How to Add Makeup to a Doll

Doll customization and doll restoration are becoming increasingly popular among doll enthusiasts, as the demand for unique dolls grows. Many collectors enjoy repairing the damage done on old or ill-used dolls, or turning a damaged doll into a new creation. Others take new generic doll sculpts and outfit them with unique custom hair and makeup designs. To begin learning how to customize your own dolls, follow these instructions for adding makeup to a doll head.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Doll head
• Non-acetone nail polish remover
• Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
• Sandpaper
• Pencil
• Acrylic paint
• Acrylic paint thinner
• Chalk pastels
• X-acto knife
• Tiny paintbrushes
• Clear sealer
• Doll eyelashes
• Clear glue

1. Remove the old makeup and sealer. If you are working on a vinyl or resin doll, you can remove the makeup with a non-acetone nail polish remover. Afterward, wash the face well with soap and water. You may want to work at any stubborn stains with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

2. Sand the head, if necessary. Sometimes dolls will come with set-in stains that no stain remover can touch, or with scratches and gouges in the face. If your doll head is made of resin, in particular, do all your sanding underwater to prevent the dust from getting into your lungs. Spray one coat of clear sealer onto the head to protect it from the makeup you are applying. Let the sealer dry completely.

3. Shave off a bit of chalk pastel with the X-acto knife and brush it onto the eyebrow area to create a temporary line. Also create a light line in the eyelid crease. Coat the face with sealer, once you are satisfied, and let it dry. Darken the eyebrow and eyelid crease with more pastel powder. Add "blushing," or shading color, to the rest of the face with a larger brush. Add detail blushing around the eyes and nose with a small brush, and brush on the lip color. Coat the head with sealer again.

4. Mix together your eyelash color in acrylic paint and thin it out with paint thinner. Using a small brush, or a brush with very few hairs, paint in the eyelash lines around the lower edge of the eye socket, and an eyeliner line around the upper edge of the eye socket. Also paint in the eyebrow hairs along your powder guidelines. Mix together your darkest lip color and, using a tiny tapered brush, paint in the vertical lip lines. Coat the head with sealer.

5. Refine your painting around the eyelids and lip area, adding dark and light colors where desired. If you like, you can paint an acrylic gloss over the eye and lip area painting to give it a sheen. Coat the face in sealer once more.

6. Add eyelashes to the upper lid by gluing a pair of doll eyelashes down, or clipping a pair of human eyelashes down to doll size.

References

• SuperDollfie Makeup Tutorial
• DIY Doll Restoration

Resources

• Ball-Joint Doll Faceup Demonstration
• Makeup Tutorial

[kategosselinfan]

on 8/19/2009 I have an old doll that needs some beautifing.