Not-So-Mini DIY Mini Figures

Everyone loves mini figures and we all wish for some characters that don't exist yet! This is where simple and fun Not-So-Mini Mini Figures come into play. With some quick-dry resin, silicone molds, and paint markers you can make your own mini figures of any characters you choose! Your only limitation is your own imagination!

• Fast Cast Quick-Dry Resin Kit (16 oz or 32 oz depending on how many figures you want to make)
• 2 Cup Measuring Cup
• 2x 1 Cup Measuring Cups (Dollar Tree will get you the cheapest options)
• Silicone Mini Figure Ice Cube Trays
• Niutop Paint Marker Pen Set (24 Colors)
• Mechanical Pencil
• Wooden Stir Stick
• Scrap Cardboard

Your first step is to make the resin figures. You can see why I call them "not-so-many" mini figures if you look at the silicone mold in the supply photo--the large mini figure is next to a regular sized mini figure! These are about the size of the palm of your hand! Unfortunately, I do not have any step-by-step process pictures of making the resin figures because once your resin is mixed you have about 60 seconds to pour it into your molds before it starts hardening! Thus, here are helpful steps I wish I knew before I made my first set of mini figures:

(1) Cover your work space with some cardboard. Resin that falls on counters or your sink will be there forever! Cardboard is thick enough for it not to seep through and can be recycled when you're done.

(2) Resin should not be poured down your sink! Therefore, the measuring cups you use will eventually be destroyed. The small 1 Cup cups will each hold one part of the resin mix and can be cleaned with paper towels when done and then rinsed clean. The 2 Cup measuring cup, which will combine the two parts of the resin mix, cannot be cleaned so the left over resin will harden. Over time you'll have such a build up that you'll need to replace it with a new cup. I went thought about four 32 ounce kits before I needed to do a replacement.

(3) You need some type of stirring device. Pictured in the supply photo is a thick scratch art stick. You can use anything that is strong enough to stir and is disposable.

(4) If you decide to make other kinds of resin figures (I've made pumpkins, dinosaurs, and sugar skulls) the ice cube tray/mold needs to be a silicone-based mold--the kind that is flexible. You need that flexible structure to help "pop" the figures out when they are dry.

The kind of resin kit that I prefer using is the Fast Cast brand. When you have your area all step up you'll follow the directions that come with the kit. Basically, there is a bottle marked "Part A" and a bottle marked "Part B". You'll pour out 1 cup of Part A and 1 cup of Part B and then mix them together into the 2 Cup measuring cup. Once they are poured into the larger cup, immediately start stirring the mixture together vigorously for about 10-20 seconds.

The next step is most crucial. Once the chemical reaction begins, you have less than 60 seconds to pour the resin mixture into your molds before it begins to harden. Here are some tips for this stage:

(1) The resin mixture will pour quickly from your measuring cup. You might mess up your first pour but you'll quickly get in a rhythm of pouring quickly but slow enough that you don't waste any mixture on accidental spills!

(2) Do not deviate from the recipe of the kit (1 cup of Part A and B mixed together). This means if you just want to make large mini figures you'll need to have multiple molds (as there is only one large figure compared to four regular size figures per tray) or do a mix of large figures and molds of other items since you can't save the resin mixture. If you try to deviate from the formula the chemical reaction that causes the resin to harden will not set correctly and you can get figures that turn out like Rice Krispie treats in texture or ones that never quite set and melt in your hands leaving a goopy mess!

(3) Once you have all your mixture poured into your molds you can sit back and relax. The molds should set in about 10-15 minutes. When in doubt, let them sit longer. You'll know the resin is setting when it starts to turn from a clear liquid to a cloudy liquid to a solid white color. You can test when the molds are finished by lightly touching the figure (do not be alarmed at the heat coming off them--they will be warm to the touch!). If it appears pretty solid you can try and pry the figure from the mold. If the figure "bends" at all stop and give it more time. If the mold comes apart from the figure with no issues it is safe to pop it out.

(4) You might have some resin "hairs" at the edges of your figure. These could have come from drips as you poured resin into one figure and moved to the next. These can easily be trimmed off with scissors.

(5) Clean your molds. Using your fingernails you can easily pop off any resin "dots" from drips when you poured. Once those are popped off and thrown away you can safely give the mold a quick clean with water. Avoid using soap as any soap residue left on the mold could cause an adverse reaction when you make another batch.

