When customizing your Funko Pop!, the type of acrylic paint you choose is very important if you want it to look great. If you’re going to be investing time and effort in painting and customizing a Pop! choosing high quality acrylic paint will save you a headache in the long run, and also prepare you for many more Pop! customization’s in the future.
Some people suggest choosing the cheapest paint possible, but that isn’t always the best advice as all paints are not created equal. There are student grade and artist grade acrylic paints that can substantially change the way your art project comes outs. With so many different choices, we sorted through the market and found the best acrylic paints to use for your vinyl toys.
In our comprehensive guide to the best acrylic paint for Funko Pops, we’ll show you the best acrylic paints on the market and give you some advice when it comes time to choose. Let’s get started.
IN A HURRY? HERE ARE OUR TOP PICKS…
| Name | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|
Top Pick: Warhammer Age of Sigmar Base Paint Set | 5/5 | Click for Price |
| Vallejo Basic Colors Acrylic Paint Set | 4.5/5 | Click for Price |
| ARTEZA Acrylic Paint Set | 4/5 | Click for Price |
1- Warhammer Age of Sigmar Base Paint Set
The Warhammer Age of Sigmar Paint Set is our top pick in this top 5 roundup. Citadel paints are regarded by many in the world of models and miniatures as the best acrylic paint to use. Vinyl toys like Funko Pops are no exception and respond great to these types of paints.
If you are new to painting Funko Pops then you might have not heard of Citadel paints. Rest assured, they are a top quality paint and is almost unrivaled in the market of acrylic paints. Citadel paints are satin which mean that they dry with a nice shine as opposed to subtle and mute like a matte acrylic paint.
Citadel base paints are the foundation upon which a good paint job is built upon from
This kit includes just about everything you need to get started in painting your custom. Included in this kit is 1 paintbrush and 11 pots of paint. The colors that are included are: Abadon Black, Bugmans Glow, Leadbelcher, Macragge Blue, Averland Sunset, Zandri Dust, Balthasar Gold, Mephiston Red, Ceramite White, Waaagh! Flesh, and Mournfang Brown.
What we like
- Top quality acrylic paint
- Includes a paintbrush
- Great paint for beginners and pros
- Specifically made for models and miniatures
- Works great on vinyl toys like Funko Pops
- Satin acrylic paint
What we don’t like
- Price point can be high for a base set of paint
Check Price and Reviews on Amazon
2- Vallejo Basic Colors Acrylic Paint Set
Vallejo Basic Colors Acrylic Paint Set is another great set that is highly recommended. The color selection is perfect and will please just about any customs enthusiast. This is one step up from just the basic colors and is great if you are a more experienced painter. These paints are a mix between a satin and glossy look which can really make a custom pop.
Vallejo has added their secret sauce by adding specially formulated permanent pigments so that you get the perfect colors on your models. This paint is lightfast and completely permanent with a nice opaque finish.
The consistency of this paint is also something you will only see with the Vallejo brand. While applying this paint, you will notice an extremely smooth and uniform paint film with little to no traces of brush strokes. This will help give your custom a professional finish sought after by many.
This water-based paint has also been specifically designed to adhere to difficult surfaces like plastic and metal. The colors included in this set are: Azure, Flat Blue, Purple, Flat Red, Lemon Yellow, Gold, Black, Silver, Flat Brown, Buff, Flat Flesh,
This set includes your primary and secondary colors, as well as a few metallic ones. The actual colors that come in this set are the following: Reflective Green, Azure, Yellow Ochre, Black, White, Lemon Yellow, Flat Flesh, Clear Orange, Flat Red, Purple, Flat Blue, Flat Green, Buff, Flat Brown, Gold, and Silver.
What we like
- Specially formulated top quality paints
- Comes with primary, secondary, and metallic paints
- Comes with precision droppers
- Works great on vinyl toys
What we don’t like
- On the pricier side
Check Price and Reviews on Amazon
3- ARTEZA Acrylic Paint Set
Next up on the list is the Arteza Acrylic Paint Set which comes with a whopping 24 colors. These are all artist-quality or artist grade colors which means whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro, your art projects will pop. Arteza paints are classified as satin which means they have a nice bright shine when they are dry.
These colors are very rich and vivid and will provide you with smooth and highly pigmented colors. These colors are long lasting and will not fade over time. They are also certified non-toxic and safe to use around kids, teens, and adults.
This entire set comes all neatly packaged in a sturdy box to keep your easily accessible, organized, and safe from drying out or expiring.
What we like
- High quality paints
- Good price
- Large color selection
- Satin acrylic paint
What we don’t like
- Caps break easily
- Higher quality paints available
Check Price and Reviews on Amazon
4- FolkArt Multi-Surface Acrylic Paint Set
FolkArt Acrylic Paint is a premium quality paint that is pretty affordable. It works great on many surfaces like wood, canvas, terra cotta, fabric, ceramics, and paper mache.
It’s a great budget pick for many craft and hobby painting techniques like brush painting and detailing which is the majority of technique used in painting customs.
