So, what are your options? The ones we’ll be discussing here are (1) painting (2) dyeing (3) sharpies and (4) stickers.
NOTE: Children should have adult supervision before trying out some of these methods, as some use potentially dangerous chemicals.
Painting LEGO Pieces
Painting is probably the most popular way to change the color of pieces. As such, fans have devised a variety of methods. What you’ll pick depends on what you want.
One agreed upon point is to use acrylic paint rather than oil-based. Enamel can also work but isn’t recommended as often. It’s up to you whether to use a brush to apply the paint or spray it on. Both methods are widely used and have appeals and drawbacks. Generally speaking sprays are good for recoloring whole pieces while brushes (and even smaller tools such as toothpicks and tacks) are needed for adding tiny details such as creating a clothing pattern on the body of a mini-figure.
Painting LEGO pieces certainly has its pros and cons, and it’s a skill that takes time to master. Your first few attempts are likely to be sloppy and uneven. You’ll definitely want to practice on some pieces that aren’t as valuable to you. For more info on the painting LEGOs you can visit this article on our website.
It will be very hard to get a painted piece to look as good as the real thing. Globbiness or even the slightest uneven coat can make a piece look out of place.
But the problems can go beyond the look. If you screw up you can make the pieces unusable. Coating the studs even a little too thickly means they won’t be able to fit with other pieces.
The biggest downside is that the changes aren’t permanent. You aren’t actually changing the color of the piece. You are only putting the new color on top. Over time you’ll likely have bits of paint chip away and reveal the actual color underneath. This is all but guaranteed if you’re re-using these pieces frequently. Finishes on top of the paint can help the paint hold better, but it can still chip off.
Using Dye to Change the Color of LEGO Pieces
Dyeing is the best way to change the color of your LEGOs. With dyes you are not simply coloring on top of a piece but actually altering the piece itself. No amount of scratching or playwear will “reveal” the piece’s original color. The changes are permanent.
This is perhaps why dyeing isn’t as popular as painting. While more effective, it’s also more risky. And like painting it takes a lot of precision.
The key of the dyeing process is how much of the dye is absorbed into the plastic. Numerous factors can affect this such as the piece’s time in the dye, heat of the water/dye mix, water/dye ratio, etc. Here are two YouTube videos which show the process of dyeing plastics.
HOW TO DYE PLASTICS WITH SYNTHETIC RIT DYE –by ARMY OF TOYS
50 Shades of Bley –by Ochre Jelly (this video specifically deals with LEGOs)
A major advantage of paints over dyes is in color choices. It’s simply easier to find a variety of different colored paints.
What if you do find all of the right colors of dye? There’s no guarantee that your piece will be that same color. The color of a dyed piece depends on how the plastic absorbs the dye. Numerous factors can affect this such as amount of acetone in the dye, whether you use synthetic or normal dye, heat of the water, time in the water, water/dye mixture, etc.
Even if you get your piece to come out perfectly there is no guarantee it will stay that way. As demonstrated by Ochre Jelly (video linked above) a piece can lose its color after a few hours of drying (20:52).
Dyes are used for color variation in a single piece. If you want to create a design on a piece (rather than coloring the whole piece) you’re probably best with any of the three alternatives.
Technically you can add multiple colors to one piece with dyes. Ochre Jelly demonstrates this by exposing different parts of a brick for different lengths of time to create a “fade” effect (18:52).
Theoretically you might be able to create a custom minifigure torso print by covering certain parts of the piece when exposing it to dye. However, I’ve never seen or heard of anyone doing this.
Dyeing only works to turn lighter pieces darker. You can change a gray piece to black, but you can’t change a dark red piece to light pink. This also means that if you accidentally darken a piece too much there’s no going back.
Also, not all LEGO pieces dye equally. Ochre Jelly shows how different pieces take shorter amounts of time to reach a dark color (15:13). In contrast, he claims the dye didn’t work on minifigure hands at all.
Unfortunately dyeing also doesn’t work on translucent pieces.
Coloring LEGO Pieces with Shapies
Sharpies are the most accessible method. Paint and dyes require multiple steps, planning and timing to get right. All you need for the sharpie method is a sharpie (well, preferably a variety pack for some more color options).
There is a cost for the ease of use. Sharpie colored pieces can often look sloppy and uneven. Out of all the results I’ve seen, the Sharpie method gets called “ugly” the most.
Generally, it seems to be used for detailing minifigures – most often to create custom armor for Star Wars Clone Troopers. It’s also used to color entire pieces. Depending on the size of the Sharpie you might have a hard time reaching tight spots.
Sharpies don’t seem to pack on the way paint does so you don’t have to worry about pieces becoming unusable. It’s also not permanent like dyes.
In fact, Sharpie marks can be removed very easily. The most popular solution is with a dry erase marker. Simply color over the “sharpie afflicted” areas with the dry erase marker and quickly wipe it off with a paper towel. All marks should come right off. Repeat if there is still some residue.
While it might not have the ideal aesthetic, Sharpies can be great if you just want to mess with some quick and mess free customization. If your child wants to customize their LEGOs, the Sharpie method is probably the simplest route to go.
Using Stickers on LEGO Pieces
Generally, you wouldn’t think of using stickers to change the color of a piece. Most often they’re used in adding details and decals. With the right paper, printing equipment and software you could make custom stickers to color a brick.
Coloring an entire piece with a sticker isn’t possible. You’re likely not going to cover a brick with purple stickers on all sides and add it to your batch as a “purple brick”. However, it could work in an already completed set just to color the visible part of a certain piece.
What You Should Know Before Coloring Your LEGO Pieces
There are some things you should know about before you go personalizing all your LEGO pieces. LEGO fans have devised numerous methods of customizing pieces. However, none of these methods are as good as the official products.
For a simple example, let’s say you want to turn a white brick into a black brick. You can have the best customization craftsman use the best method to transform the brick. No matter how good it looks when put side-by-side with an official black brick, you will notice the differences.
You may be fine with some modified pieces on your custom build standing out a bit, but you should know that there are many purists in the LEGO community. Many have a keen eye for altered pieces. A random friend might not notice your set is made of custom colors, but a diehard LEGO fan will be able to tell.
Many also look down on customizing LEGOs. Some might simply see Sharpie and Paint customization as “ugly” and “obvious” looking. Others, however, will find it borderline blasphemous. So, if you take your customized LEGOs to a convention be prepared to get some dirty looks.
Resale Value Will be Affected
Finally, remember that any alterations you make will devalue the LEGOs resale value. If you resell your customized pieces on eBay, make sure buyers know they were customized. Even if you’ve attempted to restore the piece by cleaning off the paint or sharpie marks, let your customer know that they were previously painted. Altogether, toy alterations diminish their resale value, so you want your customers to know what they’re getting.
Generally speaking, if you want to be respected in the LEGO community you should never try to pass off customized pieces as “unaltered”. Always be clear and honest.
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