Tutorial - On Prepping Reaper Bones

Something that comes up in every post about painting a Reaper Bones miniature is describing how I prepare it beforehand. I don't want to skip or gloss over the details - it's potentially valuable information for anyone unfamiliar with the plastic used in earlier Bones figures. On the other hand, there's a fair number of steps involved and I don't want spend too much time on them every time I publish a Bones post. It gets repetitive. And I'm running out of ways to rephrase the information.

This post describes the process that works best for me. It is partly the result of information I found online - credit and links to those sources are provided. I came by the rest the old fashioned way - trial and error.

Note that this process is specific to the white plastic used in earlier Bones miniatures such as those from the first Kickstarter. I don't currently have any experience with the light grey plastic used in more recent Bones figures manufactured in the USA or the dark grey plastic in Reaper's Bones Black line. I'll be learning how to work with those materials when I get to those parts of my collection.


Cleaning

My first step with any model is a through scrubbing in warm soap and water. No special detergents or tools - just dishwashing soap and a toothbrush with firm bristles. The residue from manufacturing can remain on Bones miniatures even after a long period of storage. A good cleaning removes it along with any skin oils from handling.

Reaper Bones miniatures after gluing them on to washer bases, before brushing on primer mix.

Steel Fender Washer

I keep a stack of one inch steel fender washers that I previously spray primed around for Bones and other plastic miniatures. Gluing a washer to the underside of the integral base of a Bones miniature keeps it from falling over on the table. The extra weight and wider base adds stability, but the washer is thin enough not to add too much height to the figure. I got the idea from Chris Palmer at All Bones About It, who is much further along with his Bones collection than I am. Blending the integral base with the flat surface of the washer is a process I describe further below.


Priming

Brushing on FolkArt Glass & Tile Medium is recommended in this post on the Reaper forums. Some folks have good results from painting directly on the plastic, but I had issues when I tried that approach. I've also had fair, but workable results from using Liquitex Matte Medium whenever I've run out of FolkArt Glass & Tile Medium. It didn't seem to hold the paint as well, requiring an additional coat to get good coverage.

Since both mediums are clear and difficult to see on the white plastic, I add a few drops of paint to see what parts of the figure are coated. Another benefit is that the paint tends to collect in the recesses, making the details easier for me to see. I use either a brown or black paint, based on what colors I'm planning to use on the figure.

I avoid using spray paints or primers on Bones miniatures. The results from the one time I tried were poor. The surface of that miniature never got better, even after I plowed ahead and painted over the spray paint. "Rolf" ended up in the recycle bin when even a long soak in Simple Green didn't fix the problem.

After brushing on primer mix. This is usually the step when I discover all the details - including the mold lines I missed.

Base Texturing

I typically finish a Bones miniature by mixing some PVA glue, brown craft paint, and just enough water to improve the flow. The mix gets brushed over the surface of the integral base and the washer. Then I sprinkle enough sand to provide texture and blend both surfaces together.

I used to brush on PVA glue and water to hold the sand in place, wait for it to dry, then apply the brown paint. Adding the paint to the watered down glue streamlines the process.

The final step happens after the mix has dried completely and the sand is securely in place. I dry brush some light tan or linen colored craft paint over the sand. How much depends on the results I'm after - a little to simulate dry earth, more to give the base a sandy appearance.


The above goes into the process I use with Bones miniatures in much more detail than anything I've presented previously. I'll be linking to this post in future posts featuring Reaper Bones miniatures.