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I have a big box of 1/32 scale Airfix and Matchbox soldiers left over from when I was a boy. These are the UK equivalent of Army Men, with more variety. I've got loads of WW2 and some Moderns. It seems a shame to throw them away so I thought I would paint them up and play some simple skirmish games.

Being soft plastic, I think it's a dense polythene, this type of figure never took paint well. I painted them when I was about 10, before such concepts as primer had been invented, and before acrylic paint, so I used Humbrol enamels.

I've just put Acrylic Gesso on one to see how it will come out.

Does anyone have any recommendations about priming this kind of figure?

Hm.

If primer doesn't take to the "Army Men" right off the bat, I'd say take some very fine grain sandpaper and run it over them. The sanding should definetly help it hold the primer. Just be sure that it's very fine sandpaper, or they'll end up looking...well...sanded.

Otherwise, I'd prime them in the same manner as I would prime a miniature. Extremely short bursts of primer from about two feet away.

You can also use the soft acrylic paints like Apple Barrel or Liquitex. They dry sort of rubbery, so they'll flex with the figures. In fact, you can step on them and they'll come out just fine.

Here is an article that may be useful:

http://www.rapid-fire.uk.com/paintingplasticfigures.htm

Thanks for your help, guys. As always the Modelling and Painting forum comes up with the answers!

tinfish wrote:Here is an article that may be useful:

http://www.rapid-fire.uk.com/paintingplasticfigures.htm

That's a great find!

My Gesso primed figure will be cured tonight, so I'll slap a coat of paint on it.

I chose an SAS anti-terrorist squad guy because he is entirely clad in black and that box happened to be top of my pile.

I'll try to get a picture tomorrow morning.