Have you ever heard of GAMESWORKSHOP, if you know anything about them then you know most of their figures are metal, and Since I really love GAMESWORKSHOP, I have alot of experience with metal figures,m and thought I have tried painting figures without a base it almost never works, so what I recommend doing is looking up GAMESWORKSHOP online >> http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/home.jsp then.... actually forget that, here buy this>> http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?prodId=prod1620039&rootCatGameStyle= and if your from america this>>> http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?prodId=prod1200062&rootCatGameStyle=
then spaying it on, it makes the paint... well stick doesn't sound like the right word but, thats basically what it does. then the paint wont rub off over time.... :) hope this helped, good luck!