Now that your Not-So-Many Mini Figures are set you are ready to decide who you want to make. Here are some tips for brainstorming ideas:

(1) If you have a figure who has been made into a mini figure you could Google pictures of previous designs for inspiration.

(2) If you have a figure in mind who has not been made into a mini figure before you'll probably want to Google some basic images of the character--full body ones work best since the mini figure is a full body figure. Keep in mind any special costumes or outfits you might prefer (for example, a Peter Parker Spider-Man versus a Miles Morales Spider-Man or an Animated Series Batman verses an Adam West Batman '66).

(3) If you aren't confident in your crafting skills it's good to start simple for your first mini figure and work your way up to more detailed designs. Simple designs would be characters that rely on just a few colors (think the Flash who is basically all red and a yellow lightning bolt).

Once you decide on what character you will design, you can begin tracing the design's outline onto your resin figure. I like to use a mechanical pencil because it has a small, thin tip that is always the same size and can draw small details and erase easily if you make a mistake.

In my step-by-step example, I am making Cesar Romero's Batman '66 Joker. You can see I have drawn on his jacket, vest, and undershirt and his pinstripe pants. For faces, I like to use black dot eyes.

Optional: Obviously, these mini figures do not have accessories, such as hair pieces. If you are super crafty you can make hair pieces and other accessories from clay or another moldable medium. If not, you can just create the hair around the head bump. Usually for male characters I draw bangs and hair around C-shaped ear shapes on the side of their head. For female characters with longer hair I have their hair extend down to their shoulders (see Supergirl in the main group photo for an example).

Once you have pencil drawn your character's outline you can begin outlining and coloring in small details!

Outlining is good for giving some dimension and "pop" to the design. Your outline will be done primarily in black paint marker.

I use a 24-color Niutop Paint Marker Pen Set. It comes with all your regular colors plus some neon and metallic shades. Here are some tips for using paint markers:

(1) Shake your marker before each use. For the very first time you use a paint marker you'll have to "force" the paint through by pressing the marker tip onto some scratch cardboard (not paper as it will bleed through) to get the paint running. Never do this on your figure! The worst thing you can do is to apply too much paint accidentally to your figure and lose all your hard work!

(2) While working on painting your figure if you need to replenish the paint supply do a small test dab on your scratch cardboard or dab it on the mini figure only if the spot you are working on is one big color (like the red in the Flash's costume) where a big blob won't matter and can be spread around.

(3) Never press down on your paint markers like you would regular markers or colored pencils. A light touch is best, especially with small, tiny details (like faces).

In my step-by-step picture of the Joker, you can see that I have outlined his outfit and facial features with the black paint marker and have started to color in his details. I like to start with the small colors first and then move onto the larger spaces of color.

Your final step is coloring in the remaining color blocks of your character. In my step-by-step picture you can see the Joker is now finished in his lavender suit with green shirt and black tie and his green hair, large pink smile, and barely visible mustache poking through his makeup (as Cesar Romero refused to shave it off!).

Here are some final tips for coloring:

(1) For hands, I like to follow the curve of the resin figure and color around the sides and leave the little opening at the bottom to represent their hands opening and closing.

(2) I color all of the figure including the sides. The only part I don't color is the back. Due to the back being the part that was never in the mold it has a shinier texture compared to the front of the figure which is more "chalky" in nature. I like to sign the back with a message if I am giving the figure away as a gift.

(3) Be careful of smudging while coloring! Just like any other paint craft be careful of where you place your fingers as you color in your figure. The paint markers dry pretty quickly but you want to avoid smudging as much as possible.

(4) If, once dry, you see some spots that could use more color you can go back and add another layer to make the color thicker. This also applies to any parts of the black outline that may have been covered up with other paint colors.

(5) Congrats! You have made your first Not-So-Mini Mini Figure!

Who's Who in the Group Photo: Killer Frost (far left); Green Arrow, Flash, Black Lightning, and Supergirl (top row); Batgirl of Burnside, Tim Drake Robin (90s Chuck Dixon run), Halo (from the Batman & the Outsiders), and Mr. Bones (from Infinity, Inc.) (bottom row).

Who's Who in the Single Photos: Cesar Romero's Batman '66 Joker, Wonder Woman, Cruella de Vil. (Wonder Woman and Cruella were made as gifts so these are the only photos I have of them!)