Re-inking dice

Source: Skull Splitter Dice

Acrylic

Acrylic paint and a brush gives a more professional appearance to your re-inked dice, plus painting dice is fun! Not only do acrylic paints dry quickly, but they come in a number of vibrant colors.

Materials:

• Dice
• Vice Grip or Flat Pliers
• Paper Towel or Cotton Swabs
• Water
• Brush
• Paint (Acrylic paint for DnD miniatures works great)

Regarding paints: Acrylic is the best type of paint for this painting dice project. Watercolors are not likely to bond with the dice and won't provide much pigment. Oil paints tend to be too thick and take too long to dry. Finally, while enamel hobby paint can be a good option, it's more difficult to work with and requires turpentine to clean off. Acrylic is water soluble, fast to dry, and easy to work with.

Regarding brushes: Use a small, thin brush. Craft brushes come in numbered sizes. Generally, a 0 or a 1 will be exactly what you need to fill in the small recessed space to paint numbers. A small, fine-tipped brush will hold the right amount of paint, and fill in and clean off easily for a quick and smooth process.

Steps:

1. Secure the die in a vice grip, if you have one. Alternatively, you can use a flat set of pliers—but take care not to squeeze too tight, or you risk damaging the die. (You can also just hold the die, but you're likely to get paint on your fingers, which will then transfer to the die itself.)
2. Clean your brush with water and dry it before use. Dip it into the acrylic paint. Only load the brush with a small amount of paint.
3. Apply the paint directly to the recessed number, being careful not to smear it around the edge of the die. As with marker, don't worry if you go a little bit over: you can fix this later.
4. Use a paper towel or cotton swab to wipe the excess paint off the die as you go. Don't wipe too hard or you'll get the paint from inside the number! (Tip: be especially mindful of numbers with larger gaps, like 4 or 8. Anywhere two lines cross in a number, there is the slightest increase in the size of the open area. Wipe across these numbers from left to right to avoid smearing paint up or down the number.)
5. Allow the die to dry completely between coats. Apply more coats as needed, but don't apply any more than necessary: it could alter the way the die rolls.
6. Wait a few minutes for each side to dry.

Crayon

Steps:

1. Hold your die firmly between your thumb and forefinger.
2. Scrape your crayon across the number on the die, back and forth, as though coloring. Don't be afraid to apply pressure: it's necessary.
3. Repeat the process until the interior of the number has been filled.
4. Use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe off any excess wax from the die.

Note: Some recommend oil pastels for this process. Oil pastels are softer than crayons and easier to work with. Unfortunately, while oil pastels are easier to apply, they are also more likely to come off in your hand. It really depends on you.