I’m always looking for new ways to create life-like baby blush patterns.I have developed a new experimental brush to create a blush pattern made up of tiny dots and lines, just like capillaries under a baby’s skin.It’s called the Jumbo Blush Texture mop.For the last few weeks I have been blushing babies by the dozens just to see what this new brush would do.Here are the basics of what I did.
I used a large glass palette and put a very small amount of paint on it.In the picture I placed a penny next to the paint so you could see about how much I applied.I used a new complexion blush color I recently developed called “Sweet Heart Rose” Blush Paint.
Next, I used a Mushroom Sponge to pounce the paint out into a thin film.
Then I loaded the Jumbo Blush Texture Mop by pouncing it on the paint.
I applied the “Sweet Heart Rose” Blush Paint to the head in a very light pouncing action, making sure to apply it in a random pattern for more realism.
Here is a photo of the random pattern that I created using the Jumbo Blush Texture Mop
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I only covered the head and not the face because the Jumbo is too big for the face. So I developed a second mop size for the face called the Medium Blush Texture Mop.I was able to apply the blush pattern to the facial features with this smaller mop.It’s about 1/3 the size of the Jumbo.
The Medium size works great for the limbs as well.
Here’s what the overall effect looks like on the head and limbs. On the limbs I used the #2 Crease Shader to enhance the fat creases.
My two new blush mops made it easy and fun to do.Now I can create individualized, real looking, blush patterns for each doll I make.No two are alike.
I have a lot more notes and pictures on this technique than I can fit into this Blog.I will put together a Special Technique Tutorial for those who want to learn this process more in-depth.
I love oranges and I love the color orange, but not when it is on a vinyl doll kit.Recently, with the help of Jacalyn Cassidy, we put together an Authentic Reborn solution to orange vinyl.
We call it “Orange Remover” and it works really well.Here’s a great way to use it.
I start with my favorite glass palette.I could tell you I start by placing just a little bit of Orange Remover on the palette.Personally, it irritates me when teachers say that. Their idea of a “little bit” could be very diferent than my idea of a “little bit”.That’s why I like to use comparisons such as ¼ of a penny or better yet a picture of a penny next to the amount of paint I need.
I want to apply a very even coat of Orange Remover to my vinyl so I need to control how much paint goes on the brush or in this case the sponge.To do so I use a mushroom sponge to pounce the paint out into a thin, even film on the palette.Keep pouncing until the paint film has no blobs, streaks or heavy spots in it.
Now, use the mushroom sponge to pounce the Orange Remover onto your vinyl.I like the mushroom sponge better than the cosmetic sponge because it creates tiny little texture dots on the vinyl which looks like skin texture, which you can’t do with any other tool.It is essential that you keep pouncing until all the paint on the vinyl is very uniform and even.When finished you should not see any streaks, blobs or dark spots on the vinyl.If you’ve applied your paint too thick then you will have problems with streaks, blobs and dark spots.You want it just thick enough to cover the orange.
Mushroom sponges come in sets with several different size sponges.This is great, as you can use different size sponges for different size areas of your vinyl.You can see here that I have used the smallest size mushroom sponge to get into tight spots, like creases.
You can see the results here.The original orange vinyl on the left and the now more flesh colored vinyl on the right.
Bake the vinyl part with the Orange Remover at 265 degrees Fahrenheit or 130 degrees Celsius for 8 minutes.
I love 3D texture on reborn babies.It’s so real when you can feel the texture of the eyebrow hairs and bumps on her skin and tongue.Any time I want to ad dimension to my baby 3D Texture Medium Ultra Soft made it possible.
The only problem I had to deal with was the paste-like consistency of the product.It reminded me of kindergarten when I had to use paste, that was thick and chunky, to hold our craft projects together.It accomplished the job but it was a pain to work with.I decided that there had to be a better way to make texture medium that didn’t cause flashbacks to my earliest school days.
I thought about just thinning out the texture medium with odorless thinner.That just ended up reducing the 3D effect of the texture medium.It also made it stick to the brush like jello - hmmm.Have you ever tried painting delicate thin lines with jello?You guessed it, it doesn’t work very well.You can see in the photo how the odorless thinner made the texture medium real lumpy on the brush.
I said to myself, “There’s got to be a better way!”One of the advantages of having my own paint company is that I get to mix all kinds of neat things together just to see what happens.Well I played around for the better part of a day until I came up with something that seemed to do the trick.Imagine what conditioner does for your hair.It makes it soft and tangle free.Well that’s what I did with the 3D Texture Medium.No I didn’t add hair conditioner to it, silly, but I did add a special new ingredient that conditioned it to be ultra soft and still very 3-dimensional. You can see in this photo the paste consistency is gone and the ultra softness has arrived.I tried it on my own vinyl babies and just loved the way it worked.
The biggest trick in getting good 3D detail is to be able to paint well formed delicate lines.You can see from this picture how smoothly the 3D Texture Medium Ultra Soft goes on the brush.It’s so smooth on this brush tip that you can hardly tell it’s even there.
