Droids Custom DSD: How not to paint 21 loose figures

by Bill Cable
on 2026-05-27, 09:43:57

Over the weekend I took the next big step in my most ambitious Droids Custom to date - I began painting my chrome-stripped figures. I knew I'd need a way to get at them from every angle, which prompted me to devise a (very basic) rig. And to hold them in place, I decided on screwing them...(phrasing)

This would give me the critical ability to spray them upside-down...

So I figured I'd use a piece of scrap wood that I'd drive the screws through, then twist the figures onto the screws. Which is exactly what I did...

This was a mistake. I didn't account for the hassle of working with figures with VERY loose limbs. If I were to go back, I'd use TWO pieces of scrap wood, so they were spread a lot farther apart. That would have made the whole project much easier!

With the figures mounted, I began by applying primer.

Because the figures were so close together and wiggly, it took a lot of work to find all the bare spots. But after a few sessions I think I got most of them. After that it was time to move on to color, and the BIG REVEAL! What color do you paint a "silver" Droid in a cartoon series? You paint it the same color as R2's dome!

I've been allowing the paint to cure since Sunday, so the next step will be checking each one and fixing any issues. Then after that I'll be painting on the other colors for the eyes and limbs. By hand! Which WHO KNOWS how that will go?! This is all new territory for me! Wish me luck!