A couple years ago, I built an Eternity Clone and donated it for a charity auction for the little (24 kids) private school my daughters attend. I was thinking about doing it again this year but want to give the pedal(s) a bit more of the school's personality.
The idea I have is to turn a few enclosures over to the school, and have the kids paint them. I'd start with solid-color powdercoated boxes from Small bEar, most likely. Maybe show them some pix of the handpainted Z-Vex pedals as an example.
Anyway, what sort of paint should I provide them? I'd want to give them a variety of colors in small quantities. Whatever it is, I'll want a compatible clear coat to protest the kids' artwork for posterity.
I've had the most luck with Testors paints from a durability perspective. However, they're pretty toxic until dry. I wouldn't want to hand those over to a group of kids. Maybe use some sort of non-toxic paints, and Envirotex or clear coat over the kids' handiwork?
I'm pretty sure I've read that the hand painted ZVex pedals are done with Testor's enamel, and once it dries it's pretty solid. But, as Mike pointed out, it wouldn't be the best for children to handle. The little jar of that stuff I bought have a little disclaimer on the label that says "The state of California believes this to cause cancer" or something like that.
I think acrylic craft paint would work well. An artist friend of mine says it goes on similarly to enamel and I'm fairly certain it is much safer, as she lets her kid paint with it as well.
I just went to look a Z-Vex' custom shop page, and noticed his banner logo is a lineup of many different-colored Testor's bottles. The kids wouldn't be unsupervised, and mostly middle- and high-school aged. I spent a lot of time with Testor's paints in my youth, and I came out okay (give or take).
I use Model Master and Tayima Color acrylics. They're not cheap but they are quite durable when dry. They are also fairly safe -- I believe the newer Model Master stuff is water based, in fact.
I just recently found (used on my last build, KÏNGSLAYAH, see build reports) POSCA or MOLOTOW pens. Sticks to "anything" (metal, glass, rock...). You can paint on bare aluminum. Definately worth checkin out:)
Cheers
id pass a sheet around and let the kids each do one thing to it with water color. scan it into your pc and add the name of the school like a little kid wrote it. then print it off onto decal paper. slide it off, then be aggressive with the clear coat ;D
better yet, let the kids have a little competition shootout. and pick the top ones you want.
let them feel good and sport some starbucks gift cards to the winners
fingernail polish if you use a white or black primer.