Durability

[jazzycreations]

Babydoll-

What paints did you use on your dolls?
Just wondering, I've heard different people use different kinds.

All your dolls look like they were stitched with a sewing machine & very durable. All your dolls look play worthy. They are a great example for me when I work on my dolls. I want them to be durable as yours & the vintage ones. I wish I could find the same material as the vintage dolls, but I use cotton blends as close as I can to vintage looking ones.

[BabyDoll]

I always used acrylic paints on my doll faces because oil paints tend to react with the vinyl and not dry properly. The majority of them were high-end craft acrylics. When I did my boy doll with the green skin, I primed the head first then used a plastic-friendly spray paint to color him green, followed up with a matte coat of sealer to prevent fingerprints as I rooted his hair.

The very best paints I've used in toy painting are called cel-vinyl paints, and are, as the name suggests, created for the purpose of painting animation cels. They are the highest quality, best pigmented paints I've ever used, but they are extremely expensive.

My earliest customs were mostly hand-sewn and the Moonglow, Krys and Evil Princess pictures you see of mine online were hand-sewn outfits. Everything after that was machine sewn except for any tiny detailing I couldn't manage on the machine.

Judging from the Mini-Lurky doll you made that I have in my collection now, you have a great grasp of making your toys durable!

[jazzycreations]

I want to look for those paints. I do use acrylics, but I'd like to try this brand of acrylics & see.

Funny you say that of the mini lurky, I did hand sewing on him & hot glue, when if it were not originally planned to make him for my daughter I would have done all sewing machine! But she didn't really care for him & we needed some extra $ so I said forget it, someone will love him. All she likes in the plush stormy horse & my flocked horses & Stormy of coarse. Can't wait to make a little rainbow lurky. he's cute.

She wants my moonglo, but I'm making her a custom one. lol no way can I let her play with a original moonglo.

[BabyDoll]

These are the Cel-Vinyl paints

Like I said, pricey but very worth it. They also can be mixed with water to a thinner consistency without losing any opacity.

They're technically not acrylic paints at all, but vinyl-based instead.

[jazzycreations]

wow, those are pricey!
Do they peel off the vinyl doll heads though? or scratch off easily?

If I got the basic colors I use all the time, could be worth it. If they dont chip or wear off like the acrylic can.

Thankx for the info

[BabyDoll]

No, the adhesion on them is really good. Cel-vinyl paints are what the professionals use for prototype painting in the action figure industry. If you thin them a bit with water, they also last a good long time, helping to offset the cost.

You can also aid in paint adhesion by cleaning the vinyl before painting, and giving it a quick wipe-down with alcohol (denatured or ethyl alcohol, not isopropyl alcohol). And if you are doing a complete color paint (like when you did your custom modern Indigo), I recommend you spray the doll down with a primer and let it dry for a full 24 hours before painting for the best paint adhesion.

Also after the doll has been painted, following up with a flat clear spray finish seal coat (with hair and other details masked off, of course) will ensure more durability to your paint job.

[jazzycreations]

Thankx for all your info, minus the high $$$ paints, I did the other steps. Maybe I can have a go at the paints. I'll have to save up a bit & see if I can get the colors I want. Fun!
I appreciate all your knowledge. Your work is what everyone referred me to. Everyone misses your work
I love the mermaid you did. My daughter would absolutely go ballistic if she had her. she loves ariel & all mermaids.