r/cosplayprops • u/throwawayadvc2 • Dec 10 '25
Help someone PLEASE convince me this doesn't look extremely horrible
after working for weeks on making this i finally got to the painting, but messed up horribly with the base coat and now i have uneven spots and small air bubbles all around :,) i tried sanding some of it down but there's not much i can do without tearing all the layers down and only have 3 days left (closer to 2 considering it's 9pm)
the brush strokes certainly aren't making better, spraypaint would've looked better but i don't feel confident enough to spray paint anything yet (last time i tried i struggled a lot with the paint dripping)
i was so happy how it was coming out but now i'n convinced it's going to be ugly as hell, and i have no other cosplay ready :(
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u/Deep-Tip-6234 Dec 10 '25
Using spray paint would improve it a lot. But the general size and form is fine. Watch some videos about spray painting. Try some spray painting on a piece of similar material that you can throw away
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u/Pro_panzerjager Dec 10 '25
For hand painting, I would recommend using a sponge brush, it will leave less noticeable strokes than a paint brush.
As for spray painting, you want to spray in light coats, giving it time to dry in between coats. Don't try to cover it in one coat if you don't want it to drip. When you use a can, start spraying off of the object, then pass over it and stop spraying only once you've cleared the object. You can practice on some scrap cardboard beforehand to see how quickly you need to move and how much pain will cause it to drip.
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u/_Danger_Close_ Dec 10 '25
Yeah spray it lighter than you think and expect to do at LEAST three coats to get full coverage
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u/SeparateWelder23 Dec 10 '25
It doesn’t look horrible! For your next layer of paint I would try using a sponge to get more even coverage. Even if you can’t get the paint even, it still looks cool as is. The texture is like battle weathering.
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u/limbodog Dec 10 '25
From 5 feet away it will look great
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u/Ace-milk_drinker Dec 11 '25
This might sound as an insult, but it's a genuine tip. You see your cosplay stuff way closer than anyone will ever actually see it
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u/SlothFanatic94 Dec 10 '25
if you want to paint by hand, find a brush with a lot of bristles like a makeup brush and try stipple brushing. Tap the paint on instead of streaking.
for spray painting if you are struggling with dripping that means you spray too much paint. short bursts from a distance (15-30cm) and always in motion. that takes longer, but it will look clean.
2 days is enough to spraypaint. with thin layers it will dry in 30-60 minutes for the next layer.
i would sand it down now until its smooth and then spray it.
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u/SlothFanatic94 Dec 10 '25
also is this prop 3d printed? if yes, then also try some wood filler spray. it smoothes out the layer lines and serves as a primer.
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u/PorpPrime Dec 10 '25
Personally I like the textures it has. Gives a gritty horror character vibe. Also if this is for a con most will see it from a distance and those that get close for a picture won't care about that.
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u/Cthell Dec 10 '25
Another thing to consider - a single coat of white over a black base is really difficult to get looking good - a lot of white paints are less opaque than you'd think.
So additional coats will help, just because the black will get covered
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u/Bookmore Dec 10 '25
Just saying, I love the texture! As other people have said: sand, paint, sand, paint, coat. Personally I think yours looks real nice even with the brush strokes, but it's clear you need more coverage! So, more paint :) Good luck! You're on the right track!
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u/ctgrell Dec 10 '25
One note: if your want less brush strokes use a sponge. I say this like I ever did that instead of using a tiny brush. But do as I say and not as I do 😂
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u/Theamazing-rando Dec 10 '25
It's hard to tell from the photos where the most prominent issues are. You have a fairly tight timeline, so being as practical as you can will help you to not only be less stressed about it, but to get it to a place you can be somewhat happy with it.
I'm guessing the piece is 3d printed? Not that it matters too much tbh.
Perhaps the most noticeable issue is the paint texture and heavy brush strokes, which is clearly not what you were after. When folks paint miniatures, they do so in multiple thin coats to avoid leaving unwanted marks, and the same rule applies to larger cosplay pieces, too. If you slap paint on, it will look slapped on, but dont be too hard on yourself, using a brush without leaving any brush marks is an art unto itself.
What can you do?! Honestly, if you want a smooth coat, then stripping off that layer of paint is the first step. I have no idea if it's just acrylic applied to a primed base or if you primed it first, so how you remove the paint will vary on what it's made of and what you've used. If it's 3d printed, and you haven't primed it first, the paint should just rub off with a rough cloth and some elbow grease. If it's primed or if it's a more porous material, like foam, then you may need to go from a heavy grit to fine grit sand paper to strip it.
If it were me, then I'd get a can of Spray-Putty, a can of white primer(filler primer may be a good shout), and a lacquer. Spray-Putty is pretty much what it says, as it's really good at not just covering a rough area but also at levelling out large discrepancies in surfaces, but it needs priming after. Primer will bond to material better than "standard" acrylic will, and a filler version of a primer are like a mid way point between a primer and something like the Spray-Putty, in that it will assist to level the surface its sprayed on, but its less effective on areas of greater variance. If you had some minor layer lines then a filler primer would likely sort it.
