How to Paint 3D Printed Figures: Step-by-Step Guide
Painting a 3D printed resin figure is the process of prepping, priming, and finishing a raw kit to reveal its detail and protect it for years of display or tabletop use. This guide is written for premium resin figure kits like those from Remerlinds, which arrive supports-removed, washed, and cured, so you skip the messy printer steps and get straight to the craft. Done well, the process brings out every sharp edge your figure holds. Here’s a clear, repeatable workflow from kit to finished piece: tools, surface prep, painting techniques, and finishing.
What tools and materials do you need to paint 3D printed figures?
The right materials make every step faster and cleaner. Skipping any category, especially safety gear for sanding and spraying, creates problems that no amount of skill can fix later.
Sanding supplies
High-detail resin kits need only light surface prep, not the heavy sanding an FDM print requires. Your figure arrives with supports already removed, so the only work on a Bronze kit is smoothing the faint support marks left behind. Stick to fine grits (400–1000) and a light touch, coarse paper erases the crisp detail you paid for. Wet sanding keeps dust down: keep a small bowl of water nearby and rinse the paper often. Silver and Gold kits have this done for you.
Primers, paints, and clear coats
- ✦ Acrylic primer: fast drying, water cleanup, ideal for smooth resin prints
- ✦ Lacquer primer: a harder shell, good for high-detail display pieces
- ✦ Acrylic paints: the standard for miniature and figure painting; water-based, easy to thin
- ✦ Enamel paints: oil-based, longer working time, excellent for panel washes
- ✦ 2K polyurethane clear coat: highest scratch resistance for display models
- ✦ Acrylic varnish (matte, satin, gloss): accessible finish for tabletop and display figures
Pro Tip: Check the best paints for resin models before buying. Paint ranges vary significantly in pigment density, and a high-density paint covers in fewer coats.
Painting tools and safety gear
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Flat and round brushes (sizes 0–4) | Detail work, base coats, washes |
| Airbrush (gravity feed) | Smooth base coats, zenithal priming |
| Spray cans | Quick primer and varnish application |
| Dust mask (P100 or FFP3) | Blocks fine resin dust when sanding |
| Ventilated workspace | Clears fumes when spraying primer or varnish |
| Nitrile gloves | Keeps skin oils off the surface and paint off your hands |
Cured resin dust is fine and best not inhaled, so wear a dust mask whenever you sand, and work in a ventilated spot when spraying primer or varnish. Your kit arrives fully cured, so there’s no liquid resin to handle.
How to prepare 3D printed figures for painting
Surface preparation determines whether your paint job looks professional or amateurish. No painting technique compensates for a poorly prepped surface, though with a Remerlinds kit that prep is refreshingly light.
Step 1: Smooth support marks and give it a once-over
Your kit arrives supports-removed, washed, and cured, so there’s no clipping, IPA bath, or UV curing to do. On a Bronze kit, lightly sand any faint support marks with fine grit (400–1000) and blend them into the surrounding surface. Handle the figure with clean hands so skin oils don’t interfere with primer, and give dusty pieces a quick rinse and dry if needed. If your kit comes in multiple parts, the resin garage kit assembly guide covers joint prep and seam filling in detail.
Step 2: Fill any small gaps
Multi-part kits can leave a hairline seam or small gap where pieces meet. Press in a little epoxy putty (Milliput or green stuff) with a tool or a damp fingertip, let it cure fully, then smooth it flush with fine-grit paper. Silver and Gold kits have visible gaps filled for you.
Step 3: Apply primer
Primer gives paint something to grip on smooth resin and evens out the surface. This applies to Bronze and Silver kits; if you ordered Gold, your figure arrives primed and you can head straight to paint.
Apply primer in thin, even coats from about 25–30 cm away, with 10–30 minutes of drying time between passes. Two to three light coats cover most figures. Inspect the primed figure under a strong light and fix anything that stands out before colour goes on.
Pro Tip: Zenithal priming, spraying black from below and white from directly above, creates a built-in light map that makes shading and highlighting much faster in later steps.
What painting techniques work best for 3D printed figures?
The best technique depends on your goal. Display models reward patience and fine brushwork. Faster tabletop pieces need speed and durability. Matching your method to your purpose produces better results than chasing a single “correct” approach.
Brush painting
Traditional brush painting gives the most control over detail work. Use a size 1 or 2 round brush for base coats and a size 0 or 00 for fine details like eyes and insignia. Thin acrylic paints with water or a dedicated medium to a milk-like consistency. Thick paint obscures detail and dries with visible brush strokes.
- ✦ Apply base colors first, covering all areas with one flat tone
- ✦ Add shading with washes (thinned dark paint or dedicated wash products) that flow into recesses
- ✦ Build highlights by dry brushing or edge highlighting with a lighter mix of the base color
- ✦ Repeat highlight layers, each lighter and applied to a smaller area, to create depth
Slapchop method
The slapchop method is a speed-focused workflow popular in tabletop communities. Prime the figure black, then drybrush heavily with gray, then lightly with white. This creates instant shading and highlights across the whole model. Apply transparent washes or contrast-style paints over the top, and the pre-built value map shows through. A tabletop-quality figure can be finished in a couple of hours this way.
