Thank you for the visit and question! I would say the answer is depending on how you are going to use this case. Mine will mostly sit in a closet or on a shelf, so I could paint it and not worry to much about chipping and flaking. However, if you are going to be traveling with it, or if you are looking to paint designs on it, I would remove the plexiglass in the door (it just pops out) and then i would sand the entire outside of the case. there is a slight bumpy texture all over it and the finish is somewhat satin, which could make it difficult for paint to stick to it. Sanding it first with some decently rough sandpaper, such as 120 grit, would get rid of that texture and help the paint stick better. Regardless, i'd definately prime it before trying to apply any paint for the best result. Sanding in the handle recess would also likely be a nightmare. The handle itself only has two phillips head screws holding it in (unscrews from the bottom of the top piece). If you are going to paint the inside, it has a crazy design and would be very very difficult to sand. The inside does not have any of that bumpy texture, but it would need sanding as I do not believe primer alone would be enough to have the paint stick well.