Painting Vinyl
Painting with Vinyl Wonder
For the best results, Vinyl Wonder should be applied between 55 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit in an area of low humidity. Mix our vinyl paints with our Anti-Fog Vinyl Thinner when spraying in humid areas, in order to avoid blushing or “fogging”. When using vinyl concentrate as brushable paint, always stir well in the jar before pouring into your palette or cup. Our Retarding Solvent can be added to vinyl concentrate colors to greatly extend their drying time. Prolonged drying time is especially helpful when it’s hot outside, and you’re hand painting a run of toys all the same color. It’s also helpful for fine brush detail work.
If you plan to use vinyl concentrate as airbrush paint, use the 1:2 ratio of thinning 1 ounce of concentrate to 2 ounces of Vinyl Thinner as a starting point. You may need to adjust the ratio slightly depending on the temperature, tip size, and air pressure you’re using. If cob-webbing occurs, then add more thinner to the paint. It is important to remember that the more you thin, the more coats you may need to achieve desired coverage. When trying to achieve opaque coverage, always try to thin as little as possible. If you would like to work in translucent layers to achieve a glazing effect, extend the paint with more thinner and/or clear gloss. Store your “spray-ready” paints in a chemical resistant container with a tight fitting lid, and always shake well for 30 seconds before using again. Do not store vinyl paint in unlined metal containers for long periods of time. The tin in metal will create a slow gelling chemical reaction, decreasing the paint’s shelf life.
IMPORTANT: Always allow freshly painted pieces to dry for 24 to 48 hours before scratch testing or using a heat gun to assemble the figure. If a vinyl clear coat is desired, allow the painted piece to dry overnight before spraying our Clear Gloss on the figure. After clear coating, allow the piece to dry for another 24 to 48 hours before scratch testing. When painting soft vinyl innards for clear figures, allow the full 48 hours dry time before heating and inserting guts into the body.
If you work in an area with high humidity, and blushing is a frequent problem, our Anti-Fog Vinyl Thinner can be used in place of our standard vinyl thinner to create airbrush-ready paints that will dry slower and withstand wet conditions. Mix 1 part vinyl paint to 2 parts Anti-Fog Vinyl Thinner, shake well, and spray. Make sure to allow 48 hours before assembling pieces or performing any stress tests.
Because of the adhesion promoter in our formulation, Vinyl Wonder Toy Paint adheres to more than just soft vinyl. Try our paints on resin, Apoxie Sculpt, Magic Sculpt, vinyl Halloween masks, fishing tackle, diecast metal toys, fabric, and more. If you choose to experiment with our products on something besides vinyl, we recommend performing a sample test first.
Depending on your experience level, painting with vinyl can be tricky and may possibly take some time before you feel comfortable with the medium. There is a lot to learn about the art of vinyl painting; sometimes instructions are better conveyed through visual demonstration. Below are some helpful videos explaining different methods of vinyl figure painting. We hope you find them beneficial!
Cleaning Tools
Only use vinyl thinners to clean Vinyl Wonder from your paintbrush or airbrush.
When working with an airbrush, clean the airbrush cup between color changes. Never leave vinyl paint sitting in the airbrush for long periods of time. At the end of a long work day, remove the needle from the airbrush and carefully clean it with a thinner soaked shop towel. Oil your needle occasionally to keep your airbrush lubricated.
When working with brushes, avoid letting the paint dry in the brush bristles. The paint will dry in the heel near the ferrule, making it difficult to be removed. This will cause the brush to lose its shape, making it impossible to use for detail work. Do not leave brushes soaking in thinner with the brush resting on its end. This will bend the brush hairs, permanently altering the shape of the brush.
To maintain the shape of your brush, clean with thinner at a downward angle and pinch the bristles back into shape.
For more detailed instructions on how to disassemble your airbrush for a deep cleaning, check out the video below…