Customizing Funko Pop!s | What You Need (Part 1)
Everything you could possibly need to customize a Funko Pop! vinyl toy! I explain their uses in the video above, but here’s a detailed list with corresponding Amazon links. If you have any questions, post a comment below!
PART 1: What You Need
PART 2: How to Prep Your Figure
PART 3: How to Sculpt & Sand
PART 4: How to Paint
- Funko DIY! Pop!: male vinyl figure or Funko DIY Pop!: female vinyl figure
You can use regular, factory-painted Pop!s too, but you may have to strip the paint off them. - Acetone and paper towels/cotton buds
Use acetone to rub the paint off regular Pop!s, but be careful: using too much can destroy the vinyl. - Magic Sculpt (alternatively, Apoxie Sculpt)
Two-part epoxies like these are the best for sculpting on Pop!s because they harden on their own without having to bake in the oven. Unfortunately, this also means you have a limited working time with them– after mixing the two parts equally, you have about two hours before it’s no longer flexible. - Super Sculpey or regular Sculpey
Sculpey (which comes in a variety of colors) or Super Sculpey (which only comes in beige but is of higher quality) is a favorite of customizers, though it’s trickier with Pop!s because you need to bake it in the oven for it to harden. Putting Pop!s in the oven is dangerous: they can melt or release toxic fumes. If you need to use Sculpey, you can try boiling the figure or using a heat gun on only the Sculpey parts. - Sculpey liquid clay softener
If your Sculpey dries out, a few drops of this fixes it! - Sculpting tools
Rubber-tipped tools like these make it easy to carve edges into wet clay in ways that you can’t quite accomplish with just your fingers. Make sure you wet them with a little water first if you’re using them with 2-part epoxy, though! - Fantasy Creatures in Clay (formerly known as the Creature Sculpt book)
Emily is one of the best clay artists I know of, and her book has a ton of tutorials, tips and tricks for sculpting and painting. Great for beginners! - Zap-A-Gap adhesive
Useful if you sculpt separate pieces that you need to stick onto your figure. While I don’t usually have trouble with Magic Sculpt sticking to the vinyl, sometimes I’ll make smaller Sculpey accessories that I bake and then want to attach. Please note: you cannot use this to stick unbaked Sculpey to your figure and then bake it. Zap-A-Gap is not oven-safe and can release toxic fumes if baked. Instead, you can use Polybonder, which is oven safe. - Sandpaper in assorted grits
If you sculpt on your Pop!, I highly recommend sanding down at least those sculpted parts to ensure a smooth surface for painting. Some customizers sand their entire Pop! even if they don’t sculpt so that the paint has something to stick to– the choice is yours! Note that, for sanding, you’ll want to start with the lower numbers (coarser grits, like 180) and work your way up to the higher numbers (finer grits, like 400). Cut the sandpaper from the big sheets into smaller, manageable pieces. - Dremel 7300 cordless
For altering the shape of a base Pop quickly and easily. Sanding by hand is very time consuming, so this will save you a lot of time and effort when you want to chip off chunks of plastic. - Dust mask and eye protection
For sanding: protect your eyes and breathing holes! Tiny epoxy or vinyl particles are not good for you. - Krylon primer or Rust-Oleum primer
I always prime the sculpted parts in my figure, because the epoxy surface isn’t great for painting. Some customizers prime their entire figure, too, so that it’s all the same base color and the acrylic paint reacts the same way. - Folkart / Americana / Craftsmart / Citadel acrylic paints
There are a ton of cheap acrylic paint brands ($1-$3) available at your local craft store. Take advantage of them! As long as you thin what you’re using with a few drops of water, they all end up looking just as good. For Pop! parts that are more flexible, however (like Batgirl’s cape), I suggest toy-specific paint like the Citadel brand, which is made to take abuse. I do recommend acrylic paint over other types, because it’s water soluble and dries quickly. Enamel paint, for example, is not water soluble, so mistakes are more permanent, and oil paint takes far too long to dry. - Liquitex Flow Aid
Water is the cheapest and easiest mixing agent for acrylic paint, but if you want a little extra smoothness, invest in this. Regardless, you should use something to thin your acrylic paint at least a little bit (whether that be water or Flow Aid). Using paint straight out of the bottle is not a great idea: it’ll be too thick and your layers won’t be as smooth. It’s always better to paint with a few thin layers to achieve opacity than to cheat with one thick layer. - Citadel, LaComeille, Roya, Royal & Langnickel or Princeton brushes
Brushes are a little different than paint: invest in good ones! They’ll last you longer than the cheaper crafts store brands. My favorites are Citadel and Royal & Langnickel. Get some of varying sizes and shapes (square, round, thin liner brushes, thick flat ones). - Pink Soap
Be careful with your brushes, too. Clean them thoroughly but gently with special soap like this and dry them facing down so that the water doesn’t seep into the ferrule (metal part). - Masterson’s Sta-Wet Palette
Acrylic paint dries super quick, but that can be both a blessing and a curse. I never finish my painting in one sitting, which means if my batch of blue dries up, I have to mix up a new batch later… and it might not look exactly the same. So I invested in this product, which is basically a container with a sponge under special paper. You can mix your paint on this paper and it stays wet/usable for up to a week if you close the container! - Paint mixing cups and water
If you don’t want a Sta-Wet pallete, then this is what you use to mix your paint in! - Krylon matte finish spray
After you have your Pop! the way you want it, you need to seal it so that the paint doesn’t rub off or flake with time or handling. I like matte sprays because they produce a look that’s most like a factory Pop!, but there are also glossy or satin varieties. Just make sure that your finishing spray/sealant is safe for vinyl and plastic– some aren’t and can destroy your hard work. - References
I didn’t mention this in the video, but references are very important when customizing if you’re trying to create a certain character. Refer to them often while working!