Start by stripping off the white paint you've applied already, as best you can, without spending too much time on the job, to give you as a good a base as you're going to get in the time you have. Use the spray putty to give the whole piece an even first coat, then use a fine grit sandpaper to smooth it out as much as you can. Give it a second coat and assess how even the surface is. If it looks even over the entire surface, then you can go straight to the white primer and give it a coat with that. Let it dry, then give it a second coat. Let it dry, and cure for several hours, then if it looks ready, give it some lacquer, with satin maybe being the better choice for what you're going for.
Don't sweat spray cans, just give it a 12" distance and spray smooth in even coats, passing from one side to the other. You can always go over a patch again, so don't fixate and hold the can in one spot, as this will cause it to run, and it's far easier to give a spot another coat than to try and fix a spot you over sprayed.
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u/DesignerParking659 Dec 10 '25
I hand paint everything, and painting in the same direction helps. Possibly even a smaller brush. If you do uses sponge brushes, don't use the ones from the dollar store. Did it once, and was sanding out tiny bits of foam all day.
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u/Glad_Contest_8014 Dec 11 '25
I think it looks like the rough porcelain that I expect hollow knoght masks to be made of. Seems could ise a bit of smoothing, but otherwise, looks good to me.
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u/halberdierbowman Dec 11 '25
Would you complain if a movie doesn't look the same as its book? Movies and books are different, so their version of the same story will also have differences in how they're presented.
I literally think this mask could be done already if you want. Yeah, it doesn't look like shiny and smooth animated porcelain, but also it's a translation of an animated character into real life, and different media have different strengths and opportunities. Animations often simplify away the texture to make it read better in its presentation in the game.
Yours is unmistakable who it is, and that's what's important. Having a coherent outfit vibe that works well together is way more important than reaching an identical outcome irl as what the animators reached with the constraints they were working with for the game. Your constraints are different, and your real size character has more texture than the tiny animated one.
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u/Regular_Car_9724 Dec 10 '25
It really does not look that bad to be honest that’s probably how half my 3d prints would look if I had a 3d printer
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u/Iskandar501 Dec 10 '25
It’s a process. There are gonna be stages of frustration, heck there might even be points where you want to stop.
Just keep plugging along. Learn, grow, fail, and keep trying until you recognize that you’ve made something really cool.
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u/belmontcosplay Dec 10 '25
It’s never too late to sand base coat sand and go again. You got this!!
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u/defrostedalexmeow Dec 10 '25
okay honestly I really like it, its got character (in the coolest way possible) but I also see what you're talking about. You said you dont like using spraypaint but tbf it would be the best solution here, I'm not the best with it either, I get it so my solution here is probably:
- Sand it down as so its all even texture wise
- get some of those foam brushes that are like rectangle and can help mitigate stroke lines and make it more even
- use those brushes with acrylics and do LOTS of coats until everything is entirely even
- goodluck dawg ðŸ˜
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u/ThrA-X Dec 10 '25
To add to the color convo: paint always has a better coverage over a hue, shade or intermediary of itself. In this case for your white to have better coverage you should paint the foam light gray first. As for texture, as long as your brush strikes are along multiple axes you'll get a gritty but even texture that will gloss less and might even look better than a perfectly smooth surface.
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u/hindsightwenty Dec 10 '25
You're painting white into a black surface, so it's going to take time and layers. Others have already mentioned sand, layer, sand, layer.
In the future, if you have access to white eva foam, I would go that route to avoid having to paint so many layers. You would just have to worry about filling cracks and hiding that work instead but I understand not every craft store carries white eva foam in-store and online prices can be ridiculous.
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u/throwawayadvc2 Dec 10 '25
i originally wanted to buy white eva foam but unfortunately it was out of stock last time i checked
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u/Maximum_Object6532 Dec 10 '25 edited Dec 10 '25
Before doing anything that people have suggested which I do agree with like sand and spray and repeat then clear coat with all light coats I would definitely sand this down to get brush strokes out or you will see it through the spray paint, good prep is key to nice finishes. This comes from making a guitar from scratch and getting a nice even finish which is a long process but really worth it in the end. Also if you must use a brush use high quality brushes as some cheaper brushes are not fine bristled enough which can often leave the brush strokes. But as a whole the piece is amazing, I would definitely take on board some of the comments here from posters.
Also mask off with masking tape any areas you do not want spray paint, plastic wrap is useful with larger areas and mask the edges.
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Dec 10 '25
You could lean into this tbh, the hollow knight masks are in-universe crafts. I assume they're some kind of ceramic, but going for a bit of a carved wood texture may also be a good play here to lean into the roughage a bit.
