How to Build and Paint a Large Resin Pin-Up Kit

October 14, 2026

Unpainted grey resin parts from a large pin-up kit laid out on a cutting mat: heads, hair, arms, torso, hips and a brick base

A large resin pin-up kit rewards the painter who slows down. There are more parts, longer seams and real weight sitting on a small base, so the habits that serve you on tabletop minis need a few upgrades. This guide walks from the closed box to the finished shelf piece, one step at a time. It works for every scale in our catalog, from 1:24 (8cm) up to 1:4 (45cm), but we wrote it with 1:6 to 1:4 pieces in mind.

Before you open the box

Set up the bench first. A big kit spreads out fast, and a part you cannot find is a part you will eventually find with your foot.

You want a cutting mat, a bright lamp you can angle low, and a few shallow trays for loose parts. Zip bags and painter's tape take care of labeling. This is the tool list we keep within reach:

Sharp hobby knife and a stack of fresh blades
Flush cutters
Needle files
Wet/dry sandpaper in grits from 400 to 2000
Sanding sponges in the same range, 400 to 2000 grit
Optional: a set of small files and a stepless sanding pen, for tight spots and fine detail
Pin vice with drill bits, and brass rod (about 1 mm for small joints, 2 to 3 mm for legs, torsos and heavy arms)
CA gel, thin CA glue and baking soda
Two-part epoxy and two-part epoxy putty
Clamps, rubber bands, tape and modelling clay
Soft brushes, dish soap and warm water
Steel or thick brass rod for the base, and felt feet
Nitrile gloves and an N95 or P2 mask

Safety

Cured resin is safe to handle. The risk starts when you sand, cut or glue it. Sanding makes fine dust, so wet sand, or wear your mask and work outdoors or beside an extractor. Wear nitrile gloves and ventilate the room when you use CA glue, epoxy, solvents or spray primer. Crack a window before you pop the primer cap, not after.

Unboxing and inspection

Your kit arrives in plain packaging. Before it ships we wash, dry, cure, remove supports and inspect every piece, and you should run the same check on your side.

Lay everything out and count the parts against the product pictures. Larger scales arrive as several parts, for example head, hair, torso, arms, legs, props and base, so the tally takes a minute. Look each piece over for transit damage and check for warp. Thin parts like ponytails, props, blades and long limbs are where warp shows up. If something is missing or cracked, take photos before you touch anything else and send them through the Contact page.

Resin parts feel heavier than they look. A 1:4 figure stands 45cm tall, and you will notice that weight the first time you hold the legs in one hand.

Straightening warped parts

Warp is common on thin pieces and easy to fix. Heat water to about 60 to 70 C (140 to 160 F). Hot tap water is too cool and boiling water is too hot, so a kettle plus a little cold water gets you there. Dip the part until it turns pliable, then hold or clamp it to the shape you want and move it into cold water to set. Repeat if it springs back.

Washing

Resin carries oils that fight glue and primer. Scrub every part in warm water with dish soap and a soft brush, rinse, and let everything dry fully before you go further. Damp resin and fresh glue make a poor couple.

Cleanup and prep

Start with the support nubs. Snip them with flush cutters, then slice the leftover stub flat with a fresh hobby blade. A dull blade skids and gouges, so swap it early and often. Blend the spot with a needle file or a sanding stick.

Next, the seams. Run your fingertip along every join line and the mold edges, since your finger finds ridges your eye misses. Scrape high spots with the blade, then sand in steps from 400 up to 2000 grit (400, 800, 1200, 1500, 2000 works well). Wet sanding keeps the dust down and gives a smoother surface. Sandpaper and sponges cover the same grit range, so use whichever fits the surface: paper for flat areas and edges, sponges for anything curved.

Sandpaper and a small sanding pen with assorted tips on a workbench — Wet/dry sandpaper and a small sanding pen with assorted tips.

Curved surfaces hold layer lines. Wet sand them, spray a light coat of grey primer, and look again. The primer shows what is left. Over-sanding is the classic mistake here, because fine detail such as stitching, buckles and fabric folds disappears quickly. Use the sanding sponges on curves and keep paper away from crisp edges. If you want extra control in tight spots, a small set of files and a stepless sanding pen are worth having, though both are optional.

Unpainted grey resin pin-up kit on a round base after cleanup and sanding — An unpainted kit after cleanup, ready for primer.

Filling gaps

Pick the filler to match the gap:

Tiny gaps: thin CA glue with a pinch of baking soda.
Seams: hobby putty, sanded after it cures.
Larger gaps: two-part epoxy putty, shaped with a damp tool and smoothed with a little water or a silicone tool.

Let each filler cure completely before you sand it. Sanding soft putty just smears it around.

