While this kit does not come with paints and fillers (for international shipping regulations) the following advice has been written to give you confidence in finding the right materials cost-effectively.
This type of epoxy putty is sometimes referred to as “plumbers putty”, regardless it is best to get one that comes as two sticks that are mixed together to form a solid yet malleable putty. This putty will be used to fill any gaps you want to close (such as eyelid slits or accessory holes) and to create extra features (such as 3D eyebrows, eyelashes, and to re-shape or add extra facial features like horns or moles.
At The Kig Atelier we recommend Milliput Superfine White for the consistency of the putty during modelling and how easily it sands smooth after hardening. Milliput is available online at places like Amazon, hobby stores (Such as Hobbycraft UK) and most independent arts & crafts stores should stock it as well.
You will need at least 1x ~100g Epoxy Putty kit.
Knifing putty is an automotive repair product intended for filling in small scratches and surface defects making it ideal for smoothing out 3D printed items like the mask shells. It is typically a single thick liquid that you apply with a knife (hence the knifing putty name).
While there are various brands of knifing putty, we recommend Isopon Knifing Putty for its availability in the UK as it is carried by Halfords and most automotive stores.
If Isopon is not available in your location, use whatever single-part knifing putty you can get. An alternative putty called “Modelling” putty is available, albeit in lower quantities per tube and less cost-effective.
You will need at least 1x 100ml tube of knifing putty.
We specifically recommend a high-build type primer as it helps to fill in any scratches or contours smaller than what the putties can achieve on their own. The specific brand is not important provided it is of the high-build type.
In the UK, halfords and most automotive stores carry at least one high build primer.
You will need at least 2x 400ml spray cans of high build primer.
Like with high build primer, we do not recommend any specific brand of skin tone paint, however it is incredibly important to get a good colour match to your hadatai and character’s skin tone. To help with choosing the correct colour, we have compiled a list of common hadatai colours and the closest RAL colour for paint matching. Please see below.
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Cantillon Kig Pink RAL XXXX |
Cantillion Peach RAL XXXX |
Cantillion Brown RAL XXXX |
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MWF Kig Pink RAL XXXX |
MWF Deep Pink RAL XXXX |
MWF Grey Brown RAL XXXX |
If you have an uncommon hadatai colour, or want to get your own colour match, please consult with a local automotive paint supplier that offers colour-matching. Do not rely on colour palettes online as they are often inaccurate.
Do you have a hadatai colour match not in our table above? Please let us know so we can expand the wiki!
To source your own skin-tone paint, you can find various suppliers online that will make custom-mixed aerosols to a specific RAL colour, or find a local automotive paint supplier who may either match a RAL colour or your hadatai if you have one to bring to them.
There are two types of automotive-grade paint, 1-pack and 2-pack, and both are available in aerosol form and in custom colours. Understanding the difference and which meets your needs is key to a result that you are happy with.
1-pack spray paints are the kind that most people are familiar with, just shake and spray! It has a solvent or air-reacting component that dries shortly after spraying but doesn’t react in the can on its own. This type is the most common and easiest to use.
2-pack spray paints by comparison and specialist paints for hard-wearing applications that work by combining two reactive components, similar to resins. You press the red cap into the bottom of the can to release the valve allowing the two parts to mix. You then have a limited time to spray the mixture which will shortly harden. Generally, 2-pack paints are more hazardous and require specialist PPE and a suitable spray booth.
In short, 1-pack paints are suitable for most applications, kigurumi included, and are easy enough to use as a hobbyist. On the other hand, 2-pack paints are suitable for those wanting a more robust finish and have a suitable spraying setup to minimise the health risks.
While we do not recommend any specific supplier, we recommend a 1-pack spray paint of the RAL colour you need to match your hadatai skin colour.
You will need at least 2x 400ml spray cans of Skin-tone paint.
Top coats are a clear spray paint that serve to protect the colours underneath and provide the right surface finish for your work. Think a glossy shiny surface, or a matte diffused surface, or somewhere in between (satin).
Choosing the right top coat for your kigurumi is complicated by the fact that gloss top coats generally tend to be more robust than matte coats, due to an added plasticiser that isn’t present in matte paint. In most cases a satin top coat would be the ideal middle ground, but that rarely works for kigurumi unless you want your kig skin to look slightly oily.
Therefore we recommend getting two different top coats, one in a robust gloss, and one in a matte as in combination you can protect your paint with the gloss while giving the matte finish on top.
At The Kig Atelier we specifically recommend Rustoleum Crystal Clear top coat spray paints in Gloss and Matte. They are available on Amazon and may be available in select B&M Home Stores in the UK.
It is important to check for compatibility between top coats and any underlying paints. Do this on a scrap of plastic letting the paint thoroughly dry between coats. Otherwise you may end up with an “orange peel” effect or worse, the paint reacting and flaking off immediately.
While optional, we recommend acquiring some form of top coat as a bare painted surface is very fragile.
You will need at least 1x 400ml spray cans of gloss top coat and 1x 400ml spray cans of matte top coat.