Worst Reborning Mistakes?

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Froggies4Brandi
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Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Froggies4Brandi »

Ok, so I am very very curious since I am about to start painting babies myself for the first time EVER!! I have been very anxious about painting and messing up. I KNOW it will happen, but I thought that if I heard stories from you ladies about what your worst mess ups were it would make me feel better since it has happened to all of us. So What is your overall WORST mess up during painting (air dry or heat set), and also what was your WORST beginner mess up/mistake!? Thanks so much for your input!! Can't wait to read all these stories.
Rhonda Junebird Nursery
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Rhonda Junebird Nursery »

I don't know if you will be heat setting your paint, but DOUBLE CHECKING your oven temp is always a great idea!!! I melted a baby by not checking to make sure that I set the right temp. Now I always double check!!
TinaDolly
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by TinaDolly »

Worst mistakes is drying with a hot air gun instead of the oven and not doing it long enough. The paint would just rub off after my buyer received it.

Second mistake is pulling out the tray from the oven and having my doll head fall over and get scolded :shock:

Third, painting too fast, not paying attention to creases or doing a very poor job on veining
ShannonZaNightOwl
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by ShannonZaNightOwl »

I use heat set paints. I believe they are more "forgiving," you are using very thin layers and if you are not happy with the look they can usually be removed as long as they are not baked. There are exceptions to this of course, blue is very hard to remove, so you must be very careful with blue tones, and then of course anything very dark (brown or black) is harder to remove. I have gotten my veining too dark once or twice, always make sure you have good lighting. A good practice since we all tend to paint indoors is to take the part outside and in other kinds of light to make sure that the veining isn't too dark. Because of this mistake I tend to get my veining too light now, the outside light option is good for this as well. Remember that you can always add more later but it is pretty impossible to get the color off after baking unless you are going to strip the doll. I use the heat set matte varnish after painting and I learned pretty quickly to let it sit and cure over night so that it dries completely, this way if there are any thick spots they will show up as white spots on the vinyl and can be smoothed out before baking. It is possible to smooth them some during baking but easier if you just catch it before. I used to use the heat set matte varnish right out of the jar but now I mix it with mineral spirits because I didn't like the way it made the vinyl feel rough when it was used straight out of the jar. This is a personal preference though, some people like the finish it gives along with the rougher feel. I would ask lots of questions during painting and even seek out tutorials to help you along the first few times. You will eventually come to paint in your own way and use colors the way that you like them but the tutorials will give you a jumping off point. Have fun and if you decide to use heat set and want to ask questions I would be glad to help you anytime. If there is something I do not know I can put you in contact with people to ask and we will find the answers for you.
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Shannon Hardin
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Brooke
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Brooke »

Putting a doll in the oven and leaving the house. Use your imagination. It wasn't pretty.
Jaunty Jagoda
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Jaunty Jagoda »

BIG mistakes you can make:
1. Not inspecting all parts. I used to leave spots of paint or fingerprints somewhere on arm, leg or head all the time :roll: .
2. Baking in rush. Forever note: it's better to leave something unbaked overnight than put kit in the oven just to finish layer before going to bed, especially when tied as hell.
3. Not diluting paints enough. It's very easy to overload doll with pigment and make it look dirty. Just DON'T.
4. Using just few colors. To make kit look alive use LOADS of colors! :lol: Skin is not just reds and pinks + veins. Use reds, pinks, blues, browns, greens, yellows, purples, oranges and MORE in different combinations of techniques.
Meg
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Meg »

painting at night with bad lighting...I used to do this then in the morning look at my piece and think "Holy SH$T!!! What happened, it was beautiful last night!!" :shock: :cry: :roll: SO frustrating to have to redo it all. :cry: :bash:
Sabriam_EdensLittleOnes
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Sabriam_EdensLittleOnes »

Yes, bad lighting is a big one - I got a daylight lamp and it works soooo well
Not using a timer or doing something else and getting caught up in it is another one - I did this once and ended up with a poor cone head baby when I found it 2 hrs later :(
And being in a rush is another, gotta take your time and make sure every wash is good and give that baby enough washes :)

Basically everything they said! LOL
aliciatdolls
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by aliciatdolls »

Oh gosh.....I remember painting an aa baby at night in bad lighting and in the morning it was NOT how I thought it was.

I also drilled a nose open and slipped so baby looked like it had a coke problem. :/
debi reborn classics
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by debi reborn classics »

Fingernail tips too white and too thick. Or totally off the nail. I hate that.
Froggies4Brandi
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Froggies4Brandi »

OMGosh, all these things sound soooo SCARY to happen!! Esp the oven mishaps!! That is probably a 2nd reason why my Mom is NOT going to let me use heat set paints. I'll be using Air Dry. Which is good for me too I think bc I always used to think about reborning before I found out about Air Dry paints, and I would think about baking babies, and it was so scary sounding, LOL!!
I would LOVE to hear more!! Keep the stories coming ladies!! I am enjoying reading them, and I am also loving the insight I am getting from you lovely ladies!! Its just wonderful!! :heart:
HayleyMassey
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by HayleyMassey »

I'd have to say my biggest mistake was not about the painting, it was when I stabbed myself with my exacto knife trying to cut a cable tie years ago. :trout:

As far as painting, etc. I wouldn't mottle the face 'too much'. And yes, use multiple colors in areas needed..veining, blueish around the nose area, shading creases well.