Airbrushing
Airbrushing produces smooth, even base coats and fast coverage on larger figures. Airbrush paints are typically diluted with around 30% thinner for optimal spray and flow. Drying times range from 15 minutes for semi-matte finishes to 45 minutes for gloss. Keep the airbrush 8–12 cm from the surface and use light, overlapping passes to avoid pooling. Airbrushing works best for base coats and smooth color transitions; switch to a brush for fine detail.
How to finish and protect painted 3D printed figures?
A clear coat protects weeks of painting work from chips, scratches, and UV fading. Choosing the right varnish also controls the final look of the figure.
- Choose your varnish type. Acrylic varnishes are easy to apply and available in matte, satin, and gloss. 2K polyurethane clear coats offer high scratch resistance and are the best choice for display models handled frequently.
- Apply in thin coats. Hold the can or airbrush 25–30 cm from the surface. Apply two to three thin coats rather than one heavy coat. Heavy coats cause cloudiness, especially with matte varnishes.
- Wait between coats. Allow 10–30 minutes between varnish coats for the surface to become dust dry before applying the next pass.
- Allow full curing. Full scratch-resistant curing takes 24–72 hours. Handle the figure minimally during this period to avoid fingerprints and marks embedding in the finish.
- Optional polishing. For high-gloss display finishes, apply a gloss varnish and then polish with a fine automotive polishing compound once fully cured. This produces a near-mirror finish on large flat areas.
Pro Tip: Apply a gloss coat before any decals or washes. The smooth gloss surface prevents “silvering” around decal edges and helps washes flow cleanly into recesses. Apply matte varnish as the final coat to knock back the shine.
Common finishing mistakes include applying varnish in humid conditions (causes a white haze called “blushing”), spraying too close (causes orange peel texture), and skipping the gloss base coat before washes.
Key takeaways
A great paint job on a resin figure comes down to light, careful prep, correct primer application, a technique matched to your goal, and a protective clear coat with adequate curing time.
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Prep is light, but it matters | Your kit arrives supports-removed, washed, and cured; just smooth Bronze support marks with fine grit and fill any seams. |
| Keep sanding fine and gentle | Use 400–1000 grit only; coarse paper erases the fine detail on high-resolution resin prints. |
| Match technique to purpose | Use slapchop for speed; use brush or airbrush layering for display quality. |
| Thin your paints | Acrylic paints and airbrush mixes need thinning to preserve detail and avoid brush marks. |
| Protect with clear coat | Apply 2–3 thin varnish coats and allow 24–72 hours of full curing before handling. |
What I have learned from painting hundreds of resin figures
The most common mistake I see from hobbyists is rushing preparation to get to the “fun part.” Painting over an unprimed or dusty surface produces results that look worse than a factory pre-paint. The prep work is the skill. Anyone can apply color. Controlling the surface before color goes on is what separates a finished piece from a frustrating one.
Safety is simple but not optional. When I sand, I wear a dust mask, and when I spray primer or varnish I do it in a ventilated space. Neither takes any effort once it’s a habit, and both save you from breathing what you shouldn’t.
Matching your technique to your intended use changes everything. A slapchop workflow on a display piece looks rushed. Spending three hours on a figure that will get knocked around every game session is poor use of time. Decide the purpose first, then choose the method.
Patience during drying and curing produces real, measurable results. Paint applied over a wet layer lifts and streaks. Varnish applied before full cure traps solvents and clouds. The wait times feel tedious, but they are where durability is built.
Finally, successful figure painting depends more on preparation and workflow than on expensive paints. A mid-range acrylic range applied over a properly prepped and primed surface will outperform premium paints on a rough, unprimed one every time.
— Nyx
Remerlinds: unpainted resin figure kits, ready for your brush
Remerlinds produces made-to-order 3D printed resin figure kits from the Netherlands, printed in premium Chitu Conjure Sculpt resin and shipped unpainted so hobbyists control every color decision themselves.
The catalog includes highly detailed kits across gaming and anime themes, from the Frodo Baggins 75mm resin figure to the Gimli and Legolas 1/10 kit, all printed at 16K resolution for sharp detail that rewards careful painting. Remerlinds delivers across the European Union and ships internationally on request. Browse the full range at Remerlinds to find a kit that fits your next project.
✦ Made to order. Unpainted, ready for your brush.
✦ High-detail resin. Sharp edges, clean surfaces.
✦ Ships across the EU and internationally.
FAQ
Do you need to prime 3D printed figures before painting?
Yes, for Bronze and Silver kits. Primer improves paint adhesion and evens out the surface, so paint won’t peel. Gold kits arrive already primed and ready to paint.
What is the best paint for 3D printed resin figures?
Acrylic paints are the standard choice for resin figure kits. They thin easily with water, dry quickly, and come in a wide range of colors suited to miniature and figure painting.
How long does paint take to cure on 3D printed figures?
Paint layers become dust dry in 10–30 minutes, but full curing takes 24–72 hours. Handle figures minimally during this period to avoid damaging the finish.
Can you airbrush resin model kits?
Yes. Thin airbrush paints with around 30% thinner and keep the airbrush 8–12 cm from the surface. Airbrushing produces smooth base coats and fast coverage, making it well suited to larger resin figure kits.
What grit sandpaper should you use on resin figures?
For high-detail resin kits, stay in the fine range: 400–1000 grit is plenty for smoothing support marks, and only on Bronze kits. Avoid coarse paper, which strips away the fine detail. Silver and Gold arrive smoothed for you.
