The purpose of this guide is to let you know our recommendations for different paints and glues, based on experience of working with plastics over the years. It is intended as a guide and is not a guarantee of results, nor an endorsement of a particular brand. All the following recommendations are for Takara and ADG blythes.
key:
| Y Yes. | Y* Yes. This is the preferred paint/glue to use for that application | N No. this paint/glue will not produce a professional/safe result on Blythe. |
Common Glues
| glue | installing eyechips | sealing scalp | false piercings | eyelashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| waterbased craft (tacky glue) | Y* | Y (temporary) | Y | Y* |
| epoxy, 2-part epoxy | N | N | N | N |
| E6000, Future glue, Gorilla Glue, Wood Glue | N | N | N | N |
| UHU plastic glue | N | N | N | N |
| Plastic Weld | N | N | N | N |
| Hot Glue | N | N | N | N |
| Superglue, krazy glue, zap-a-gap (cyanoacrylate) | N | Y (permanent) | N | Y (permanent) |
Common Paints
| Paint | lips | scalp | shadow | blush | eyechips backs | eye - pupil | eye white |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| craft acrylics- flat, gloss, metallic, pearl | Y* | N | N | N | N | Y | N |
| craft acrylics- crackle, dimensional, special effect finishes | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Tamiya Flat (airbrushed) | N (unless stencilled) | Y | Y | Y | N | Y (brushed) | Y |
| Tamiya Gloss (airbrushed) | N (unless stencilled) | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Tamiya Transparent (airbrushed) | N (unless stencilled) | Y | Y | Y | Y* | N | N |
| Fabric paints | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Nail Polish, Nail Gloss | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Paint-markers (acrylic) | N (unless brushed) | N | N | N | N | Y | N |
| Spraypaint (Latex, flat) | N | Y | N | N | N | N | Y |
| Watercolor, gouache | Y (sealed) | N | N | N | N | Y | N |
| Artist acrylics | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | N |
| Oil-based | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Poster paint | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
22 Responses to “Guide: paints and glues”
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What an amazing resource!
I agree! (one booboo though, the Y box for spray paint is red. Not-sure-yes?
I so want airbrushing supplies, but yes, you know those cost like a kenner!
i also think it might be good to mention that a good source of acrylics for painting lips etc is Games Workshop paints and Vallejo ( http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/ )hobby paints. I really recommend Vallejo of the two. I paint alot of models and figures and i find vallejo paints to really stand up to alot of handling well. They also thin down less patchily than the GW brand…
I also find them in craft stores in Finland! which is a total plus. The eyedropper type bottle and reasonable price makes them pretty desirable too.
uh oh I used E6000 on recommendation from another doll collector - my poor baby girl!
Thanks for the excellent guide.
pixelkitty: don’t worry about the E6000 - the reason I put “NO” for it is that I couldn’t get a relieble bond out of it, but it dod not ruin any surfaces I tried it on. I just find other glues to produce a more desirable result.
Do keep an eye on her and let me know how well the bond lasts! Maybe I just had a bad bottle of glue.
How Wow!
i want to paint a tattoo on my blythe’s back.. could i just use normal craft acrylics for this, and would i have to seal it or anything? thanks
I have a question. How about freckles, what sort of paint would I use for that? Thank you!
christine - I use regular craft acrylics thinned out with acrylic extender, the same kind I use for lips
Hi Melissa!
Do you know if “Shoe Goo” is a good alternative to use on my SBL’s scalp? I made a boo-boo while trying to take her head apart and accidently ripped part of her scalp, just below the hairline at the back of her head. D:
I bought it because it’s made for vinyl and rubbers(soles on shoes, etc.) and thought it might be a good solution(it was actually my hubby’s idea, he’s usually quite clever!). I’m also curious if it would work well when it comes time to glue the scalp back on. I just want to be sure that I’m not going to cause permanent damage and destruction by using this but I really need a glue that will hide the tear in the scalp. The active ingredient is called Perchloroethylene, if it’s any help!
Thanks again for your awesome tutorials! I don’t know where I’d be without you and the PuchiCollective!!!
Ani - I have used a vinyl mending glue on scalps before, it works quite well on torn bare scalps (the kind of glue that melts vinyl), but i think that if the scalp has hair in it, it would damage the hair plugs. So if you are rerooting the scalp, fix the tear before rooting. you can reinforce the tear with e6000.
as for attaching the scalp, I would still recommend water soluble glue for temporary bond, and superglue if you are going for a factory seal. you could test on the dome of her head to see if the hard plastic would have a reaction to the glue you want to try though and let us know what happens!
good luck!
I’m just wondering if spray paint is safe for the scalp? The box has a Y but is coloured for no. Thanks in advance.
oops - yes, you can use spray paint on the scalp - try to find the kind made specially for outdoor plastic/vinyl furniture as it bonds best. if the spraypaint you try stays sticky (never dries) it is incompatible with vinyl and will make your reroot a real pain.
you can use watercolor on the lips??
what kind of airbrush equiptment would be good for makeup application?:D
Hi Chelsea - I highly recommend Iwata airbrush equipment ( I use an Iwata HP-C Plus), and tamiya paints for blythe makeup.
Cheaper brands, like Badger do not put out a fine enough atomization, resulting in splatter marks.
You’ll want a good compressor, too, with a humidity trap and that puts out at least 32 PSI. cheaper options usually do not put out enough pressure to get a fine spray.
hope that helps!
Melissa, I recently tried to get the scalp off the E600 girl to do more work on her, but try as I might it isn’t budging. I’ll have to crack out the scalpel and assess the damage afterwards (if any!).
so why can you use aryclic paint for freckles and lips but not for eyeshadow? i did try to the pastel method on a repair i’m working on but it wasn’t going on dark enough. i just need to add a little more shadow to one side.
Thanks! This really helped!
can one use the Tamiya paint for the eye lids as well? (of course they would be removed before painting! lol)
Thanks for all the info!!!!
Is the glue that comes with false eyelashes safe to use? Am I missing something?
brianne - safe to use on what part? You will have to read the bottle to find out what kind of glue it is. You need to use the appropriate glue for the task - some things you want to be permanent and some you just want to be temporary or easy to undo/wash off. Its always best to test a dot of glue on a hidden part of the plastic - some glues actually melt plastic.