Doll Customizing?
Replies
I recently got into customizing dolls and was curious if anyone did anything like that! Currently I'm making my friends some doll versions of their OCs out of monster high dolls.
I customize BJDs and usually make them my OCs (or paint them for other people, friends included). Haven't tried MH, even though I have one waiting for me to practice on. I keep forgetting about her. XD
I'd love to see pictures, if you're willing to share. :D
Art by ❤️ Art Shop
I've got a few BJDs of my own but just as a student I don't have the money to be as into them as I'd like lol I'll gladly take some pictures after class! I'm pretty new to this so none of my stuff is like super great :'D But I've got some custom MLP figures I made as christmas gifts here: http://fav.me/dbx3prs And some EAH dolls here that were also gifts: http://fav.me/dbx3mnj
I don't have any photos of my more recent stuff but I can take some when I get home from school :) I'd loooove to see some of your BJDs though!
Yeah, they're crazy expensive sometimes. D: I've been collecting a bit over 10 years, so I've amassed quite a collection. Very few I paid full price for, as I tend to buy them secondhand. c:
Oh, those are super cute! The teacup ponies are precious and I like the style you're using on the EAH. Very animated looking. I'm looking forward to seeing more. :D
Here are my Flickr albums, if you'd like to poke around. Warning for doll nudity, though, in case you're in a place that frowns upon doll nudity. XD;
Art by ❤️ Art Shop
Oh my goshhhh I'm so jealous of your collection, they're all so pretty! :'D Your faceups are gorgeous too! I did the face for one of my BJDs and it's /eh/. Your work is great!
Ahhhh thank you so much. <3 I've been painting them since 2008 and my first faceups were terrible XD I bet you'll get even better the more your practice. :D
Art by ❤️ Art Shop
little back story... I started to get into doll customization last year around the same time my dog got sick, and later had to be put down. I used it as an escape! and something to keep myself busy with, instead of constantly worrying and literally putting all my energy into my sick beloved... nearing the end it became all about her comfort, of course...and I was quite happy to do that for her, of course... but I put the dolls down, forgetting about them almost entirely and ended up sinking into a deep depression. tl;dr... It's coming up the 1 year anniversary of her passing... and since I am expecting to take a bunch of time off work in the near future, perhaps I will have some time to put together and finish the two yarn wigs I started on but never finished... I was mostly interested in the customization of MH dolls as they were easily obtainable/affordable even though I do enjoy the look and details of the BJD out there... honestly I never knew there were so many different kinds of dolls, and actually how popular of a hobby this really was!
It's pretty exciting and I find it super interesting... I hope to get back into it very soon
and thank you for sharing! both of your pictures have been sparked such an inspiration! I'm so glad I didn't give up but just kinda put the dolls on pause. It's a good hobby for that, you know, the kind you can pick up and put down whenever and really is quite enjoyable.
I don't customize them myself, but I recently have really gotten into watching other people do it on Youtube. The artistry is actually amazing and the fact that people can make such small, intricate clothing and accessories blows my mind haha!
I just creeped your Flickr and am seriously impressed! Your dolls are beautiful.
I repair and customize Bratz, Monster High and Ever After High dolls, that kind of thing. Generally I get 'em at secondhand stores. Haven't tried my hand at barbie just yet though, their heads are a bit small for my skill level.
Wow, it's so cool seeing everyone's dolls! I've been wanting to get into doll customization for years and I love BJD's (Especially the stuff Doll-Chateau puts out!) but I have neither customized a doll nor bought a bjd, haha. I just don't know where to start! Do you guys have any advice for a complete beginner? I've always loved drawing faces, but drawing ON a face seems so challenging!
Your ponies are so cute! I think Sugar Skulls is my favorite. And I love those EAH dolls too! The bunny girl is so sassy, haha.
your dolls are stunning! I'm having a lot of fun looking through them. Love the Hannibal doll!
That Hancock is great! I love the details on him. He's my favorite Fallout 4 character :)
I am so sorry to hear about your dog, it's always difficult to lose a loved one. I hope that you'll be able to make dolls again soon since it seems to make you so happy!
[flower=neonbluelions]
I'm so sorry about your dog. It's always hard to lose a pet. I'm glad you had found something to help make the time somewhat easier and I hope you're able to get back into it. It's a rather good hobby for being able to step away then come back later. c:
Thank you so much. ;3; <3
I'm not familiar with the character since I've never played Fallout, but that paint job looks rather well done!