I have also learned from tipping over enough heads, that it is easier to stand the head up on a wet cloth, on a baking sheet, and surround it with poly-fil to keep it up-right. If you have a small convection oven then obviously that doesn't apply.

And ALWAYS always check on the parts you are baking to make sure they are not melting. Oven temp is VERY important!
TinaDolly
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by TinaDolly »

Brooke wrote:Putting a doll in the oven and leaving the house. Use your imagination. It wasn't pretty.

:flamethrow: :flamethrow: :toofunny: :toofunny:

sorry, i have done that too and it was melted so bad I had to toss out the pan and the smell lasted weeks
Brooke
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Brooke »

Yep, the untimed oven turned the beautiful sculpt into a runny, drippy pancake. Had to throw out the pan, towel, everything. And the smell. Thankfully it was summer and I opened every single door and window and tuned on all the fans. Still didn't go away for days.

In my own personal opinion the worst actual reborning mistakes are those made by painting with a too heavy hand resulting in dark, very defined eyebrows. Lips that look like lipstick. Too much mottling or mottling that looks like it has been put on with a pencil eraser dipped in paint, and fingernails that have a French manicure.
chelle77
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by chelle77 »

Buy good quality mohair~~Some of the cheaper ones are dried out and frizzy...worse yet,I have had one batch that bled onto my vinyl as I rooted :shock: :shock:
Good mohair is well worth it! :D
Royal Ascot Reborns Caz
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Royal Ascot Reborns Caz »

Meg wrote:painting at night with bad lighting...I used to do this then in the morning look at my piece and think "Holy SH$T!!! What happened, it was beautiful last night!!" :shock: :cry: :roll: SO frustrating to have to redo it all. :cry: :bash:
Yep :lol:
Froggies4Brandi
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Froggies4Brandi »

HayleyMassey wrote:I'd have to say my biggest mistake was not about the painting, it was when I stabbed myself with my exacto knife trying to cut a cable tie years ago. :trout:

As far as painting, etc. I wouldn't mottle the face 'too much'. And yes, use multiple colors in areas needed..veining, blueish around the nose area, shading creases well.

I have also learned from tipping over enough heads, that it is easier to stand the head up on a wet cloth, on a baking sheet, and surround it with poly-fil to keep it up-right. If you have a small convection oven then obviously that doesn't apply.

And ALWAYS always check on the parts you are baking to make sure they are not melting. Oven temp is VERY important!
I am so so so GLAD that I won't be using an oven to bake since I will be using Air Dry paints!! I would totally be the person that would forget and melt my kit!! LOL!! :roll:
Froggies4Brandi
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Froggies4Brandi »

Brooke wrote:Yep, the untimed oven turned the beautiful sculpt into a runny, drippy pancake. Had to throw out the pan, towel, everything. And the smell. Thankfully it was summer and I opened every single door and window and tuned on all the fans. Still didn't go away for days.

In my own personal opinion the worst actual reborning mistakes are those made by painting with a too heavy hand resulting in dark, very defined eyebrows. Lips that look like lipstick. Too much mottling or mottling that looks like it has been put on with a pencil eraser dipped in paint, and fingernails that have a French manicure.
I definitely know what you mean about the heavy mottling!! I saw a baby on Etsy the other day and I SWEAR it looked like an octopus got ahold of her face!! I was like :shock: :shock: I could not believe how heavy her mottling was all over her face and cheeks.

Thank you ladies for sharing more stories!! I just got to see these today bc I was sick and not on yesterday. Would LOVE to hear more from you ladies that haven't shared yet or even more if you have shared and have more stories!! :D
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Traci
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Traci »

Back when we used Berenguer dolls they came out with life-sized, anatomically correct, full vinyl dolls. We would take them apart to paint and bake them and then put them back together. It was much easier to do when one or both pieces were warm so some of us used to warm them in the microwave. I once melted part of an arm by leaving it in too long. At that point I realized that the microwave probably wasn't such a good idea. :trout:
Froggies4Brandi
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Re: Worst Reborning Mistakes?

Post by Froggies4Brandi »

Traci wrote:Back when we used Berenguer dolls they came out with life-sized, anatomically correct, full vinyl dolls. We would take them apart to paint and bake them and then put them back together. It was much easier to do when one or both pieces were warm so some of us used to warm them in the microwave. I once melted part of an arm by leaving it in too long. At that point I realized that the microwave probably wasn't such a good idea. :trout:
OMGosh that is CRAZY!! I've not been around in reborning since all the way back in the berenguer days. I never realized that some used to use microwaves!! :shock: I bet you were SO upset!! I know I would have been!!
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