I have the ROKR 3D Pinball kit, I want to paint it and have been reading up a lot on it but I’m still worried I will mess something up, like the paint looking patchy, or flaking off, or the ball not running smoothly. I have made a few ROKR kits before and feel pretty confident with it, but I have never painted on wood before and have little experience painting at all.
Do I need to treat the wood with anything before I paint it? Or can the paint go directly onto the wood? Do you need to prime it like you would a miniature figure?
What kind of paint do I use? is any acrylic paint fine? Will acrylic markers work the same? they seem like they would be easier but from my little experience acrylic markers seem to not be too strong although I probably used a cheap brand. Does anyone have a recommendation on what would work best for this kit?
Do I need to water the paint down? or throw it on in thick layers?
Once its painted do I have to coat it with anything?, My concern is the ball moving over everything would eventually wear off the paint.
And finally is there any additional advice you have or suggestions I may have not even considered yet?
Thanks! and sorry if these are real obvious questions, I worry a lot and wanted this kit for sooo long and don’t want to mess it up! and I know i’l regret not painting it if I just build it.
I havent painted a “moving” kit yet but Im pretty sure it wont interfere with the balls. For painting i recommend Paint pens for a better outcome. It can get tiny details
I highly recommend this set! Covers alot more than other pens and its only £6.99
I don’t have experience with bigger build but I have ‘painted’ my smaller ones with acrylic markers. I did not prep the wood with anything or did any care after.
Maybe others will be able to tell you more about that. And to paint with actual paint.
I use acrylic markers but I’ve only painted smaller things. I wouldn’t use them for larger items like the pinball machine because they will run out.
I believe that many here use acrylic paints for larger areas. Some use gesso under it but others just paint. Some of the lighter colours will require more than one coat.
To save leaving brush strokes, I have seen rollers used.
I find painting pieces before pushing them out is easier.
If you want to paint the pinball i recommend acrylic paint with a brush. Acrylic markers will run out fast.
If you are going to use acrylic paint, I advise using one that isn’t too cheap, because it doesn’t cover well and you get color differences. I use Amsterdam acrylic paint myself, but I don’t know if it is available worldwide. @Nita_Davis uses paint from Apple Barrel and it also covers well. You don’t need to apply a primer, you can paint directly with acrylic paint. I bought mini rollers which work well for large surfaces.
I have not yet painted any builds but there are plenty of talented people here who have done extraordinary things with their kits. I’m sure they can help you and offer some helpful advice. Good luck with your pinball machine!
For what I’ve experienced, I just usually paint the wood directly using acrylic paints. I’ve applied a white base first then the color that I want though it will take a lot of time to paint it using the said medium. Acrylic markers are okay to use too but I don’t have any experience using them.
I’m not a professional painter at all, but from my own experience I’d say acrylic paint or acrylic markers can both work well on these kits.
You can paint directly onto the wood, but I’d do thin layers rather than thick ones so it looks smoother and doesn’t get too heavy. I personally wouldn’t paint the parts where the ball needs to move or where the mechanism has friction, because that could affect how smoothly it works. For those visible moving areas, I’d be careful or leave them as they are.
Acrylic markers are great for details and edges, and regular acrylic paint is nice for bigger areas. I wouldn’t do one heavy coat, better a couple of light ones. And if you’re nervous, test first on a spare piece or on a part that won’t be very visible.
For a kit like the pinball one, I’d also make sure not to paint the joints too much, because sometimes paint adds a bit of thickness and then pieces fit worse. So basically: thin coats, avoid the functional moving parts, and test before going all in
I painted everything on the pinball and it works perfectly. As you can see in the photo, I thinned the paint a bit more on the base plate. The ball rolls smoothly and the buttons work smoothly too. It’s a good tip to apply the paint in multiple layers and not as one thick layer. I always do this too to prevent brush strokes.
