This tutorial will be done in parts: Skin Layer, Mottling,Veining, Blue Undertones, Creases etc.
The reason for this is because I want to make this tutorial very detailed and very extensive; to show the complete process of Reborning. At any time if you have questions and/or comments, please don't hesitate in commenting on the blog or emailing me.
There is no right or wrong way to paint a reborn. This tutorial is based on how I paint my reborns. If you are new to the reborn process and after doing a couple, you will find different techniques and such that work for you. :) I also use a non latex glove on the hand that is handling the pieces. Your hands produce oils and those oils can transfer to your pieces and can cause painting problems.
Now let's begin painting a reborn kit -
Before beginning this process, make sure you have washed your kit in hot soapy water. I use Dawn dish washing liquid. I scrub up the kit, rinse well and let air dry for a good 24 hours. Once this process has been completed, you can begin the painting.
The tutorial I will be doing is for using Genesis Heat Set Paints. An oven will be needed for this tutorial. I will go into explaining the baking process further down the tutorial.
The sculpt I am using the Tanner Sculpt by Tasha Edenholm. My first little boy. :)
Here he is all washed up of dirt, oils and any molding agents that have been left on him from the mold:
The following supplies needed for this particular tutorial:
Odorless Thinner - I use Turpenoid - Any good quality odorless thinner is fine.
Eyedropper - to add the odorless thinner to your paints. The clear jar is what I put my odorless thinner in. Much easier than trying to pour from the bottle.
Artist Grade Linseed Oil - This is optional. I use it for just my flesh layers to help combat the chalkiness that can happen if you don't get your paints thin enough.
Genesis Heat Set Paint - Baby Skin
Cosmetic Wedge/Sponge - This is used to pounce the paint.
Bowl - To mix your paints in. Tip: Use a white or clear glass bowl. Using a white or clear bowl helps to see the colors when mixed. Do not use plastic. Genesis and plastic don't mix.
Various Paint Brushes: These are used to apply the paint and to pounce into the creases.
Oven - Preferably not your oven you use to cook your food in. Will explain further.
Paper Towels
Good Lighting. Painting should be done during the day light.
Mixing your paint - For these layers you want THIN!!! More like a wash.
Add paint to your brush. I applied the paint to both sides of my brush one time.
Add thinner until you have a "Watercolor Consistency" Very Thin! I also at this time added the Linseed Oil - Using my eyedropper I added to this mix 2 drops. The mix. If your paint is still too thick add more thinner. I have added 6 eye dropper fulls of odorless thinner to this mix.
Applying the paint:
I use the brush method. I brush my paint on to the pieces. Here you can see the paint has been applied to the head. After the paint has been applied I take my cosmetic wedge and pounce the paint onto the vinyl to blend and work the paint into a smooth complexion. I also use the tip of my brushes to get into the creases of the pieces. You do not want any "pooling" of paint in the creases. By using the cosmetic wedge and brush tips and using the pouncing motion this will help to blend the paint.
I use the flat wider end of the wedge for the bigger areas of the parts and the thinner end for some of the creases. Brushes help in the super tight areas: between fingers and toes and super small creases that will hold the paint if not blended. Continue the pouncing until all the pieces have been blended.
Paint has been applied with brush. Not been pounced. Notice the paint that is pooling inside the ear. That will pounced with a brush until blended and no pooling.
Paint applied, but not pounced.
Here is the head painted with the first layer and all pounced and blended. Slight difference in paint. Head painted. Arm not painted. Will need a few more layers. Tanner is a very light vinyl.
Paint all the pieces in this manner. Very important to pounce with the wedge and brush in those creases. You do not want paint in those creases.
All pieces have been painted, pounced and blended: Noticed no pooling in the creases and no chalkiness. What I mean by chalkiness is a white film all over the parts. This will happen if the paint is not thin enough. But because of the light pigments in the paint even if you do go super thin I find that I still will get a slight chalkiness. This is why I use the Linseed Oil.
First layer applied.
Creases blended and no chalkiness
Limbs all painted and pounced with first layer of flesh layer.
Now let the pieces flash - allowing the paint thinner to evaporate. Never bake the pieces when the pieces have not flashed. Once the pieces have fully dried or flashed. I then check for any paint that has pooled in the creases and for any chalkiness.
If there is paint that didn't get blended in the creases, now is the time to fix, before baking. To fix the creases: take a pointed q-tip swab. Dip the tip into some thinner and blend out the crease. Allow to flash.
To fix any chalkiness: take a clean Q-tip swab dipped into thinner and apply to the chalky area and then blend with your cosmetic sponge.
After all the parts have flashed. I will apply a second layer following the same procedure. Then I will bake.
Pictures of the parts with two skin tone layers:
Starting to see a slight difference in skin tone.
Nice clean creases
Again clean creases. You will notice that at times your brushes will shed. As you can see in this pic if you click on it to pull up bigger. You will see towards the ankle on top of the foot a piece of the brush has attached itself. Wait for the piece to dry and carefully remove the brush hair using tweezers.