Thank you so much! <3 I really need to actually finish Hannibal one day. He has stupid tiny eyes, so I'm probably going to have to make my own. Same with his wig. what have I done to myself lmao If you use any spray sealants, you need to get a proper respirator. Don't cheap out and bandana or something. Get one that's meant for such things. You don't want to ruin your health by breathing that stuff in (it's also better to spray outside, but definitely use a well ventilated area). Brush on sealants aren't great for getting a smooth surface. You can use them, but sprays are definitely better (brush on can work fairly decently on a smaller scale, like MH or Barbie). For blushing, only use soft pastels. Never use oil, they stain. Some people use watercolor pencils for the fine details (like eyeliner, lashes, eyebrow hairs) and some use acrylic. Try both. I tried pencils first and hated them, acrylics were my friend. You might be the opposite. Magic Eraser is your friend. The regular kind, not the kind with any soaps. They're good for cleaning paint jobs off and for fixing stray marks while working (I also use them to lighten color if, say, blush goes on too dark).
This got really long, but feel free to poke me with questions if you'd like. c:
Art by ❤️ Art Shop
thank you both! Been feeling much better lately. In fact! Went and picked up 3 new (to me) MH dolls from the thrift store up the street. I have a yarn store a little further up from that so I'm gonna check that out this weekend and get some more inspo and finish the wig caps i started and maybe get a couple patterns online and sew up some new outfits later this week...or maybe later this month...highly depending on the weather! Its such a good rainy day tinker hobby i love it :)
Wow!! Thank you so much for all the advice. I'm gonna go save all that in a google doc so I'll remember it. I do have one question! Your face-ups have such beautiful lips. How do you achieve the fine lines? Is it acrylic layered over a base pastel lip color?
Show us pics after you make them if you'd like! I'd be really interested to see what you make :) A little off topic, I creeped on your profile a bit and I LOVE Xotl Queen. She's adorable! Just the general style of all your pets is great. Boognish's treasure collection makes me miss New Orleans. Oh, and I also love Tiku, that minion name is so clever. Sorry, I just get excited when I see such creative users!
[flower=neonbluelions]
That's great news! I hope you have fun customizing your new dolls and please share pictures if you'd like! Wigs are such fun to make, even if they are tedious. There's a lot of repetitive motion, so it's great for zoning out. :D
You're welcome! And if you need links to product suggestions, just let me know. They are indeed acrylic lines over pastel, with pastel on top. c:
My steps are usually like this
~Clean doll with isopropyl alcohol (the higher % the better if there's an existing faceup) and rinse with water then let dry
~2-3 coats of sealant, letting each coat dry in between (thin coats)
~Pastels as a base for eyebrows, around eyes, on lips, cheeks, ears, chin, sometimes forehead and temples (colors depend on the color of the doll and/or what you're going for)
~Seal
~More pastel if anything needs to be darkened (I normally do at least two layers on the lips and eyelids)
~Seal 1-2 times
~Acrylic, lip lines, eyeliner and lashes, eyebrow hairs (you can also use just paint for the lips if you're going for a more makeup look)
~Pastel on lips and sometimes eyelids to help soften the paint
~Seal 2-3 times
~Gloss, I normally gloss lips and around the eyes (along the eyeliner, I never go over that because it looks weird to me)
Sometimes I'll to some of the painting first, like the liner and lashes. If you're going to do any tattoos, I'd suggest drawing them lightly in pencil first (after you seal) and paint them before doing anything else. That way, if you mess up, you won't lose as much work as if you waited closer to the end.
I actually have wip pics of Asbjorn. If you'd like, I can resize them and post them somewhere so you can have a visual. c:
Art by ❤️ Art Shop
Oh my gosh, you are the most helpful person ever! It's so sweet of you to share all this info. I would love to see those wip pics! And product recommendations would be awesome too, if it's not too much trouble! I really appreciate this.
[flower=neonbluelions]
Sure thing! I'll put some things together and get them to you in a day or two. c:
Art by ❤️ Art Shop
Thanks so much! Take your time <3
[flower=neonbluelions]
I ended up doing two posts, so you could see different styles. Turns out I don't have any good WIP pics of a doll with lip lines. I don't normally take progress pics, but I think I need to start doing it more. Product info is under the spoiler. c:
SPOILER (click to toggle)
Respirator
This actually has really good info on respirators.
