bjd_wtf (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} bjd_wtf) wrote,@ 2006-10-26 17:52:00 |
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Chapter Three: Intermediate Customizing
There are several things that you can do to improve the way your doll poses: Wire or Suede them. Wiring is simply cutting a piece of plastic coated electrical wire in the main joints, such as elbows and knees. You do not need to take your doll apart to do this. You could also Suede your doll. Sueding is simply applying something to the inside cups of the joint to give the ball part of the joint something to grip. You have several choices when it comes to Sueding: Pliver or Hot Glue are the two most popular. You should take your doll apart to Suede, but it is not absolutely necessary. Many people prefer to suede with hot glue because it requires more easily accessible materials and for some, it gives better results. It can also be easier to remove.
Wiring
Wiring is probably the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to improve your doll's range of motion and ability to pose. To wire you will need some electrical wire. This is available at most hardware stores. Depending on the size of your doll, and the tunnels for his or her elastic, the size of this wire may vary, although many people use 14 gauge size. If you are not sure, take your doll with you to the store. Make sure that wire is plastic coated so it does not scratch the resin and that the plastic is light colored or it will stain your doll. The wire you chose must bend and hold the position that you bend it in, or it will be useless for your doll. About two to three feet (or 24-36") should be plenty for a larger sized doll. It is actually easiest to do this without taking the doll apart.
To start, you want to cut three pieces of wire. Two of them will be the same length, for the arms. The other piece will be for legs/hips. To measure the length, hold the end next to the shoulder and cut about halfway down the forearm. Cut another piece the same size for the other arm. Now, bend your doll's arm at the elbow until the elastic shows. Put one end of the wire in the tunnel next to the elastic, then put the other end of the same piece of wire down the tunnel in the forearm. Repeat with the other arm.
Some people use two separate pieces for the legs, but I prefer just one. To measure the length for the hips and legs, put the end about halfway down the calf and run it up to the navel or belly button. Then bend the wire in a U shape and run it down to the middle of the other calf. This should all be one piece. Bend your doll at the waist until you see the elastic and put one end of the U down the right leg tunnel, next to the elastic. You may need to bend the knee also to put the elastic down the calf tunnel. Put the other end of the wire down the left leg tunnel and into the left calf tunnel. Make sure that the wire does not hang out of the shoulders, wrists, waist or ankles because that means it is too long. Now you are done and your doll should be able to touch his or her face.
Hot Glue Sueding
To suede with Hot Glue you will need a low-temp glue gun and glue. A high-temp gun can hurt you and your doll as the heat will alter or even burn the resin. I recommend taking the doll apart to suede. Lay out all you pieces, just as you would if you were restringing. Start with the less important joints, such as ankles or wrists so that you get the hang of it and save the knees and hips for last because they are the hardest to do properly.
You will want to apply the glue to the cup part of the joint, not the ball part. Put a small drop of glue in the cup and quickly smear it as flat as you can. You can use your finger, a popsicle stick or other tool to do this, but be careful because it's hot. Alternatively, I've heard that the Volks Doctor uses a very small drop of glue and does not smear it, but I haven't tried this method yet. If you use too much glue, it will be lumpy and the joints will not go back together properly because there won't be room. You can check by holding the pieces together. Do they fit like they normally do? Can you see the glue or a gap? If so, you can use the tip of the glue gun to melt some of it smooth but if it is really lumpy or pointy the you will have to peel the glue out and redo the joint. Repeat this process with all the joints you want sueded. This may take some trial and error, but fortunately, it is pretty easy to do and doesn't take a lot of time. The glue doesn't take long to dry at all, so you can put your doll back together almost immediately. They should pose and stand much better now.
Pliver Sueding
To suede with pliver is also pretty easy, but can be a little more intimidating. Again, you can do this without restringing, but it's much easier if you take the doll apart (and remember to set the pieces out in order to make it easier to reassemble). You will need pliver, which is a very thin form of suede. This can be bought on eBay or some craft stores. You will also need some water-soluble white glue. Elmer's or Aleene's Tacky Glue are both fine.
