Make Over: Step 3

I've been working on My Pretty Topsy Tail and decided to open her head up so I could remove all the hair that was still protruding through her scalp. Unlike many of the recent vinyl dolls who have tensioned hair, this doll had looped/stitched hair so it was difficult to remove the stubble any other way. 

You can see there was quite a bit to remove and it took me hours and by the time I had finished, my poor fingers were so sore from using the haemostats.

Having opened up her head, I figured rather than painting her eyes, I could now insert acrylic eyes. I would have preferred glass eyes, but I think they will be far too heavy to hold in place.

It took some doing cutting through the vinyl, it was quite thick, but eventually it was done.

I also gave her head a final wipe over with the acetone to remove the paint residue that didn't come off before because of the remaining stubble. Next step will be doing her face up.

Using Sealants

The purpose of spraying a base coat on bare plastic/vinyl or resin, is to give your doll a coat of flat matte, providing a microscopic uneven surface, which will enable your acrylic paints, pencils and/or pastels to adhere.

Spraying sealant in between applications is how layers are protected during the repaint process. It's much like what artists do, when illustrating with charcoal, to stop it smudging. It also enhances the colours, allowing you to create depth, even a degree of translucency to areas where you require it, such as the eyes.

This is especially so, when a final spot coat of gloss is applied to specific areas with a brush, after the final matt top coat has been applied. My sealant preference for this is Mr. Colour Gloss.

Applying a top coat not only seals and protects your beautiful artwork for years to come, it hides any minor imperfections in the surface and allows you to take photos of your finished dolls without a reflective glare, which is more often found on uncoated plastic/vinyl dolls like Blythe here on the right.

Things to watch out for when using sealants are:
Dust, hair and other miscellaneous airborne particles.
Extremes in temperature ~ it's advisable to work in temperatures ranging from 23-27C (73-81F)
Humidity ~ moisture in the air will create fine droplets or spotting on your work, so definitely don't use when it's raining!
Don't breath it in ~ most sealants are toxic, so it's advisable to use a protective mask in a ventilated area or a professional ventilated spray booth.
Avoid eye & skin contact ~ use gloves when holding your doll.
Distance ~ hold your can about 45 cm (approx.18 inches) from your doll and limit spraying to about 3-5 seconds, so it's just enough to apply a thin, even coat to the surface.

My ideal conditions are ~ 25C (77F) with 50-60% humidity, outdoors on a still day.

My go to sealant is Mr Super Clear UV Flat, as it can be used on both my plastic/vinyl and resin dolls, it also has the UV protection which helps prevent yellowing. Yes it's a bit smelly when applying, but that dissipates quickly.

Obtainable in Australia from Japan Toys in Melbourne, at a reasonable price, but please note MSC can only be shipped by road to other states.
Email: sales@japantoys.com.au or Phone: 0490 678 559.

Also available from Brunel Hobbies 20 Station Road, Cheltenham. Scroll to the bottom of their website page, it's just above Paint Pens.
Email: sales@brunelhobbies.com.au or Phone: 1300 278635.

Make Over: Step 2

Remember this face? She's a 1993 My Pretty Topsy Tail made by Tyco, in case you missed seeing it before.

Well the face had a wash! I used 100% Acetone (available at Bunnings) with Swisspers make up remover pads to wipe off most of the paint, then Swisspers cotton tips (both available from the pharmacy), and finally to get into the really tight crevices, I used Mr Hobby GT69 tips (available from Brunel Hobbies).

The eyes came up okay, but as much as I tried, I could not get it all out of the mouth, if you look closely you can see some deep in the creases.

Next was a quick wipe over with Isocol (Isopropyl Alcohol from the pharmacy) just to remove any residue, then once dry (only takes a few seconds), a fine spray of Mr.Hobby Super Clear UV Cut (also available from Brunel's). Later this week I will begin her face up.

P.S. I also removed the paint from her shoes.