the other is a spray best used on larger figures. Apply just enough to seal the resin and provide the bite for the paint. If spraying, ensure to lightly coat the model from a variety of angles to ensure complete coverage. Choice of colour is personal. Black primer accentuates shaddows but can dull colours, white enhances colour but can be difficult to work with, grey is a happy medium. Allow the primer to dry for at least 24 hours before starting to paint.