Greetings,
I recently purchased a Sweets VooDama Doll and have an idea of how I want to paint it.
Being a Disney fan, I had the idea of painting the doll to look like Pinocchio as after all, it’s a human figure made of wood 
What paints do you guys recommend using, and what kind of finish should I use to protect the paint while keeping the ball grippy?
I don’t really want to start using this yet until I’ve got it painted. Any help would be appreciated!
There’s really no wrong way to paint a kendama. Any paint you use on a kendama, or voodama doll in this case, is going to eventually chip/wear if you are playing with it.
If it is going to sit on a shelf just use whatever looks cool. If you’re going to play with it then the most common method I’ve seen people use to paint their tamas is acrylic paint with multiple layers of clear coat over to protect it. You can do anywhere from 5-10 layers of clear coat until you get the desired look you want and more layers will make the tama a little more durable when it comes to paint chipping and general wear. Clear coat will also add a little more tackiness once it breaks in.
I’ve also seen some pretty cool tamas done with marker/ink. This will give a pretty cool look and does not chip like paint will. You can still finish it with a clear coat to give it a nice shine and a tackier feel if you like.
I’ve done quite a bit or work painting and as recommended acrylic is the way to go as it will dry completely flat while maintaining opacity. Water soluable too.
Clear for sure but I would recommend a urethane clear with a hardener if possible. The stuff they paint cars with. Instead of you doing it I’d recommend you take it to a collision repair center and get a pro to do it. They have the right equipment, experience, and skill. You do not want to be breathing any of that stuff.
Reviving the thread here…
I picked up some paints earlier today (been a bit busy and kept forgetting to pick up some acrylics) and finally got around painting it. I’m pretty satisfied with my first “custom” Kendama/Voodama and plan on taking this with me to Disneyland to keep busy in the long lines and when my friend and I aren’t doing a quick round of Smash Bros 3DS
Tomorrow will be the multiple coats of clear coat!