Next, you will need to cut pieces of pliver to fit in the cup of the joints. You can find patterns for the shapes you need to cut out, but they don't fit every doll so my suggestion is to use paper and try to trace the shape of each cup yourself. Obviously, tracing paper is best for this. Once your paper shapes fit nicely in the cups, use them to cut your pliver pieces. Put a little white glue in the joint and attach the pliver. Repeat for all joints you want sueded. The white glue will take a while to dry since it is covered up. If you have pieces of pliver showing, trim them up. Wait until the glue is fully dried to reassemble your doll. You can tell if it is dry by sticking your finger in the joint. If it is mushy or slides around, it is not dry. It can be somewhat difficult to remove the pliver once it is dry, so make sure it fits good with no wrinkles and no excess hanging out of the joint. This should help your doll stand and pose better.
Removing the Seams
(((NOTE: The vast majority of tan or oddly colored dolls cannot be sanded or there will be a VERY noticeable difference in color!!!)))
Many dolls come with seams, or ragged edges from the molding process. These are most often down the sides of the limbs and torso, though they can also be found near the ears on some dolls. You can remove them yourself by sanding them off. If they are very large, you can (carefully!) use and Xacto or ceramic knife to shave the big parts first. You will start sanding with a rougher grade of sandpaper and gradually work down to a fine grit. Be sure to sand in circular motions so you don't leave big scratches in the resin. This also helps to reduce any color difference that may appear; a slight difference is normal and may become less noticeable over time or with coating.
It is best to wet sand when making any modification to your doll. You will need wet/dry sandpaper for this. To do this, either get the sandpaper wet first, or place the sandpaper and doll part in a bucket of water and sand. That way, less resin particles are in the air for you to breathe. Also, make sure that you are in a well-ventilated area or outside and please, Wear A Mask!!! Resin and it's dust are very poisonous. There is no excuse not to protect yourself from it. Even a handkerchief over your nose and mouth is better than nothing, although a good mask is much better.
SuperDollfie.net Esthetic Directions
Blushing the Body
The first thing you want to do is take your doll apart and wash all the pieces with a gentle soap and water. Try not to touch them any more than you have to because the oils on your hands will stick to the resin and screw up the sealant when you try to put it on. Gloves are helpful. Make sure all the pieces are completely dry before you do anything with them.
You can use pastels or an airbrush to do the blushing and there are very good visual tutorials in the BJD Orbyrarium on both of these techniques. For this, we will be using pastels.
(to be finished later...)
How To Pierce & Tattoo
Piercing and Tattooing are some of the easiest ways to change your doll's appearance. They are also really cheap alterations to perform. Many people use acrylic paints or temporary tattoos for their doll's modifications. Just remember to seal them well after you are done.
The easiest way to give your doll a tattoo is is use a temporary tattoo, like you can get in vending machines for little kids. Also, "nail art" or other kinds of temporary tattoos work well. You can use sealant first, if you are worried about staining or removing it later. I would try several positions before actually putting the tattoo on, especially near joints. Once you have found the best position, go ahead and apply the tattoo, just like you would with a human, (usually this just involves some water and a little pressure). When it is dry, then you should seal it with at least one layer, but more layers of sealant are better. Ta-Da! You've just given a doll a tattoo!
Alternatively, you can paint the tattoo yourself. Use only doll-safe products (no oils!) like acrylics and Mr Super Clear. I suggest a light sketch with watercolor pencils before you actually start laying down color. Be sure to keep your paint thin enough to not clump up and ruin the tattoo. Once you have an outline or sketch, you can start to really paint the tattoo. Give it plenty of time to dry before you seal it. Again, several layers of sealant are best.
Piercing can also be done in two ways: with a drill, or with white glue. It's pretty easy to find a little ring or hoop to glue to your dolls nose or lip, but what if you want them to wear real earrings? The best solution is a nail drill. You can either use the drill bit by itself, or hook it to a dremel or other small drill. Either way, it's pretty quick and easy. Mark where you want the hole to be, then check to see if it is straight, if the earrings will gouge the side of the head or if you even have room to put the earring backs on. If everything is lined up properly, then it's time to drill. Go as slowly as you can, even if you are using a drill because it only takes one second to screw it up. If you go slowly, you have more chance of catching mistakes before they happen. Most piercings go off without a hitch, so I'd say go ahead and do them yourself, just make sure your drill bit is very, very small. Now you know how to pierce and tattoo your doll!
