Houdini is one of the easiest kits to assemble. There are only three pieces: The Head, The Body, and The Base.

1. Before assembling your kit, remove any flash (excess resin around the seams with an X-acto knife.

2. Clean up any seam lines or imperfections with small files, sand paper, and A/B putty (available in Hobby Shops and Hardware stores).

3. Be sure to wash all of the parts completely using dish soap and water. This is an important step. Don't skip it!

4. Once the parts are completely dry, spray them with a quality primer.

5. If the primer reveals any imperfections that you didn't spot before, now is the time to clean them and re-prime. You can use spot putty for filling fine holes and scratches.

6. This figure is probably best painted in pieces, then assembled.

7. For the best results, use an airbrush for the large areas. If you are going to use a brush, thin your paint and work slowly. Be sure that each coat is dry before applying the next. After your base coats are applied, you can use washes and dry brushing to bring out the details. Remember that Houdini's strait jacket is canvas and leather. A little bit of weathering will add to the realism.

8. Carefully glue the head to the body and the whole figure to the base using cyanoacrylate (super glue) or epoxy cement. For a better bond, scrape any paint from the surfaces to be glued.