The dry fit

Fit every part together with no glue at all. Tape or clamp the figure and stand it up. You are checking that joints close, that pin holes line up and that nothing fights the pose. Skipping the dry fit is the quickest way to ruin a good kit.

Pinning large joints

Legs, torsos and heavy arms carry real load, and glue alone is a weak link on them. Drill a pilot hole in both parts with the pin vice and glue in a length of brass rod. Use about 1 mm rod for small joints and 2 to 3 mm for large-scale legs, torsos and heavy arms.

To find the matching hole, put a dab of paint on the end of the pin, press the parts together and let the paint mark the spot. Check the hole before the glue comes out. Gluing a pin in before you have checked the hole on the other part is an easy way to lose an afternoon.

Which adhesive for which job

CA gel: small parts and quick tacking.
Two-part epoxy: heavy joints. It has a long working time and it is the strongest of the three.
Accelerator: sparingly, and away from visible areas, because it can frost the surface.

Epoxy buys you time to adjust the pose. Let it cure fully before you handle the joint. Rushing the cure is how a leg ends up crooked on the shelf a week later.

What to build first, what to leave off

Plan this before any glue comes out. Assemble the torso and legs first, since they form the core of the figure. Leave off anything that is easier to paint on its own: hair, props, hands, and tight seams on clothing. Keep those parts loose in a labeled bag until the paint is done. Clamps, rubber bands, tape and modelling clay act as a third hand while a joint sets.

Building a stable figure

On a large figure the weight sits high. A tall, heavy piece on a light base will topple the first time someone bumps the shelf, so build the base as seriously as the figure.

Drill up through the foot or leg and run a steel or thick brass rod into the base, set in epoxy. Add felt feet under the base to protect the shelf. Pick a base with enough mass to hold the figure, and test it by giving the dry-fitted figure a gentle nudge before you commit.

Seam placement matters too. Put the main seam at a natural break such as a waistband, hem, belt or strap, where a painted line hides the join. Plan that during the dry fit while you can still change your mind.

Priming

Primer shows every flaw you left behind, which is exactly why it is useful. Follow these steps:

Wash off any sanding dust. Priming a dusty part leaves a rough, gritty finish.
Work in low humidity (under about 65 percent) and at room temperature.
Shake the can well.
Spray from 20 to 30 cm away in several light coats rather than one heavy one.
Let it dry fully.

Airbrushed primer gives the smoothest result if you have the setup. Grey or white primer both show flaws. Then do the inspection pass: hold the figure under a bright light, tilt it, and look for seams, layer lines and pits. Re-sand what you find, prime again, and look once more. Two passes beat one pass that you hope is fine.

Painting a large figure

Bigger surfaces make brush strokes visible and uneven coats obvious. Plan around that from the start.

Base coats and pre-shade

An airbrush is the best tool for base coats and smooth gradients on large areas. Without one, thin several coats and apply them with a large soft brush. Thick paint is a classic mistake, and it hides detail. Pre-shading helps a big figure read correctly: use a zenithal approach, with light from above, so the upper surfaces catch the highlights and the undersides fall into shadow.

Blending

Glazes and wet blending give smooth transitions across big panels. Oils work well on large areas because they stay workable long enough to blend. For skin tones, use thin glazes and wet blending. The same patience applies to fabric and hair: build color in thin layers and let each one settle.

Metals

Paint over a dark base with metallic paint, then glaze to tint and deepen the shine. The dark undercoat makes the metal look richer than it would over a pale surface.

Gloss and matte

A mixed finish makes a figure look like it has real materials. Use gloss varnish on leather and latex-look outfit parts only, and matte on everything else. Mask or brush carefully so the gloss stays on its own parts.

Details and varnish

Save fine work for last: jewelry, eyes and trim. Slow down, use your smallest brush and take breaks. Seal the piece with matte or satin varnish. Test it first on a spare part or the underside of the base, because varnish can behave differently than you expect over certain paints.

Display and care

Keep the figure out of direct sunlight. UV yellows and fades both resin and paint. Keep it away from heat sources and hot cars too, since resin can soften or warp above roughly 50 C.

Dust it with a soft brush. An acrylic case cuts down on dust and the cleaning that comes with it. Handle the figure by the base, never by a thin arm or a prop. Store spare parts in a labeled bag so they are there when you need a repair.

Fixing common problems

Warped part: dip it in hot water (60 to 70 C), shape it, cool it in cold water, and repeat if needed.
Snapped part: glue it with CA or epoxy and add a pin for strength.
Chipped edge: fill with putty, sand it smooth and repaint.
Visible seam: fill it, sand up through the grits from 400 to 2000, prime and check again before you paint.
Primer pooling: let it dry, wet sand the pooled area smooth, then re-prime in lighter coats from 20 to 30 cm away.
Frosted glue: accelerator caused it. Sand the area with 1200 paper and re-prime, and use less accelerator next time.