Reborn Painting Tutorial - Part II - Mottling

For the mottling layer you will need the following:

Odorless Thinner and Eyedropper
Genesis Heat Set Paints in the following Colors:
Lip/Blush/Nail
Quinacridone Crimson
Eyelid Purple
Cosmetic wedge sponge plucked with tweezers
Paper towels
Toothpicks - I use the flat end ones for easier dabbing into the paint jars.
Bowl to mix your paint in
Brush for mixing the paints

My Mottling Sponge that has been attacked by my tweezers. You don't need to be perfect doing this. Make sure you get all around the edges as well.

Using the toothpicks dab out the Lip/Blush/Nail. I use pretty close to equal amounts on all three colors. I apologize for the blurry pictures. Camera was giving me a time during this tutorial.

Dab of Lip/Blush/Nail 

Dab of Quinacridone Crimson

Dab of Eyelid Purple - Again I apologize for the blurriness. Camera does not like super close pictures.

All three colors

Mix these colors with your odorless thinner. I added 2 1/2 dropper fulls and mixed. You want this mix to be the consistency to water colors.

Stir your paint and take the brush and brush the paint onto your mottling sponge.

Blot off excess paint. You don't want a lot of paint when you apply to your parts.

Blot, Blot :)

Dab your sponge onto your pieces. Make sure you move the sponge around so you don't end up with a pattern. Dab all around the head. Avoid the ears, eyes and nose. I go lightly on the cheeks and chin.

Head done...Now we move onto the other pieces....

Arms - I go lightly on the backs of the hands. Don't do the fingers or the inside of the hands.

Do the legs - go lightly on the top of the foot. Don't do the toes or the bottoms of the fee.

All the limbs are mottled. Waiting to dry before baking.

Mottling done and baked. 

Mottling done and baked - Limbs

Mottling done and baked. Noticed how light on the cheeks and chin. I was going for a subtle mottle with this particular sculpt.

If you are wanting a heavier mottle you can apply another layer of mottle. Bake and let cool and check to see if the paint had set properly before starting the second layer of mottle. The odorless thinner will mess up the mottle layer prior. Always bake mottle before adding another layer. I will not add another layer to this sculpt.

I have gone into extensive detail on baking and checking for curing of the paint in the Painting Tutorial - Part I - Skin Layer. 

Now we will proceed to Warm up the skin tone. Right now this little guy looks to "cold" he needs warmth added. 

Questions and Comments are always welcomed.

Thanks and Happy Reborning! :)

Reborn Painting Tutorial - Part I - Skin Tone

Introduction

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 :)

Precious Gift Sculpt by Cindy Musgrove

I have been crazy busy. I finally finished this awesome sculpt that I am so in love with. I am thinking of purchasing a couple more sculpts. I am so amazed at how well she turned out. 

Precious Gift by Cindy Musgrove 

Now little Darcy:

Reborn: April 9th 2015
Time: 4:02 PM 
Weight: 4lbs. 8oz.
Length: 20 inches

Paisley Sculpt is Now Emily :)

Paisley sculpt by Denise Pratt has been reborned:

New name: Emily
Date - 2/18/15
Time: 9:32 PM 
Weight 5 lbs.
Length - 20"

The Burgundy dress was made by me. 

What Is A Reborn Baby Doll - Links to my favorite Tutorials as well :)

I am providing the link to Wikipedia on the full explanation of "What is a Reborn Baby Doll" Below are a few paragraphs explaining what they are.

Here is the link for the full Wikipedia Article 

Below just a small portion to the full article from Wikipedia:

A reborn doll is a manufactured vinyl doll that has been transformed to resemble a human baby with as much realism as possible. The process of creating a reborn doll is referred to as reborning and the doll artists are referred to as reborners.^[1][2] Reborn dolls are also known as living dolls or unliving dolls.^[3][4]

The hobby of creating reborn baby dolls began around 1999 when doll enthusiasts wanted more realistic dolls.^[5] Since then, an industry surrounding reborn dolls has emerged.^[5] Reborn dolls are primarily purchased on the internet but are available at fairs.^[1] Depending on craftsmanship, they range in price from hundreds to thousands of dollars.^[6][7]