Brushes I use this brush for painting fine lines. It's expensive, but it's my favorite and has lasted me a long time with care. You pretty much just need a thin brush for fine lines. For pastel, cheaper brushes are fine as long as they aren't falling apart or shedding. Don't want bristles everywhere. I have a ridiculous amount of brushes, some reserved for certain colors or pearl powder. I can get a pic of the ones I use most, if you'd like.
Sealant I seal with an airbrush now (using Liquitex Matte Medium and Varnish), but when I used canned sealant, Volks was my favorite. It has UV protection, nice tooth but not too much (meaning it's not completely smooth so the pastels stick better), and didn't dull the colors (or tan dolls) as much as others I tried. Mr. Super Clear is one that many people swear by. If you get it, get the Flat version. They also have it in UV Cut.
Paint and Pencils Water based acrylics. You can use Liquitex, Daler-Rowney, Volks (I love their paints, but the bottles are tiny), whatever. Start with cheaper ones for practice. I have a cheap set from Walmart that I actually really like. I thin mine with water, but you can get Flow-Aid from Liquitex, Volks has a nice one. I don't have experience with any other brands of thinners. I also use Liquitex and Daler-Rowney acrylic inks. I've not had any issues with staining. Watercolor pencils. The brands I see mentioned the most are Daler-Rowney and Faber Castell. I can't give you much more than that, since I don't use them.
Pastel Soft pastel only, no oil. I started out with Mungyo Gallery. They're very nice, have decent pigment for an inexpensive pastel. I now use Sennelier, which are amazing and definitely worth the price if you don't mind how expensive they are (I got them for a good deal on ebay). There are a lot of brands out there. Just keep in mind that the cheaper they are, the less pigment they usually have and you'll have to use more layers to build up the color you want. If the pastel is soft enough, you can just rub your brush on it. Otherwise, you'll need to shave some off with an x-acto knife of sandpaper (I prefer the knife, but sandpaper works decently).
Gloss Imo, Tamiya X-22 is the best gloss. If you want glossy, go with it. Liquitex always seemed kind of cloudy to me.
Cleaning Isopropyl alcohol, the higher percent the better Winsor and Newton Brush Cleaner. Do not leave heads soaking in it. It can eat plastic. Will need to be cleaned with soap. I also use alcohol after soap to make sure it's all off. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Original. Your best friend. I use it with alcohol to clean off faceups or blank heads, with just water to clean paint accidents, dry to lighten or remove pastel. You ca try an off brand, but the ones I've used have always crumbled and were ugh.
Other Things PVA glue. I use Aleene's Tacky Glue or Sobo Premium Craft & Fabric Glue Eyelashes, I pretty much just use human lashes and cut them to size. Here's a tutorial I did on applying eyelashes. Gloves. Personal preference, but I like to wear gloves when I work so I don't leave fingerprints or oil on the doll. White cotton works great. I use nitrile now, since I seal with an airbrush and can just spray it on my hand to test. Pearl Powder. It's great, it gets freaking everywhere (I'm still finding gold powder in various places of the craft room from a year ago), but it's awesome. You can use it as is or mix it in gloss. My favorite are Jacquard Pearl-Ex and there are so many colors. Masking tape. Not necessary, but useful. You can put it in the eyes, inside the head, to keep pastel from going in there and getting it all messy. Some people even use it to make eyebrow templates. Just remove some of the adhesive by putting it on and off your hand a few times.
I think that's everything? XD Feel free to ask any questions, though! And Google to find the best prices.
Art by ❤️ Art Shop
YOU ARE AN ANGEL. Thank you so much! I can't even begin to express how grateful I am for this. I can't imagine how long it took you to compile everything!
I love those dolls, btw! You captured that distinctive Skyrim style perfectly.
[flower=neonbluelions]
You're welcome! For the first time in my 11 years here, I broke the post character limit. I had to shorten some details. XD If you ever have questions, though, feel free to shoot me a message whenever. c:
Thank you so much! Asbjorn was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. He also has custom eyes, wig, and clothes (I even made him boots lol). One day I'll try to make him some armor. If I ever figure out how to go about making the glass armor. XD
And thank you for the gift! <3
Art by ❤️ Art Shop