I decided to try to show you just how fine a line can be painted with this new Ultra Soft Texture Medium.It’s hard to photograph something that’s clear but with the help of flash photography and a close up lens the eyebrow lines were made visible to the camera.You can see from this picture how smooth and straight these 3D eyebrow texture lines are on this sample piece of vinyl.You get the best results by applying two layers.Bake the first layer at 265 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes.Then apply the second layer for the final 3D effect and bake again.Two layers of eyebrow detail will create a very smooth and well defined 3D feeling.
How to Keep Clay from Drying Out on a Head Armature
What causes polymer clays to crack when sculpting baby heads?Some people call it “drying out” but what really happens is the plasticizer in the clay over time will leave the clay causing it to become brittle and crack.The plasticizer is what keeps the clay soft like water keeps earth clay soft.That is why you should endeavor to complete a sculpt within 2 weeks and bake it.Once properly baked, the clay will not crack but will become very durable.
There are things you can do to slow down the “drying out” process that the unbaked clay goes through.One of the easiest things to do is to seal your armature.Some companies use aluminum foil to cover their armature.But that can be difficult to sculpt over sometimes.With the Secrist form you can apply a simple heat set sealer that will give you extended work time with your clay. One thing you can do to slow down the “drying out” process is to seal your head armature with Authentic Reborn Sealer.By using a sealer you can extend your sculpting time beyond the 2 week limit.Here is a simple procedure to seal your sculpting form.
Step 1.
These are the items that you will need: Authentic Reborn Sealer, Secrist sculpting form, craft stick, soft kitchen sponge, and a household paint brush.
Step 2.
Using the craft stick scoop out some Authentic Reborn Sealer and spread it out over the form.
Step 3.
Use a sponge to spread the Authentic Reborn sealer more evenly over the entire surface of the head armature.Then use a standard paint brush to even out any blobs or lines of sealer still showing on the armature.
Step 4.
Here is what the sealed form should look like when coated properly.Brush stroke lines in the sealer are fine.You want to avoid leaving any large blobs or thick streaks on the vinyl.Now heat set the Authentic Reborn Sealer for 8 minutes at 265 degrees Fahrenheit or 130 Celsius.
Note: All vinyl dolls, regardless of the manufacturer, can become shiny or slightly oily over time. While many doll makers and sellers may pretend this problem doesn't exist with their dolls (which it does - it is a part of the chemistry in vinyl production) we are willing to not just acknowledge it, but offer a solution! If you follow our directions below for a painted or unpainted Secrist doll kits you can effectively protect your dolls from this problem.
This tutorial is for Secrist doll kits or doll kits using Authentic Reborn paints - using this tutorial for doll kits from other manufacturers may yield different or negative results. Always ask the manufacturer of your doll kit before proceeding.
How to Clean Oily Vinyl For years now people have been running into oily vinyl doll parts. Some say it's caused by baby fat pellets, while others say it is caused by the kinds of coating and paints reborners try to use. Regardless of the cause, everyone would like to know how to get rid of it. Here is a process that worked for me.
Odorless thinner won't do the job, however, 100% denatured alcohol will. Be sure to get a good brand so you don't get discoloration on your vinyl, due to impurities in the denatured alcohol.
You will need lint free paper towels so your baby doesn't end up coated in paper towel fuzz. You will also want a cosmetic sponge, craft stick and superior shine remover. You are probably saying to yourself, "Why superior Shine Remover when I don't have a shine problem?" Superior Shine Remover is the most durable, long lasting sealer on the reborning market today. It won't rub off like so many other sealers. You want to be confident, once you seal your vinyl that it will never come off.
Here's the oily part that I worked with.
I soaked a little denatured alcohol onto my lint free paper towel, then, I wiped off every bit of oil on the vinyl. It's best to wipe off the entire surface even if you don't see any oil on it.
I used a craft stick to scoop out the Shine Remover sealer from the jar and then I applied it to the cosmetic sponge.
If your Shine Remover is a little stiff, or paste-like, then you can add odorless thinner to soften it up. I added 12 drops to a 1oz jar, or 6 drops to a petite jar. Stir well until it becomes creamy soft. I applied the Shine Remover sealer to the vinyl part with a pouncing action until the Shine Remover Sealer disappeared, leaving a very thin transparent layer. You can also try dragging the sponge across the vinyl for a smoother texture.
You can see how the oil is gone and the part looks good. The Shine Remover will keep the oil from coming back to the surface. That's why you want to coat all the surface so there won't be any oil showing up on the part. That is also why you want to use a permanent flexible vinyl sealer, like Superior Shine Remover.
I've had a number of reborners ask for help in using the Authentic Reborn Superior Shine Remover. The good news is when properly applied all the shine is eliminated. No other product can do that as well. But it's a very thick material and can be hard to use for beginners if they don't understand the best way to use it. Here's how I use it.
I thought I would really put Shine Remover to the test. I took a vinyl arm and exposed it to over 500 degrees of heat, thereby causing it to become very shiny. It was so shiny it looked wet.