The links above are affiliated, FYI, so I do get a little cut if you purchase through them! Thanks, y’all. :D
Next part: How to Prep Your Figure
-53 Comments-
Hi I have an idea for a custom pop design but have discovered a problem the best head I have found is a bobble head. Can a bobblehead be converted to a normal head?
I’ve actually never tried that before! I think it’s probably possible, though it would take some work to pull the spring off the neck. You might want to bulk out around the neck with some air clay, then glue it into the rest of the body. Good luck!
I’m having a really hard time sculpting a beanie on one of my figures, and I can’t find any for reference. Any suggestions?
Hey Estela! If you’re using a two-part epoxy, I would recommend mixing it, rolling it into the rough shape you want then letting it set a little (or perhaps putting it in the freezer for a bit) before working with it. Stiffer epoxy might be easier to manipulate into the shape you want. :)
Hey Tom,
Why not just buy any non bobble head,
if you boil it in hot water for about 5 mins the glue on the plug deteriorates and you can pull it off and glue the plug onto your bobble head. Done this many times and it works like a charm :)
He probably found a bobble head that has the right shape for the base he wants, but it doesn’t have a regular (non-bobble head) counterpart. That happens a lot. :/
What do you suggest for sanding really fine details such as changing the shape of the fingers on a hand?
Your best bet would be a small sanding sponge or, better yet, a sanding cone attachment on a dremel. :D
[…] I Like Comics Too – Marlene This is a great post on what you will need in order make your own Funko Pop! She also posted a YouTube tutorial video which is super helpful. It’s my gospel right now as I attempt to do the impossible […]
After putting clay on the Funko Pop, do you need to bake the whole figure? And would that be safe?
Hi Nicole! If you’re using air-dry clay like Magic Sculpt, you don’t need to bake the figure. If you’re using something like Super Sculpey, then I recommend you sculpt what you need and glue it on the figure later, since I don’t know how safe baking the whole figure could be.
Awesome videos, thank you!
I’m trying to simply just spray paint a few funkos solid gold. Is there any cheap gold spray paint out there that is safe for funko vinyl? Krylon or rustoleum brand? I dont want to melt my toys. :]
Thanks in advanced!♡
-KarahChimera
For making a relatively small alteration to an existing pop (darkening skin color), would it be okay to just paint over the original paint without stripping it? The pop in question is Katniss from Hunger Games, I want to make her skin more like she’s described in the books.
Should be fine, in my opinion!
Curious if you figured out the closest color to the fleshtone the use. I wanted to clean up and repaint a Funko Pop
I mix a bunch of Citadel paints to reach a flesh color, but I’m afraid I don’t have a specific recipe!
Hey, I was wondering if it’s possible to turn a DIY funko into an amputee? I was planning on making a hand amputee, but I don’t know if I could just cut the hand off or if that would throw the figure off balance. And I don’t know if they’re hollow inside or not, so I was wondering if anyone here knows anything about that.
They are indeed hollow inside, so you should have no trouble cutting off a part. If for some reason it becomes unbalanced, which I doubt, you could always fill in that limb a little with clay.
When can we expect to see part 3?
Part 3 is now up on my channel!