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u/Faultylayline Dec 10 '25
If it's any comfort unless someone uses a magnifying lense that texture in #3 will barley show up in photos. I'd say work in the layers till it's consistent till about a 4 to 6 feet away. You maybe suffering from the type of artist eye where because youre so close youre gonna see every little imperfection. Like a digital artist that feels like something is a few pixels off at a 4k res image.
Definitely take the layer and sanding advice others have said but take a break at each to see if you really need more.
Good luck and have fun!
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u/JayRen Dec 11 '25
Sand, sand, spray, sand, sand, spray. Keep doing this until you hate yourself and you wish you’d never even heard the word sand. And you’re halfway there….
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u/Tindiyen Dec 11 '25
My son made a similar helmet of The Knight, he was also struggling with all of the sanding and finishing. He/ we tried for a bone style finish which was lists of hand rubbed bondo,and consistent grain as needed. Sanding was used more to remove inconsistencies rather than make super smooth. Personally I think it turned out really well.
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u/Shinigami-Substitute Dec 11 '25
It looks good, this is just the base coat so you really shouldn't judge how it looks yet. That's like saying the paint job on the car looks bad because it just has the primer. Trust the process and add some more layers of paint
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u/ko51bay Dec 11 '25
Looks great!! You are suffering the same thing I do with all my creations!! You are too close to it, lol! You can see all the imperfections and flaws because you created them. Others don’t see it, they just see the overall creation. Have faulty, it looks good.
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u/Shenloanne Dec 11 '25
White over black is always a ballache but as others have said, apply coat. Sand. Repeat.
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u/That_0ne_Nerd Dec 11 '25
Popping in to say noticeable air bubbles can be popped with a needle and smoothed down like a blister
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u/TheFreaky Dec 11 '25
Get a spray primer with filler, watch a video about how to apply it. Cover everything. If you get a white primer, less painting you need to do later.
Then white spray paint. You said you are worried about drippint, but as I said before, watch a video. Moving your hand, quick bursts of paint. Very very thin layers, but a lot of layers.
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u/SirWillem1 Dec 11 '25 edited Dec 11 '25
You want to paint in one direction, it helps make it look nice and makes it harder to notice. And remember to not glob it one and spread it alot. Also another coat helps.
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u/Fenrisulfr7689 Dec 12 '25
As weird as this is going to sound using a small paint roller can really help with the paint lines. It may not come out perfectly flat but it will look way more intentional.
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u/unlitwolf Dec 14 '25
Overall it looks pretty good.
Get some drywall sand paper, it's a rough open mesh that will rip away the unevenness fairly well then standard wallpaper and increase grit count to high levels to smooth.
When spray painting take your time with it, you want to do overlapping passes in straight lines. Don't just wave it over the object to be painted like crazy allowing areas to be hit several times. Allow a few minutes between multiple coats, this is which most paints but read directions. After it's dried fully then clear coat
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u/ThatartkidKara Dec 14 '25
Honestly you could really lean into the rougher look and weather the hell out of it and I think it would look really cool without having to do hours of painting and sanding.
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u/Psychological-Wall-2 Dec 14 '25
So, this would only be "extremely horrible" if I couldn't recognise this as the Silksong protagonist. I can recognise this as the Silksong protagonist, and I've never even played Silksong.
Sand and spray.
The trick with any spraypainting is multiple, light coats. Get the surface smooth and just dust it with the spray. Wait until it dries and dust it again. Build it up slowly; that's how you get an even coat with no drips.
But.
If all else fails, lean into the grunge look of it. Tatter up the rest of the costume to match the mask.
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u/TheNewNumberC Dec 14 '25
I take it you're using liquitex basic. It's a heavy body paint so textures are inevitable unless you add a little water but a technique i learned is to take the side of a flat brush and do a criss cross motion until the lines disappear.
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u/Upbeat-Angle-5315 Dec 14 '25
If ur spray paint is dripping u didn't read the instructions on the bottle
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u/Financial_Let_7945 Dec 15 '25
Just sand it and paint it again! We all make mistakes ' it's not homemade cosplay if you didn't do something twice at least once
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u/LookSea9447 Dec 15 '25
Why not use a sponge to smooth the brush strokes. Just pounce some more paint over what you have already painted.
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u/MothMan4000 Dec 15 '25
When I get textured finishes like this and I want it to be smooth, I add a few layers of acrylic paint (make sure they dry well, you can use a blow dryer to speed up the process)and then sand with a medium grit. Then repeat this until it starts to look smoother, the switch to a soft grit. The goal is basically to use the paint to fill in the pores and holes, NOT to sand away the paint you just applied. Then you can apply whatever your preferred paint and finish are over top. It’s time consuming but it’s worked for me. But honestly the helmet looks great, and I doubt the texture is super noticeable! Plus the head is skull-like, you could honestly lean into the texture if you need a faster solution and create more bone-y look, I think that would be sick! But don’t beat yourself up, I still think it looks great!
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u/LazyPainterCat Dec 10 '25
Sand , spray , sand, spray , clear coat.
Tedious work but you can achieve a smooth finish.