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Photography,
text and graphics by Karen Vail c2008
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| Once
you have a ball jointed doll living with you, it is time to beginning
bonding on a personal level. There is no better way for a beginner
to do this, then to try their hand at blushing their doll. |
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By
'blushing' we mean applying color to a dolls body in areas where deeper
color would normally appear. Blushing doesn't usually mean blushing
the cheeks. The cheeks are part of the faceup. Cheeks are a bit trickier
to do, so we will focus on the body.
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This procedure is easy to do. It doesn't take many tools or expensive
products. It is removable, so the beginner should not fear taking
on this project.
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One of the more involved ways to blush a BJD is to use an airbrush.
But this investment is not necessary to achieve wonderful results.
Here is the simple technique I use to bring my angels to life.
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Tools
needed :
Mr.
Super Clear Matte (with UV protection if available)
Chalk Pastels (NOT oil pastels)
They are not in her regular store, but you could write and ask.
Windsor & Newton and Rembrandt both make chalk pastels. Many
other art companies do as well. Try and buy higher quality chalks,
(not scrapbooking chalks) it will make a different in your work.
a few different size clean dry paint brushes:
1 large fluffy one for 'dusting'
1 flat angled brush for thin lines and places
1 flat straight brush, small, firm
Exacto knife
a few sheets of white paper
Pliers or hemostats for removing the head
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Yes! We are going to remove the head.
This will keep your head in pristine condition while you experiment
on the rest of your doll.
Here is my Ryung waiting to be blushed.
She is a 60cm Elfdoll (company) Ryung (mold) with a large breast option,
faceup by me.
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To begin we remove her wig.
The head is split, and the cap comes off. The cap is attached
to a resin hook inside the head with elastic.
Unhook the elastic and remove the cap. |
Inside you will see the eye putty holding in the eyes. Between
the eyes is the resin hook that holds the elastic from the cap.
Below these you will the neck hole.
In the hole there is a ring holding the elastic cord that runs
through the body.
Notice that there are notches in the neck hole (pink arrows).
The ring is turned so it is not aligned with the notches.
This is what holds the head on to the body. |
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With pliers or hemostats, we are going to pull slightly up on
the ring, and turn the ring so it sits in the notches.
You may have to pull up fairly hard. If you need to, put the
doll between your knees to hold it.
*note- if the configuration in your doll is not
the same as shown (they vary greatly), the theory is the same.
If there is no ring to keep the elastic from dropping into the
neck and down into the body, pull up on the head exposing elastic
below the head itself. Grab this elastic with the hemostats.
Proceed to remove the head. This will keep the elastic from
snapping into the body, and unstringing the doll. |
When the ring is lined up and sitting in the notches, release
the tension and let the ring rest aligned in the notches. The
head will lift right off the body, leaving the ring with the
body.
Put the head aside in a safe place.
*note- you can blush a body with the head
attached. Removing the head makes the body easy to work with
and keeps the head out of harms way. If you have a different
configuration, and the head is difficult to remove, you can
wrap the head gently in tissue and wrap in a plastic bag while
it remains on the doll.. |
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Make sure your doll is clean. A quick wipe down with a damp rag
should be sufficient.
If there are any heavy dirt spots you can use a Mr. Clean Magic
Eraser to gently clean the surface of the resin before
we apply the Mr. Clear Matte Coat.
Once the head is removed we take the doll outside.
Always spray in a well ventilated area. You should also wear a mask.
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Ryung
is headless and ready for spray.
Please note: If you are experienced, you may unstring
the entire body,
and spray each piece individually, but for this lesson we will spray
the strung body.
Lay the doll down on clean papers and lightly spray the entire body
with Mr. Super Clear.
Spray lightly!
Many light coats are preferable to one heavy drippy one!!
Mr. Super Clear dries fast. In about 10-20 min. you can turn the doll
over and do the other side. |
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Use
light sweeping motions from a distance of about 16-18 inches.
Walk around the doll, spraying from all angles.
Make sure you get everywhere. Underside of breast, bottoms of feet,
palms, between legs. |
Coating
with Mr. Super Clear Matte is a necessary step. The matte finish gives
a nice surface with a little bit of "tooth" for the chalks
to adhere to. It also protects the resin. Others people have used
Testors Dull Kote, for this priming, but I and not tried it personally
and much prefer to stick with Mr. Super Clear.
When she is dry, change the position of the arms and legs and spray
again (I like to pose her as shown to the right). Make sure you are
get all areas. Once or twice over the whole doll.
When thoroughly dry, she is dry she is ready for the next step. |
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Prepare the chalks.
Scrape down the side of the chalk using the side edge of the
exacto blade.
Make a pile of chalk dust on a piece of plain white paper.
