How to Clean Your Doll Casting

The wet method of cleaning a doll casting is the preferred choice of dollmakers. It prevents inhalation of dust while creating a surface ready to accept all kinds of painting techniques.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Dollmaking Supplies
• Drop Cloths
• Warm Water
• Makeup Sponges
• No. 11 X-Acto Blades
• X-Acto Knives
• Hobby Grinders
• Sanding Sticks
• Wet And Dry Sandpaper
• Workbenches

Unmolding the Casting

1. Clean the outside of the mold and unband.
2. Place the mold on a flat surface.
3. Gently remove one half of the mold.
4. Leave it to sit for about an hour with half of the casting exposed to the air.
5. Gently remove the casting and place it on a flat surface to dry completely.

Cleaning the Casting

6. Wet the seam areas with warm water and a small, non-latex cosmetic sponge.
7. Use wet sandpaper and work in a circular motion to smooth and sand the seams down.
8. Trim away excess porcelain (or composition) from the neck.
9. Wet the area of the eyeholes. Use a #11 scalpel blade or hawksbill blade to gently trim out the eye area and cut out the eyeholes.
10. Use the same tools to cut out the crown (pate) area. Keep the area wet while you are working on it.
11. Smooth any rough edges on the crown and neck with the sandpaper.
12. Use a grinding ball with extra-fine grit. Go through the crown opening, and place the grinding ball in an eye socket. Rotate the ball - turn the sanding ball gently back and forth - until the eye socket is concave.
13. Rinse all pieces in clean water.
14. Let the doll dry completely.

Tips & Warnings

• There is a flat section of the head where the crown (pate) is. You can rest the head on this area so air can flow around it.
• The mold should come away easily. If it does not, do not force it! Allow it to dry some more, then try again.
• If it doesn't come apart easily, forcing the mold apart will split the casting.
• If seams are too raised, you will have to use a seam whacker or #11 blade and scrape until the seam can be worked on with sandpaper.
• Patience is a virtue. Do not rush. If you gouge the casting, sand the area until the gouge is even with the area around the damage.