One thing that people don't know is you can add an odorless thinner to the Shine Remover. I strongly recommend that you use Mona Lisa Odorless Thinner. A cheaper brand will have impurities in it and will discolor your Shine Remover. Using a droplet bottle apply 12 drops to a 1 ounce jar of the shine remover or 7 drops to a petite jar of the shine remover. Mix thoroughly to a creamy consistency.
Use a craft stick to apply an even, but very thin, layer of Shine Remover on a cosmetic sponge. If your layer on the sponge is too thick it will leave streaks and blobs on your vinyl.
Pounce the Shine Remover onto your vinyl wherever you see the shine. Pounce until the shine and Shine Remover disappear. If you can't get all of the shine to disappear then it means you didn't have enough Shine Remover on the sponge.
You can use a brush to get the Shine Remover into tight places, like between fingers. Be sure to smooth it out as much as possible.
See below a comparison of the shiny arm and then the same arm with 100% of the shine gone. Be sure to bake the parts at 265 degrees Fahrenheit or 130 degrees Celsius for 8 minutes.
I was experimenting with more effective ways to enhance the facial features of the baby's face. The base vinyl color of all doll kits is very homogenous, which means there is no visual texture leaving the surface to look like merely plastic. My challenge was to try and find new ways to create 3 dimensional textures to improve the surface areas that were lacking life-like textures.
On a smooth plastic surface the only way to do that was to add light and dark colors side by side. Knowing how to get the best result is the real trick. One of the biggest challenges is having control over the brushes and paints. Some brushes are easier to control than others, meaning you can make it do what you really want it to do. The same is true for paints.
In order to enhance the upper eyelids above the fold I created a shadow effect. A shadow effect is created whenever you put light next to dark or dark next to light. In this case I painted a dark region under a light region. The trick is to create a shadow without it looking like you painted it on. To do that you will need to control the thickness of the coating of paint on your brush. You will also want a transparent paint for this project.
Here's how to control the paint thickness on your brush. Start with a glass palette and put just a dab of paint on it. Then, use a beaver tail palette knife to spread it out into a very thin film.
Then, use a #4 Lip & Nail brush and coat both sides of the brush with the thin film of paint so that both sides have about the same amount of paint. Then, apply it to the area where you want the shadow.
I decided to use Strawberry Complexion Blush rather than the Crease & Wrinkle paint because I didn't want this area to look too dark. I also wanted to enhance the newborn look by having the eyelids a little red. Because the eyelid is a flex area, you can use the Strawberry Complexion Blush on any part of the baby where there would be repeated movement. These flex points are often pink on newborns, so this works real well.
To maintain a barely-there look to the eyelid area, don't reload the brush when it runs out of paint, just flip the brush over and use the thin film of paint on the other side. Once the area is covered, then you can use an Authentic Reborn #2 Crease Shader to gently massage the edges of the shadow until they fade out. You can see in the picture that any hard edges are gone.
Here is a comparison between a face with shadows and a face with no shadows. You can see what a dramatic effect it has.
I’m always experimenting and looking for new ways to add greater realism to your reborning efforts.Recently I decided to try to increase the definition of the baby’s facial details and effectiveness of the sub dermal color that we call internal wash.
For years now Reborn artists have used the wet method for theinternal wash.This method involved adding a premixed periwinkle-blue to a bottle of odorless thinner and then squirting a few drops inside the vinyl parts.This provided an excellent way to evenly coat the inside of your vinyl parts creating just the right internal wash color.It was a bit messy but easy to do and very effective.
In order to increase the effectiveness of the internal wash and enhance the baby’s facial detailing I came up with a method that didn’t require any thinner, known as the dry method. This method allows more control over where the internal wash is being dispersed inside the head, making it easier to create lighter and darker areas for shadowing.
To use the dry method simply mix one jar of Gentle Touch Dioxazine 04 with one jar of Gentle Touch Pthalo Blue 03.There’s no measuring and no guess work. It’s so simple! Just mix the two jars together and instantly you have periwinkle blue internal wash.
These two Gentle Touch colors have been perfectly matched for this mixing purpose so you will get the same wonderful color each time that you mix them. This method is also transparent enough to be gentle and not overpower the baby’s features.
Then, use your Fan Brush to coat the inside of the baby’s head. You can paint a thin or thick layer, depending on how rich you want the sub dermal color to be. If after you’ve applied the paint and wish to make some lighter areas, you can remove the paint before you bake it. The paint won’t run or spread where you don’t want it to and it won’t cause bruising since it is a highly transparent paint.
For additional realism, you can use a small mop brush inside the head and dab a little extra paint to enhance the creases around the nose, eyes and ears. Many people glue dark felt inside the head behind the mouth to make the back of the mouth dark. With the dry method you can do the same thing by just dabbing a little extra paint inside the head on the back of the mouth. It’s much easier and looks more real.
You can see in this photo how the baby’s features just snap right out and look so real. The inside of the nostrils, ear canals and the mouth are wonderfully dark. The dry method lets you concentrate the internal wash right behind the mouth and the nostrils for a nice shadow effect. Reborning just got easier!
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