Max Toy Co Minis.

The Max Toy Mini Crew

My Vinyl painting adventures started last January with a Max Toy Co Eyezon, and a little less then a year later, I've painted one of each Max Toy Co mini vinyl I've been able to get my hands on (Negora and helmetless Lady Max haven't been released as blanks).  It's been a busy year.  Thanks to Mark Nagata for making such wonderful toys, and encouraging customizing.  Also Matt Walker for creating a community to help get newbies like myself into the hobby.

Lot F Gallery - In Living Kolor

My name in lights!  Well, first name.  On a website.

Sounds like In Living Kolor Boston was a big success!  All the pieces from tghe show are up in the Lot F store.  Including mine, right up at the top.  I'd be grateful if you bought one, or two.  Or more.

Custom Glyos: Aether Explorers

This Pheyden and his research team have spent to much time exploring The Edge of Space, and now their very physical existence has become fragile and ethereal!  These will be posted for sale on the October Toys Glyos boards, $25 + Shipping each.  Full writeup and more pictures after the jump.

Custom Glyos: The Electric Light Delphi

The Electric Light Delphi.

It's much easier to blog when I have interesting things to talk about, for example, the Electric Light Delphi, pictured above.  It's my latest and greatest custom Glyos toy.  Build details and overlong write-up after the jump.

Monseter Kolor: The Right Way

Monster Kolor is Awesome

A follow up, and mea culpa to this post: How Not to Use Monster Kolor.  I bought an airbrush a few months back, and it's completely changed my view of MonsterKolor.  The paint was designed for an airbrush, and it is the finest airbrush paint I have found.  No thinning required, sprays smooth and consistent right from the bottle.  I've tried other airbrush paints as well, and nothing I've used even comes close.

Glyos Gobon with Monster Kolor C-Thru paint.

Monster Kolor is almost too easy.  I've been knocking out custom toys that actually look decent, and feature effects (color change, pearls, auto-paint worthy metallics) that I couldn't even approximate with a brush and hobby paint.

Now that I'm more familiar with the Monster Kolor's properties, I've been brushing it on as well.  In small areas, with a good brush, the results are excellent, for example the iris on Mini Xam, and gold highlights on Mini Eyezon below.  The paint provides smooth, vibrant colors with great consistency:

Left to right: My first Mini  Eyezon with MK brushed on. Mini Xam and Eyezon Airbrushed.

I've barely plumbed the depths of what Monster Kolor can do, and now my only gripe is that there aren't more colors (a standard, non-metallic purple would be great)!

Glyos Buildmen with very little MK color, and lots of MK clearcoat!

This is fantastic paint, and there's an active, helpful community growing up, at the Monster Kolor website to take care of newbies and veterans alike.  I would recommend it to anyone with an airbrush, or who is interested in starting with an airbrush.

New products like the just-introduced aerosol cans, and upcoming Monster Kolor Brushable should make an excellent product even more accessible.

Tuesday March 15 - Blog Ennui, and a minor victory!

Oh no, I'm suffering from blog ennui!

New trekathlon posts?  Meh.  (they're coming)

Dead Presidents announced the winners of their Monster Kolor Neo-Hawaii contest. Who's that little red lump on the far right?  Why it's my shabbily painted Eyezon!   There must not have been enough entries, completely undeserved, but appreciated!

How not to use Monster Kolor

Grrr! Arrgh!

I've been diving into custom toy painting recently.  While my usual water-based acrylics have served fine on most projects, custom toys are usually PVC or vinyl, and present some challenges.   Monster Kolor is a line of paint specifically formulated for plastic, and custom toy painting.  When used correctly, they produce amazing results. Specifically formulated to go straight from bottle to airbrush, they provide fantastic coverage, vibrant colors, and excellent durability.

One hangup: I don't own an airbrush.

Full review of Monster Kolor, and Mini Eyezon (pictured), after the jump.