Painting tips: how to get the best from your kit
Every JM Crafts kit comes with everything you need, but a little set-up makes painting calmer, cleaner and more fun. Here are our favourite tips from painting hundreds of figures at the kitchen table.
Before you start
Cover the table with newspaper, a wipe-clean mat or an old tea towel.
Pop on an apron or an old T-shirt. Our paints are washable and child-friendly, but little painters are enthusiastic.
Have a pot of water for rinsing brushes and some kitchen roll for dabbing them dry.
Open the paint pots one at a time, so they don't dry out while you work.
Painting your figure
Start with the biggest areas and the lightest colours. It's much easier to paint dark over light than the other way round.
Use a little paint at a time. Thin coats dry faster and look smoother than one thick blob.
Let each colour dry for 10 to 15 minutes before painting next to it, so the colours don't run into each other.
Save the small details (eyes, noses, spots and stripes) for last, using the fine tip of the brush.
If the figure is beige rather than white, that's just the colour of the material before painting. It looks great under a coat of paint.
Finishing touches
Once everything is dry, add the stickers. They stick best to a fully dry surface.
Leave the finished figure somewhere safe to dry completely, ideally for an hour.
Wash the brushes in warm soapy water and they'll be ready for next time.
Ideas to try
Paint a penguin in rainbow colours, or a dinosaur with polka dots. There's no wrong answer.
Paint a matching pair: one for you, one for a grandparent.
Turn a bundle into a story: paint the characters, then make up an adventure for them.
Looking for your next project? Browse all our painting kits.
Painting is for children, with an adult nearby. Our figures contain small parts, so keep them away from very young children.
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