The paint is comes out thick and may be a little too thick straight out of the bottle. This can easily be fixed by adding a small amount of water to thin the paint when using on vinyl toys.
What we like
- Great budget option
- Decent selection of colors
- Satin acrylic paint
What we don’t like
- Not the best quality of paint
- Colors may fade over time
Check Price and Reviews on Amazon
5- Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint Set
The last product in our top 5 is the Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint Set. It comes with an assortment of 18 different colors. The formula and caliber of this paint is exceptional to say the least. The paint goes on smoothly and dries quickly.
The colors included in this set are white, yellow flame, bright yellow, bright magenta, fuchsia, jack-o-lantern, flag red, purple iris, parrot blue, bimini blue, bright blue, too blue, new shamrock, holly branch, nutmeg brown, melted chocolate, pewter grey, and black.
The main takeaway with using this acrylic paint set is that it is a matte acrylic paint. Matte acrylic paints tend to dry more subtle and muted than satin acrylic paints. Satin acrylic paints deliver more of a shine when they are finished drying. If you prefer a more subtle color to your customs once they are tried than this may be a better choice for you.
What we like
- Great budget price
- Wide array of colors included
- Works great on many surfaces
What we don’t like
- Matte acrylic paints tend to be not as bright as satin paints
Check Price and Reviews on Amazon
What to Look for in Acrylic Paints for Funko Pops
Price and Quality
Pricing and budget is the first thing to consider before investing in a paint set for your Funko Pops. You get what you pay for when it comes to the quality of the paint. A more expensive paint will be more resistant to sunlight (lightfastness), go on smooth, dry quickly, and won’t show brush strokes.
Color Selection
Be sure that the paint set you are looking to buy comes with all the colors you will need. A basic set of paint is good, but if you want more complex colors then it will be beneficial to look for a paint set with secondary and metallic colors included.
If you are a more advanced painter, then using a base paint set and mixing your own complex colors will be easier to do than if you are just starting out as a beginner.
Lightfastness
Lightfastness is a term used to describe how resistant a paint is to fading when it is exposed to light. A paint with a poor lightfast rating can quickly lose its vivid color and brightness over time when exposed to sunlight.
Satin vs Matte
Another characteristic to of acrylic paints to be aware of is whether it has a satin or matte finish.
An acrylic paint with a matte finish often dry flat or subtle. They don’t have much of a shine or gloss to them. On the other hand, a satin finish delivers more of a shine than a matte finish, but isn’t too shiny like a high gloss paint.
Best Acrylic Paint Brands for Funko Pops
Games Workshop
Games Workshop started their journey in the UK, but has now made its way into the United States, Australia, China, and Japan. They are currently the worlds largest and most successful hobby company. Some of their most well known brands include the Warhammer franchise.
Games Workshop is all about stunning miniatures, models, paints, and tabletop games. They strive to being the best of the best in the industry and have been innovating ever since. If you are looking for a quality paint, then look no further.
Plaid
Plaid was founded in 1976 by David Cunningham who set out to create a company that would excel at marketing and selling craft products.
As the company evolved from how-to tutorials, they started to develop products in the arts and crafts space based on up and coming trends. This included products like faux finishes, stenciling, fashion, and glass crafts.
Vallejo
Established in 1965, this company has been around for a very long time and actually started its journey in the animated films world. They specialized in the manufacture of colors for cartoons. This is where it all started.
They started to expand to model paintings in the early nineties. Vallejo became the first specialist company in acrylic colors for Model paints and have left a footprint in the industry ever since.
They produced a lineup of over 200 very highly pigmented acrylic colors that were specifically targeted for miniatures and models. These paints were all indicated to work for all surfaces and to adhere to polyesters and plastics.
ARTEZA
ARTEZA is a group of like minded people who love art in every way, shape, and form. They believe that art is a reflection of our happiness, grief, joy, wonder, and longing of the arts. It’s something that we will all leave behind to tell future generations who we were at that place in time.
This is why ARTEZA has decided to supply high quality products made to fit into everybody’s budget. ARTEZA has left a name for themselves in the world of acrylic painting and plan to stay for the long haul. They take their customers seriously and encourage them to contact them with any concerns regarding any of their products.
FAQs
Q: What Is the Best Paint to Use for Customs?
A: The best paint to use for customs is an acrylic based paint that has a nice shine or satin finish. A good example of this is the Warhammer 40,000 Citadel Base Paint Set. It comes with high quality paint that caters specifically to models and vinyl toys alike.
High quality acrylic paints also tend to have a good lightfastness score which means that they will keep their vivid and brightness even if they are exposed to a lot of direct light.
Final Thoughts
The Warhammer 40,000 Citadel Base Paint Set is our top pick due to its high quality, lightfastness, quick drying, and being specifically designed for models and toys. The one small drawback is its price.
The runner up is the Vallejo Basic Colors Acrylic Paint Set. Their paint is just as good if not better, and also comes with more colors. Again, the main drawback is the price, but you do get what you pay for when it comes to paint quality.
Whichever acrylic paint set you choose for your Funko Pops, we hope that this guide has been helpful, and that your next painting session will be successful. Thanks for reading!
