what kind of paint

hi everyone ! i am new to this and i am wondering what type of paint is best to use once something has bondo on it ? should i use automotive paint?
i have just finish gluing my fallout ranger helmet and would like to know so i can go buy the paint . thanks

I usually keep it simple and start with a rustoleum spray paint primer (white if my final outer color is light and gray is my final outer color is dark). Then rustoleum regular spray paint for final surface colors. Finally an acrylic for airbrushing details. Be careful which paints you choose because certain types of paints should not go over others. Here is a great video to look at if you get a chance. There are also a ton others on youtube. Good Luck.

Automotive paints, especially through a spray gun and at the right consistencies, will give you an amazing finish and you have tonnes of colours to choose from- but it is DAMN expensive. I work in an auto parts shop and so I can get it much cheaper and I mix it myself to whatever colour I want, and we have the equipment to spray it. As a result, my foam Reach armour has a beautiful finish- it does have something like 7 or more layers of paint however- and it has survived at least 20-30 troops without a full respray, only touch ups around the edges. That's not to say the paint hasn't cracked and buckled but it has held up surprisingly well and once you weather it a few times you don't notice that. I have friends who have used the dirt cheap paint at a couple bucks per can, they do a full respray every couple of events. Personally, since I can afford it and I know the longevity I can get out of it, I go with auto paint.

I have also used Rustoleum 2x paint on foam and that works pretty good too, nice coverage, nice depth of colour and you don't need many layers to look good. They don't last as long before requiring a respray, but those particular pieces of armour also aren't as heavily weathered so you notice the imperfections more. Personally I prefer acrylics to enamels. The cheap spray cans can do the job, but I prefer to spend a couple bucks more.

An important first step is to prime the surface properly, whatever that is and whatever method you use. Proper surface preparation can make a world of difference to how smooth and and clean the finish comes out and how well it adheres. Make sure you use an appropriate primer for what you are working on, eg when working with plastic best to use a plastic primer, when working with metals like aluminium you are gonna want etch primer. The rougher your surface in the first place, the 'flatter' your finish. If you want a nice smooth 'metal lookalike' finish then you want a nice smooth surface free of dust and contaminants. Also avoid painting when it is really damp and cold.... We just got an interesting matte effect on some of my armour as a result of said conditions

You should always use a primer. Thanks to that, the paint will stick a lot better to your prop or armor.

I used paints from a hardware store, they said all-surface-paint. I liked colors, they turned out to be great too.


... I don't even say which paint it was. In Europe we have so many different paints, many even just in each country. I never encountered Kryolan or Rustoleum in Europe.

For my X-Wing pilot helmet and chest box I used Revell Aqua Colour, which is an acrylic paint, that I airbrushed on then sealed with a layer of Humbrol acrylic varnish. The advantage of doing that over getting a spray can of paint is that with airbrushing you can mix the paints as you wish rather than being limited to whatever colours are available in the spray can range. I've been wearing that costume to events for a year and a half now, including one where I took it on a plane to the US and back, and so far I've had no problems with the paint at all.

CommanderPalmer said:

I never encountered Kryolan or Rustoleum in Europe.

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I've seen Rustoleum around in quite a few shops here in the UK and am currently using it on a set of Clone Trooper armour I'm also building. So far it seems alright except for some spots on the helmet where the paint peeled off when removing the blue painters tape I used for masking.

I haven't quite decided yet which method I'll be using for my Halo costume, but thinking back on my experiences I'm starting to side more on airbrushing with acrylic paints again as I seemed to have had better luck with the results, though I'll likely get a new airbrush if I do it this way as my current one is a cheapy starter one that kept clogging up no matter how much I tried to thin the paint. I'll probably also go for bigger pots of paint too as those 18ml Revell ones do not last long at all when spraying a helmet....

ThermalSoarer said:

I haven't quite decided yet which method I'll be using for my Halo costume, but thinking back on my experiences I'm starting to side more on airbrushing with acrylic paints again as I seemed to have had better luck with the results, though I'll likely get a new airbrush if I do it this way as my current one is a cheapy starter one that kept clogging up no matter how much I tried to thin the paint. I'll probably also go for bigger pots of paint too as those 18ml Revell ones do not last long at all when spraying a helmet....

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Try getting a touch up gun? Ours has a 100ml pot from memory, I've also seen them with 200ml pots. Bit larger nozzle size, they put out more paint and deal better with larger areas. Air brushes are great for detail and small objects but the touch up gun works much better for armour sized pieces, definitely much quicker anyway! If your air compressor can support the higher air flow rates/ pressures required

We started with an el cheapo air brush but hubby decided to upgrade to a much better one Two actually, different sized nozzles and whatever else (I honestly dont know the specifics of them). You do have to get your paint stupidly thin in an airbrush, felt to me more like I was painting with tinted thinners rather than thinned paint 18ml pots of paint sounds like an expensive way to paint a helmet too! Dunno about there, but here they aren't cheap. Anything sold in a hobby store is stupidly expensive here.