Up close of crease. Nicely blended.
Creases in the hand. Again nicely blended.
Baking:
Because I am using Genesis Heat Set Paints, baking needs to be done to cure or set the paint so you can proceed on with other layers and if they are not heat set or cured the layers will muddle together and what a mess you will have. Now if I am using the same colors for a few layers, I won't bake after every single layer. As you notice I did two layers of Baby Skin before baking.
I use a separate oven for my reborns. Some people use their household oven for both cooking and baking their kits. I don't advise that. I have noticed that after I have done the painting process and have done my final bake before rooting, my little halogen oven has got a very thick film all over the glass. So with that said, I do advise another type of oven for just doing your reborns. There are so many on the market now. I have two types of ovens but use my Big Boss Halogen Oven the most. I also have a Hamilton Beach Convection/Bake oven that is still new to me and I am still trying to figure out the right temp. I have melted quite a few kits in this particular oven. So for now I use my halogen oven. I am hoping in time to be able to purchase a Nuwave. I have heard great reviews to these ovens by other reborn artists. If you do decide to purchase a halogen oven Big Boss or Nuwave make sure you get the extender ring. Very important to have this. This will extend the heating element higher so you don't burn the top of your kits head. That element which is a light gets HOT!!!
Make sure when you bake you are in a well ventilated area. I always place my oven on the counter in the kitchen that is right by my kitchen window where I can open the window. The kit does produce some fumes. Some people are sensitive to these fumes. Certain kits have caused me headaches because their fumes have been over powering. Please, make sure you bake your kits in a very well ventilated area. If you are able too, baking outside is preferable. I, unfortunately am unable to bake outside.
You will also need for this process an accurate thermometer and a timer. Even though I use the timer I don't ever leave my kit unattended. I watch like a Hawk LOL! Two things or one of two things can happen if the vinyl gets too hot: 1) Unwanted shine will happen and when this does happen. Paint will NOT stick to those shiny areas unless you apply the matte varnish. 2) Melting of parts
I have had both happen to me. The biggest areas that will get a shine if the vinyl gets too hot, finger tips and toes. Very important to make sure your oven does not get too hot.
After many attempts to baking a kit I have finally found the exact temp that works for me. Genesis Heat Set Paints will cure/set between the degrees in Fahrenheit - 250 degrees to 280 degrees. Some reborn artists have had luck in baking at 265 degree F for 8 minutes. I have not had that luck. I have melted more parts using that temp and that amount of time. In my halogen oven I bake at 250 degrees F for 7 minutes.
How to use the halogen oven: I don't preheat. I place my pieces in a cold oven and set the temp and timer and turn it on.
Parts being baked: As you can see. Tanner is a good sized kit - He will be 20 inches in length when fully assembled with his body. So I am going to have to do my baking in two stages. Head and arms first and then legs. When I have to do this. I will bake and then will let the oven fully cool before putting in the legs.
I place a towel on the bottom for protection. You want something under your parts because the glass gets too hot. You also want to make sure your pieces are not touching each other or the sides of the oven. This will help to keep the paint from blotching while in the baking process and from possible melting. Notice my thermometer is inside to keep tabs of my temp. Very important to have this. Never trust your oven to be exact. They usually are not accurate.
Notice the spacing. No pieces are touching each other, sides or thermometer.
My timer. I bake at 250 degree F for 7 minutes.
Here we go. Curing the paint. Oven is on. This part really disturbs my boyfriend. lol No other way to cure the paint, unless you use air dry paints. I have used air dry in the very beginning. Was not happy with the outcome with air drys. Genesis Heat Set Paints are my favorite paints.
Tanner has such long legs. I had to do them separately. I wait for the oven to completely cool before baking.
Baking Done:
Baking is done and pieces have cooled. You want your parts completely cooled before applying your next layers.
Now to check to see if the paint cured so we can proceed on to the next layer.
How to check:
After your pieces have completely cooled. Take a Q-tip and moisten with plain water. Take the moistened q-tip and lightly rub an area -- Back of head, upper arm or upper leg. If the q-tip is has no paint and is clean, your paint has set and you are ready to move on. If there is color on your q-tip you will have to bake again.
If you ever need to bake again if the paint had not set or doing a layer of Matte Varnish. Always make sure your pieces have completely cooled. If your pieces are still warm and you bake them again you will probably melt them. So make sure your parts are completely cool. Bake again for 7 minutes at 250 degrees.
Since Tanner is extremely light I will apply two more layers of Baby Skin and bake. Follow the above steps for these layers and bake.
Here he is with a total of four layers of Baby Skin tone and baked. So in this tutorial a total of 4 layers were applied and was baked twice. Two layers, bake, two layers, bake.
That wraps up this tutorial. Next will be the Mottling Layer.....
Again if you have any questions or comments regarding this tutorial, feel free to post or send me a message. Thank You and Happy Reborning. Many more Tutorials will be added as we complete Baby Tanner :)
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