(pics coming soon!)
http://denofangels.com/forums/showpost.p
http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showth
http://denofangels.com/forums/showpost.p
Upgrading Poseability
There are several things that you can do to improve the way your doll poses: Wire or Suede them. Wiring is simply cutting a piece of plastic coated electrical wire in the main joints, such as elbows and knees. You do not need to take your doll apart to do this. You could also Suede your doll. Sueding is simply applying something to the inside cups of the joint to give the ball part of the joint something to grip. You have several choices when it comes to Sueding: Pliver or Hot Glue are the two most popular. You should take your doll apart to Suede, but it is not absolutely necessary. Many people prefer to suede with hot glue because it requires more easily accessible materials and for some, it gives better results. It can also be easier to remove.
Wiring
Wiring is probably the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to improve your doll's range of motion and ability to pose. To wire you will need some electrical wire. This is available at most hardware stores. Depending on the size of your doll, and the tunnels for his or her elastic, the size of this wire may vary, although many people use 14 gauge size. If you are not sure, take your doll with you to the store. Make sure that wire is plastic coated so it does not scratch the resin and that the plastic is light colored or it will stain your doll. The wire you chose must bend and hold the position that you bend it in, or it will be useless for your doll. About two to three feet (or 24-36") should be plenty for a larger sized doll. It is actually easiest to do this without taking the doll apart.
To start, you want to cut three pieces of wire. Two of them will be the same length, for the arms. The other piece will be for legs/hips. To measure the length, hold the end next to the shoulder and cut about halfway down the forearm. Cut another piece the same size for the other arm. Now, bend your doll's arm at the elbow until the elastic shows. Put one end of the wire in the tunnel next to the elastic, then put the other end of the same piece of wire down the tunnel in the forearm. Repeat with the other arm.
Some people use two separate pieces for the legs, but I prefer just one. To measure the length for the hips and legs, put the end about halfway down the calf and run it up to the navel or belly button. Then bend the wire in a U shape and run it down to the middle of the other calf. This should all be one piece. Bend your doll at the waist until you see the elastic and put one end of the U down the right leg tunnel, next to the elastic. You may need to bend the knee also to put the elastic down the calf tunnel. Put the other end of the wire down the left leg tunnel and into the left calf tunnel. Make sure that the wire does not hang out of the shoulders, wrists, waist or ankles because that means it is too long. Now you are done and your doll should be able to touch his or her face.
Hot Glue Sueding
To suede with Hot Glue you will need a low-temp glue gun and glue. A high-temp gun can hurt you and your doll as the heat will alter or even burn the resin. I recommend taking the doll apart to suede. Lay out all you pieces, just as you would if you were restringing. Start with the less important joints, such as ankles or wrists so that you get the hang of it and save the knees and hips for last because they are the hardest to do properly.
You will want to apply the glue to the cup part of the joint, not the ball part. Put a small drop of glue in the cup and quickly smear it as flat as you can. You can use your finger, a popsicle stick or other tool to do this, but be careful because it's hot. Alternatively, I've heard that the Volks Doctor uses a very small drop of glue and does not smear it, but I haven't tried this method yet. If you use too much glue, it will be lumpy and the joints will not go back together properly because there won't be room. You can check by holding the pieces together. Do they fit like they normally do? Can you see the glue or a gap? If so, you can use the tip of the glue gun to melt some of it smooth but if it is really lumpy or pointy the you will have to peel the glue out and redo the joint. Repeat this process with all the joints you want sueded. This may take some trial and error, but fortunately, it is pretty easy to do and doesn't take a lot of time. The glue doesn't take long to dry at all, so you can put your doll back together almost immediately. They should pose and stand much better now.
Pliver Sueding
To suede with pliver is also pretty easy, but can be a little more intimidating. Again, you can do this without restringing, but it's much easier if you take the doll apart (and remember to set the pieces out in order to make it easier to reassemble). You will need pliver, which is a very thin form of suede. This can be bought on eBay or some craft stores. You will also need some water-soluble white glue. Elmer's or Aleene's Tacky Glue are both fine.
