How did kenner apply paint?

acmurray

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Hi Chaps, Can anyone tell me how Kenner applied the paint to the vintage models? I don't think brush or air brush, It almost looks like it was done with a sponge form, kind of like the way we made potato art as kids. Any feedback would be appreciated.
 

Pomse2001

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Are there any pictures or videos so we can see how they did it ?

Did they spray the parts before being assembled ?
 

db94

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I was just thinking the same - would love to see the process
I'll have a damn good "google" and see if anything comes up
 

Joe

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Pomse2001 said:
Are there any pictures or videos so we can see how they did it ?

Did they spray the parts before being assembled ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egcMj_0GZ6w

Modern toys but you get the idea, they used the same technique for the Vintage figures. Metal masks were used to "mask" out the area that didn't need painting and it had openings for where the paint needed to be applied.

Here is a good reply from Chris G on the subject, it's from a thread on RS in 2008 where I was asking a similar question about factory paint errors and the reasons for them.

A factory worker takes a leg from a box and either clamps the paint mask on or holds it behind a mask that's fixed to the table. The masks are simply metal plates that are formed to fit around a particular part, in this case a leg, with an opening where they want the paint to be. Then they hit it with spray paint and put it down to dry. The mask only allows the paint to be applied at the opening. It's quite low-tech and you can imagine that every color requires a different mask and a different station to apply that color. That's why you see so few colors on figures because every color adds labor (cost).

For a part with such a small painted area it's easy to see why you could find several examples. All it takes is a bit of low light and a rushed worker - never in a factory, right? - and you have an unpainted part.

The painted parts are assembled at a later step and then sent on to packaging. All done by factory workers, not machines. The machines simply mold the parts or seal the bubbles to the cardbacks.

Hope that helps :)
 

acmurray

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Wow! :shock: I wasn't expecting that. Very interesting video Joe I guess I have had my question well and truly answered. Thank you.
 

Joe

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Lol Frank. Here goes..

As far as I know there are no Vintage Star Wars paint masks out there in collections, that's something I can say with some level of certainty just because there are none featured on the archive and Chris G who has spoken about this subject quite a lot over the years has never mentioned any surviving paint masks but never say never..

I would think that factory tooling of this kind would probably be scrapped or recycled though and that is why we don't see stuff like this on the market or in peoples collections.

The only Vintage paint mask I can remember hearing about was from the MOTU line I think, not sure what figure it was for though as I never seen a picture. Will speak to someone who might have it on file and post it here if I am allowed to!
 

x-pack

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Excellent thread. So say for example they wanted to paint the black mono eye thing on an Emperors Royal Guard they would use one of these masks? What about a figure such as 0B1 who has two different paint colours on his head? Two different masks - one for the eyes, one for the hair? I never really gave much thought to how they did this.

8)
 

Joe

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At one point it seemed like the facial spray apps were done in two parts because of this:

ben-lincoln.jpg


(This was lovingly named the Abraham Lincoln Ben variant ;) )

But apparently that would have been far too costly and time consuming so the paint mask for Ben would have been a single piece that did the entire head (hair and beard), the figure above is probably the result of a faulty mask and isn't enough evidence to prove that two masks were used but it's still pretty cool.

EDIT- went off on a bit of a tangent as I didn't read your question properly! But yes any paint app that required a different colour had its own mask, the eyes were done using a different mask to the hair because they are a different colour.
 

Frunkstar

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Thanks you so much Joe, I will see what further info I can get on these as I know that Lady I know who worked for Palitoy used to do spray app's, maybe we can get some great information from her about these, be bloody awesome to have one eh.

A true mine of information you are m8 :)
 

TC-14

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Thanks for posting the video, Joe- I've got to agree with the others, I never gave it much thought until now... what a perfectly simple, low-tech solution- I absolutely love it. It would be amazing to see a SW mask turn up one of these days :shock:
 

acmurray

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Thanks again for that truly wonderful info. :D But I have a few more paint related questions that will require a super anorak level of knowledge to answer. What types of paint were used? I would suspect that a number of types were employed but I would assume that a predominant paint type decorated our beloved figures. Some of the paint is gloss like boots, belts and some gloves but for the most part a flat paint appears to have been used. I remember reading that enamel paint can't be used because the type of plastic that makes up the figures affects how it dries. I suspect that acrylic could be used but some of my figures have a more rubbery latex quality about them. Also a fresh out of the blister figure is almost glazed looking, like as if it has been waxed with carnauba wax or something similar. And one last question :roll: what polymer is used for the bulk of the figures, I know that ABS is used for vacuum metallised figures like C3PO and others but have no idea for the rest of them. Anyone's input on the above questions is very much appreciated.
 

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TC-14

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Another great question posed, acmurray... and I'll leave it to the experts to answer. Although my playful side is wondering: are you amassing knowledge to start a run of bootlegs? :shock: :lol: :lol: Only joking, pal :D

Martin
 

acmurray

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Dammit :shock: Rumbled already :( :(

TC-14 said:
Another great question posed, acmurray... and I'll leave it to the experts to answer. Although my playful side is wondering: are you amassing knowledge to start a run of bootlegs? :shock: :lol: :lol: Only joking, pal :D

Martin
 

Idpullthecurtain

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Help?
Does anyone know of a spray paint colour that is a good match for the vintage Star Wars vehicles base "cream" colour. I want to respray and would love to get a great match. TIA.
 

poncho

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Idpullthecurtain said:
Help?
Does anyone know of a spray paint colour that is a good match for the vintage Star Wars vehicles base "cream" colour. I want to respray and would love to get a great match. TIA.
contact dave , username mooseinthehoose
 
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