What paint do you recommend? (MH customizing?)

[SymphonicEnkelli]

So, I had to sacrifice my paints to my sister's school project, so I'm looking to buy new paints for Monster High doll customizing! I was using Reeve's acrylic paints, which I hear aren't any better than craft paints, but I honestly didn't get a lot of time to use them to see how well they worked. But, I hear that better quality paint makes for a better product, so I using this as an opportunity to just go ahead and get better paints. So, what brands do people recommend?

Currently, I heard that Citadel paints work well. I've also heard that Golden Fluid paints are supposed to be good, but I haven't actually encountered someone to confirm this. Any other brands? Or, can people continue to say good things about the brands above?

I will be using these paints for face-ups on Monster High dolls, so I will be painting their vinyl hands. I may also do some detail work on the hard plastic bodies. I won't be doing full body repaints with these paints. I may eventually dabble in BJD face-ups, so a paint that works for both dolls would be great! But if that is not possible, then I just want to focus on paints for MH heads.

Thank you!

[DollyKim]

I have used any decent acrylic paint I can get for my Monsters and other rooted heads. Most of my stuff is the little bottles from the craft store, I also buy the little snap lid pots when I need a little bit of some colors, and I've used tubes of Liquitex and it might have been Grumbacher acrylic. I've found JoAnn brand to be a bit watery, I prefer how Delta behaves but there's some Folk Art and what ever was on sale in my stash.

I use thin layers slowly built up on the doll then I spot seal, if I remember to, with a paint on sealer. Some of my early rooted heads are nearing 10 years with their paint and are doing fine. One eye started to lift off, the thin layers of paint made a decal, but it stuck back on with sealer.

Just do any rooting and hair work before the face so you don't mess it up.

[MeltedCaramel]

I think we talked about this a little bit via PM? I would definitely go for the Testors set I linked you to. Citadel has some mixed reviews (apparently sometimes it does some rather odd things and has a tendency to crack?). I've never encountered someone who uses the Golden Fluid stuff, though I always *hear* about it being used, but I haven't seen a faceup done with it to confirm that. Honestly I would avoid the stuff like Folk Art and Delta because that's really low end craft acrylic and has a high tendency to crack and just not adhere well to stuff like Monster High heads. I've used both brands (I continue to use them for other crafting projects. ) and...yeah, they have a completely different smell, look and texture to something like Testors, which is thinner (that means not as much thinning for faceups!) to begin with and highly pigmented.

[SymphonicEnkelli]

My only concern about Testors is some MH customizers I have talked to said that it never dried properly. I've already had to deal with my sealant that stayed forever sticky on me. I'm afraid of it happening again. I wasn't ignoring your suggestion, though! I'm just collecting as many opinions as possible so I don't have to purchase multiple sets of paint.

[MeltedCaramel]

My only concern about Testors is some MH customizers I have talked to said that it never dried properly. I've already had to deal with my sealant that stayed forever sticky on me. I'm afraid of it happening again. I wasn't ignoring your suggestion, though! I'm just collecting as many opinions as possible so I don't have to purchase multiple sets of paint.

Oh, I didn't think you were ignoring my suggestion! Here's what I think they were talking about though: Testor's Enamels. They sell both acrylic and enamel, and unless you make SURE you buy the correct one, the enamel won't dry properly. :3 It needs to be acrylic. ^_^