Next, you will need to cut pieces of pliver to fit in the cup of the joints. You can find patterns for the shapes you need to cut out, but they don't fit every doll so my suggestion is to use paper and try to trace the shape of each cup yourself. Obviously, tracing paper is best for this. Once your paper shapes fit nicely in the cups, use them to cut your pliver pieces. Put a little white glue in the joint and attach the pliver. Repeat for all joints you want sueded. The white glue will take a while to dry since it is covered up. If you have pieces of pliver showing, trim them up. Wait until the glue is fully dried to reassemble your doll. You can tell if it is dry by sticking your finger in the joint. If it is mushy or slides around, it is not dry. It can be somewhat difficult to remove the pliver once it is dry, so make sure it fits good with no wrinkles and no excess hanging out of the joint. This should help your doll stand and pose better.
(((NOTE: The vast majority of tan or oddly colored dolls cannot be sanded or there will be a VERY noticeable difference in color!!!)))
Many dolls come with seams, or ragged edges from the molding process. These are most often down the sides of the limbs and torso, though they can also be found near the ears on some dolls. You can remove them yourself by sanding them off. If they are very large, you can (carefully!) use and Xacto or ceramic knife to shave the big parts first. You will start sanding with a rougher grade of sandpaper and gradually work down to a fine grit. Be sure to sand in circular motions so you don't leave big scratches in the resin. This also helps to reduce any color difference that may appear; a slight difference is normal and may become less noticeable over time or with coating.
It is best to wet sand when making any modification to your doll. You will need wet/dry sandpaper for this. To do this, either get the sandpaper wet first, or place the sandpaper and doll part in a bucket of water and sand. That way, less resin particles are in the air for you to breathe. Also, make sure that you are in a well-ventilated area or outside and please, Wear A Mask!!! Resin and it's dust are very poisonous. There is no excuse not to protect yourself from it. Even a handkerchief over your nose and mouth is better than nothing, although a good mask is much better.
The first thing you want to do is take your doll apart and wash all the pieces with a gentle soap and water. Try not to touch them any more than you have to because the oils on your hands will stick to the resin and screw up the sealant when you try to put it on. Gloves are helpful. Make sure all the pieces are completely dry before you do anything with them.
You can use pastels or an airbrush to do the blushing and there are very good visual tutorials in the BJD Orbyrarium on both of these techniques. For this, we will be using pastels.
(to be finished later...)
Piercing and Tattooing are some of the easiest ways to change your doll's appearance. They are also really cheap alterations to perform. Many people use acrylic paints or temporary tattoos for their doll's modifications. Just remember to seal them well after you are done.
The easiest way to give your doll a tattoo is is use a temporary tattoo, like you can get in vending machines for little kids. Also, "nail art" or other kinds of temporary tattoos work well. You can use sealant first, if you are worried about staining or removing it later. I would try several positions before actually putting the tattoo on, especially near joints. Once you have found the best position, go ahead and apply the tattoo, just like you would with a human, (usually this just involves some water and a little pressure). When it is dry, then you should seal it with at least one layer, but more layers of sealant are better. Ta-Da! You've just given a doll a tattoo!
Alternatively, you can paint the tattoo yourself. Use only doll-safe products (no oils!) like acrylics and Mr Super Clear. I suggest a light sketch with watercolor pencils before you actually start laying down color. Be sure to keep your paint thin enough to not clump up and ruin the tattoo. Once you have an outline or sketch, you can start to really paint the tattoo. Give it plenty of time to dry before you seal it. Again, several layers of sealant are best.
Piercing can also be done in two ways: with a drill, or with white glue. It's pretty easy to find a little ring or hoop to glue to your dolls nose or lip, but what if you want them to wear real earrings? The best solution is a nail drill. You can either use the drill bit by itself, or hook it to a dremel or other small drill. Either way, it's pretty quick and easy. Mark where you want the hole to be, then check to see if it is straight, if the earrings will gouge the side of the head or if you even have room to put the earring backs on. If everything is lined up properly, then it's time to drill. Go as slowly as you can, even if you are using a drill because it only takes one second to screw it up. If you go slowly, you have more chance of catching mistakes before they happen. Most piercings go off without a hitch, so I'd say go ahead and do them yourself, just make sure your drill bit is very, very small. Now you know how to pierce and tattoo your doll!
(pics coming soon!)
http://denofangels.com/forums/showpost.p
http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showth
http://denofangels.com/forums/showpost.p