I have mirror spock it has small scratch on hand what color paint should i use please
I don’t have a specific recipe, unfortunately. You can mix some beiges, browns and pinks until you get something close!
What if you wanted to use the body of a factory painted pop but you didn’t want the head or the hair of it? Is it possible to um swap the diy pop head with the other or no?
Yes, absolutely. Please see my part 2 video for how to remove the head.
I did some experimenting with designs with markers before painting, but I can’t quite get the tint from the markers to go away completely. Any tips? I considered bleach.
I’d try acetone.
I am wanting a Funko Pop figure of Quicksilver from the Avengers Age of Ultron movie. As far as I can tell there is not one available on the market. Do you ever do custom figures for others and sell them?
I don’t think i can do this myself.
I do customize figures, but I typically auction them for charity rather than sell them. :D
Hi, i just want to ask, do you have any idea on how to print small letters or designs on funko pop body, like the NBA jerseys?..or the last name of the players, i tried, manually brushing it, but i really having a hard time, and its not as perfect as what the original funko pop..
Can you give me some tips?..
You could use decal stickers. There’s decal sheets you can use to make custom logos. I my Photoshop program to make custom decals for my model cars. And go to Sportlogos.net to get the jersey logos.
Thanks a lot for this tutorial! This is very helpful, I will keep it in mind for when I finally have the courage to try one. I will also share the link to your article with my Funko Pop community :)
[…] The two extra-wide drawers were organized with some dollar foam board that I measured and cut into interlocking dividers. On the left side is my stationary and sculpting supplies, including my dremel and Super Sculpey. On the right is my painting and coloring supplies, including acrylic paint markers, another mat and a palette that keeps mixed paint wet for weeks. You can find a full list of everything I use to customize figures here. […]
Does your sealant have to be an aerosol or could it be a paint on one? (Like a cheap acrylic sealant from a diy store or smth?)
You can definitely use a paint-on sealant like Modge Podge, but I find those are much harder to get an even result with.
So, can I actually boil a POP with Sculpey to harden the clay? I made the stupid mistake and used that instead of an air dry clay and really don’t want to start over because the mold looks great.
I’ve definitely heard of people boiling to harden Sculpey, but as I have never tried it myself I’m afraid I can’t guarantee the results!
Another kind of random one, if you were trying to create a burnt effect on a funko, could you just actually burn it to get that kind of raised scar thing??
I’m not sure, but I don’t think plastic would melt the way you want it to. I’d suggest a combination of sculpting and sanding instead to get the right effect.
Hi! I’m working on a custom figure of myself – not narcissistic, but thought it’d be fun. :) Do you know the best way to get or make eye glasses for the figure? If I buy an existing POP with glasses, do you know if they’re removable?
Thanks!
Joel
So I have a random question I cannot for the life of me find krylon in the UK I don’t think its a brand over here and the only ones I have found are so over priced, is there any other good brands to us for custom pops
So what if I just want to darken the skin of my pop? What all do I need to accomplish this?
I really want to try this but I was wondering about how much total did it all cost you?
Hello! I’m trying to remove the original paint of a Loki Pop! from Thor: Ragnarok and I can’t seem to get it done. I’m using nail polish remover with acetone. Lots of it. And the best I managed was to take out a liiiittle bit of yellow from the cape after a long while scraping. I don’t know what to do T.T
Can you take off the head of a regular pop and then put a diy pops head on the regular body.
Trying to figure out the best glow in the dark paint to use. I have different ideas that can range from doing a whole pop to just parts of a pop. can anyone suggest a spray paint (I saw in another place someone mentioned Rustoleum glow in the dark max) but would also like a regular paint for when i just want to do parts of a pop. Any ideas will be grealy appreciated.
Hi! I’m just wondering should I remove the paint if I want to repaint an existing Funko Pop? And should I sand the figure before painting?
Hello there.
I like to custom design Funko Pop. But here’s my problem. When I make something like a belt, then later sand it when baked, it cracks. It it because it’s to thin. Is there a strong polymer clay ( I use super sculpy)? I tried epoxy but it cracks when I apply it to the pop. Not as smooth as scuply. Thank you
Hey! I have a mentor who I feel deserves their own Funko Pop likeness! They also love to collect them. Is is possible to pay for you or another expert to make one? I would myself but don’t have really any artistic talent at all!
[…] PART 1: What You Need […]
[…] PART 1: What You Need […]
[…] PART 1: What You Need […]
Hi, Can i use ink for custom designs?
I’m not sure! Maybe if it’s opaque enough?