How to Repaint Plastic Dinosaurs

Since no one's quite certain how dinosaurs looked, you can paint them any way you like.

Even the oldest and most worn plastic dinosaur figurines can be revamped with a fresh coat of paint. Applying new paint can make a cheaply-made toy look better or can be used as a creative, educational project for those interested in prehistoric reptiles. Knowing the best ways to work with old and new paint on plastic will ensure a successful project.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton balls
• Nail-polish remover
• Cotton swabs
• Fine-grain sandpaper
• Acrylic primer
• Acrylic paints
• Artist's brushes
• Sponge paintbrush
• Toothpick or large needle

Instructions

1. Soak a cotton ball in nail-polish remover.

2. Rub the paint from the dinosaurs using the cotton ball. In areas where the paint is worked into crevices, you may need to switch to a soaked cotton swab and/or squeeze nail-polish remover into the areas to soak for a few seconds.

3. Sand off any paint that remains, provided the paint is on smooth areas of the model. Work carefully to avoid altering the shape of the model. If the plastic is smooth, hard and non-porous, give the entire dinosaur a light sanding to rough up the surface and ensure that the paint will adhere.

4. Plan the color scheme for your dinosaur. Figure out how many colors you want to use and where the colors will go. Do a test patch of the colors on paper to make sure you like the way they look together. Paint a background color and allow to dry, then paint the secondary colors on top. Remember, nobody really knows what colors and patterns dinosaurs had, so you can mix and match the colors as you like.

5. Give the dinosaur a coat of the background color. If you have trouble getting the paint into cracks and crevices, or getting an even texture in the application, switch to a sponge brush. Let this layer of paint dry before applying additional colors.

6. Apply the second layer of paint. Use a detail brush to paint small areas. Allow to dry. Add additional colors in the same manner.

7. Use the tip of a toothpick or large needle to apply paint to very small areas, like sculpted cracks, eyes or nostrils.

Tips & Warnings

• If the paint will not adhere after sanding, coat the dinosaur with a layer of acrylic paint primer, allow to dry, and then add color..

• Experiment with different means of applying the paint to get interesting textures when using multiple shades. Try things like coarse sponge painting, splatter painting by flicking a toothbrush, or applying paint with a crumpled-up magazine page.

• If painting a dinosaur with horns (like a triceratops) or plates (like a stegasaurus), use a different color of paint for these features. Also, use a different color for claws and teeth.

References

• "Acrylic Revolution: New Tricks and Techniques for Working with the World's Most Versatile Medium;" Nancy Reyner; 2007