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Do this for the colors you like, including white.
To determine what colors to use, I refer to the dolls head as
a guide. If his/her colors are peachy or coral, those are the
colors I choose for the body as well.
If the colors are pinkish, I choose pinks and reds.
If the colors are natural or brown, I choose this as well for
the body.
The choice is yours. The selections you make, are what makes
these dolls special to you. Use what you like. Keep in mind
you can always change them later on. |
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Mix these chalks as you would paint. Make the pink lighter by
adding white. Make the flesh darker by adding some brown, and
so on.
You can take a look
here, for a basic blushing map.
A blushing map shows you suggestions for where to blush
your doll.
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Make sure your work surface is clean, or put a few sheets of clean
paper down.
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We
are now ready to begin blushing the body.
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Shown
here is a rough demonstration of the technique I use on my dolls.
Read the steps below and review the animation. |
Using this technique will give you softer edges. Start with
a light amount of chalk. Build up color by repeating technique
until the desired depth of color is reached.
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Pick
up some chalk on the edge of the flat angled brush.
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Apply
the chalk with a few light strokes, leaving loose chalk.
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Gently
blow off the loose chalk with your breath.
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Take
the larger brush and use in a buffing motion to soften
the blush.
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You
will have a light soft edge blush.
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Repeat
with more chalk.
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Blow
off excess.
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| Buff
with the larger brush. |
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Chalk Blushing Technique
used on the bottom of the foot in the arch. |
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You can start anywhere you like. I am starting on the belly.
If
you take a good look at your doll, you will see rises and dips in
the resin, indicating ribs, muscles and bone. Use these to guide
you. It's easy! Just remember, the bottom of a valley is darker
than the edges surrounding it. Using this thought as a guide, apply
the color in the deepest part of the valley, and buff the color
out to the edges. I try to never apply chalk color to the highest
point of whatever I am blushing.
Using
the technique shown above, I apply chalk to the deep belly line.
I blow off the excess chalk. Then use the larger brush to buff the
color soft.
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If more color is needed, I go back and pick up more chalk and repeat
the process.
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| Notice
the valleys in the resin where the collar bone is. |
I
apply chalk in the 'well'. Blow off the excess.
Buff from the deepest part out to the collar bone.
I don't apply color to the highest point of the 'bone'. |
I
repeat the same thing for the hollow of the neck. |
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The
same technique is applied to all the blushing points.
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Building
up color slowly. Gently buffing for smooth color.
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Applying chalk under the breast in the same manner. This defines
the shape.
Blow off loose chalk, buff. |
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Here
we are at the ribs. Apply chalk to the deeper creases, blow
off excess.
Buff the color smooth |
Here
are some of the points on the chest to be done. Look at your
doll. Notice the shaping. Your goal is to enhance what is there. |
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Don't forget the knee. Leaving the knee cap (the highest part)
uncolored. Applying color to the sides.
Also to the part of the thigh that narrows to the knee.
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Apply chalk to the depressions near the fingers.
Blow and buff. |
Some blushing areas on the hands.
For the nail area, I try to get the chalk as close to the nail
as I can..without getting any chalk on the nail.
(In the future, we will do a manicure!)
Look at your own hands to see where the skin is naturally darker. |
Don't forget the palms and the underside of the fingers.
Please use this article as a guide. Experiment, have fun!
Use darker colors, blush where you what, it's your doll! |
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The toes get the same treatment. Chalk, blow, buff. Try to avoid
the nails.
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Don't
they look cute? |
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The
back offers places to blush as well.
The shoulder blades, the middle of the back, and the backside.
*If at any point, you find the chalk color is too dark,
harder buffing can help removing color. You can also take a
combination of white and light flesh color chalk and apply to
the area. Rub/buff this color over the dark color and this should
lighten it considerably.
If the whole area is unsatisfactory, sometimes a damp very soft
cloth can remove the chalk. Be careful when removing chalk.
It will start to get streaky and leave edges where it is wiped
off, and can start to make a mess worse than the mistake you
were originally trying to improve!
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You are done blushing!!!
Take your doll outside again and give the front, back and sides with
a few coats of Mr. Super Clear. When dry. Carefully replace the head
by slipping it on the neck over the ring. Use the pliers to lift and
turn the ring so it is no longer aligned with the notches. Viola!!
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Here we have a picture of my Elfdoll (company) Sooah (mold type) on
the left unblushed. On the right is her sister Elfdoll (company) Ryung
(mold type) as we have just blushed her.
As you can see, the difference is subtle, but adds such a life like
look! |
Notice the hands, blushed and unblushed. |
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and the cute little feet-sies!
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Here is Ryung in all her blushed glory! Isn't she exquisite? I am
sure yours will be too!
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