The International Reborn Doll Artists (IRDA) group was created to educate artists in the art form of reborn doll making. Any artist can join the association, however certain ethical guidelines must be upheld by members.^[8]

Reborning involves numerous time consuming steps. The most basic form of the process involves taking a vinyl doll, adding multiple layers of paint, and adding other physical features to the doll.^[3] Artists can pick different brands to best suit what doll they wish to create.^[9] Consumers can also buy reborn doll kits that include the doll parts and supplies for creating their own reborn.^[1][10] Making a doll from a kit is called newborning and allows artists to omit some steps in the fabrication process.^[10]Many supplies are needed for both external and internal modifications of reborns to make the doll seem more realistic.^[7]

Some consumers of reborn dolls use them to replace a child they once lost, or a child that has grown up.^[11] Others collect reborns as they would regular dolls. These dolls are sometimes played-with as if they are an infant.^[11] Critics debate whether reborn dolls are harmful, or whether these dolls can help in the grieving process.^[5][12] Because of their realistic appearance, reborn dolls have occasionally been mistaken for real babies and "rescued" from parked cars after being reported to the police by passers-by.^[4][13]

Here are a couple of links to some wonderful tutorials I use for painting my reborn dolls:

Precious Little Babies Free Painting Tutorial

Learn To Reborn The Beautiful Baby Way

For Rooting Maps to follow when you begin the rooting process:

Reborn Art Hub

Happy Reborning!

Vicki

Getting Close - WIP Paisley Sculpt by Denise Pratt Part II

Getting close to calling this little reborn baby done. 
Waiting on the sealant inside her head to dry. The sealant is for the hair. After all this hard work you don't want the hair coming out as you lightly brush it.

She has her eyes in, eyelashes have been applied and glossing has been done for realism.

Now I need to finish her dress that I am sewing and waiting for the magnets that I ordered to put inside her head, behind the mouth so she can have a pacifier.

The pictures were taken in natural light during different times of the day.

Here she is :)

Back to Reborns - Latest WIP - Paisley Sculpt by Denise Pratt

Been a while since I have posted and worked on Reborn Babies. But I am back to creating and perfecting the reborn process. Still a learning phase for sure. 
My goal is to hopefully start selling my little babies by Summer time frame.

The end of last year everything was put on hold. I received the best Christmas present from my boyfriend. A Jenday Conure (Parrot). He is a sweetie but does need a lot of work.
We are unsure of his age and sex but I am 99.9999% sure we are all male. He has come a long way from when I first got him. 
His little vocabulary and personality has blossomed. We are still a little insecure outside the cage but getting better every day. He has become my little partner while painting, rooting and sewing. lol 
Words he can say and still working on many more - Step Up, Hello, Kiss Kiss, Kissing sound and a couple of times I have heard him say his name. "Frankie".

This picture was taken the day we got him. A little timid and scared. But his coloring is beautiful. This Pictures should be titled "Camera Shy" He hates cameras of any type. Hopefully we can change that. I am a shutter bug and love to take pics. :)

Now on to my newest WIP (Work In Progress)

I finally was able to purchase the reborn kit that got me hooked into the reborning hobby. Little Paisley by Denise Pratt. This sculpt has got to be one of my many favorites. Below are pics of her almost done. She still needs eyebrows painted, finger and toenails done. Then comes the rooting, eyes and eyelashes. 

Found out a wonderful tip while reborning this sculpt. This tip is for Genesis Heat Set Paints. 

****If you are using a convection type oven -Ex Nuwaves, Hamilton Beach etc. Setting is as follows:

250 degrees F for 6 minutes - I was having a horrible time with shining finger tips and toes. This setting works perfectly :)

If you are baking the temp is 265 degrees F for 8 minutes. 

After finding out about this helpful information - The frustration of "baking" the kit has turned to enjoyable. 

Little Paisley:

Hoping to get her finished soon. Have many more sculpts in my craft room that need re-borning :) I also have her dress all cut out just need to find the time to sew it LOL!!!

Thanks for stopping by! :)