Modify Your BJD
There are many ways to customize your BJD to your liking; that is what they are made for! There are a lot of fairly simple things that most owners can do. Click on the modification you are interested in, to jump to the topic of your choice or scroll down to read them all.
BASIC
INTERMEDIATE
ADVANCED
PROFESSIONAL
BASIC MODIFICATIONS
Most BJD owners do basic modifications such as changing the eyes, wig or faceup. They may also choose to adjust the stringing tension for better posing. To do most of these things, you will need a basic knowledge of how to take your doll apart and put it back together. Instructions for all of these basic modifications are listed in light green. These are modifications that are very unlikely to damage your doll.
Taking Your Doll Apart
Most of the basic customization has to do with a BJD's head. The majority of BJDs are assembled when you receive them but you will have to take them apart to do some things such as a faceup, or more complex modifications such as dyeing or painting your doll. This is a skill that you will use often and should get used to as soon as possible. If you are scared to do it yourself, get a friend and click over to the Basic Care Guide first for some hints about how to handle your doll and how fragile they are, (and are not!). Together you should then be able to follow these easy steps to take your doll apart. (Don't worry, there are instructions to put it back together again too!)
This is Fiddy, (she is a 29cm doll made by Batchix) and she will be helping us demonstrate how to take a doll apart. The first step is to remove her wig. (Fiddy also has magnetic ears so we'll remove those first and then her wig. Most dolls won't have magnetic ears so you won't have to worry about that.)
Getting Ready: You will want to lay down some clean light colored towels (preferably plain white) on a steady flat surface that will not be bothered. You may want a friend's help, especially if your doll's stringing is tight. It helps to have tools like twine, pliers, stringing tools and clamps, but they are not absolutely necessary. I use paper clips and wooden chopsticks. You will at least need some tough string though to put your BJD back together again. The main thing to remember is to keep the parts organized in the manner that you took them off. I like to put the left parts on the left side and the right parts on the right side, laid out in the order and place I got them from so it kind of looks like a floating body. It makes it much easier to put them back together this way.
TIP! > Take photos every step of the way, (especially of joints!) so you can use them to put your doll back together again.
Step One: Determine Head Style
All BJDs have hollow heads but there are two main styles: faceplate type and headcap type. This is usually just up to which type that company likes to make best. Headcap is the more common type but faceplate styles are becoming more popular as well.
To tell which type your doll has, look behind the ears, near the neck. If you see an obvious join here that goes toward the front or face of the doll, this is a faceplate style head. If the join goes toward the back of the doll or is high up on the back of the head, this is a headcap style head. This is very important when determining HOW to take your doll apart. Look at the photo to see examples of faceplate VS headcap styles, and how to remove them.
Fiddy has a faceplate style head which means the front or 'face' part of her head comes off so you can switch eyes and take her apart or even use a different faceplate on the same body without removing the entire head.
Some dolls have the older headcap style which means the back of the head comes off so that you can change eyes and take your doll apart. To change the face on a headcap style doll, you will have to remove the entire head and replace it with the one you prefer; depending on how the doll is strung, this *sometimes* means you have to take the entire doll apart to switch heads. This explains both why you should get used to taking your doll apart, AND why some companies are switching to faceplate style heads instead.
One you have identified which type is yours, pull gently in the direction indicated in the photo. (Pull faceplate gently away from headback; Pull headcap gently up and out from the rest of the head.) Your doll's head should open pretty easily, without much force.*
*some older styles may have the S-hook attached to the headcap. In this instance, you may want a friend, some tools or both. This is not common in newer dolls because it makes the doll harder to take apart and put back together but also because it restricts the range of motion for the head.
The eyes go in the head on headcap style dolls, but they go in the faceplate of faceplate style dolls.
Step Two: Determine Stringing Style
All BJDs have elastic stringing inside of them to help them pose. Some dolls have one, two or even three strings, but no matter how many strings they have, they all have at least one that is connected to the head or neck of your doll. Determining which style of stringing your doll has BEFORE you take it apart is very important to getting it back together when you are done. Look at the hands and feet: Do they have string running through them or is there a little 's'-shaped metal hook holding the elastic?
If your doll has 4 s-hooks, it's the easiest type to take apart. Lay your naked doll on a clean towel. Place a second clean towel on top. Once you have found the s-hooks in the ankles, place a small gentle pressure on your doll and unhook the s-hook. If you are not holding onto your doll when you release the tension, parts of your doll may fly, so hold on to it! Move to the next s-hook and repeat, remembering to hold on to your doll as you unhook. Do this until all 4 s-hooks are removed. Place them carefully so they do not get lost. If the hand and foot hooks are different, be sure to set the hand hooks with the hand pieces and the foot hooks with the foot pieces. When you lift the top towel, you should have a loose, doll-shaped pile underneath. Gently slip each part off of the elastic and place it in order on your clean towel.
If your doll does NOT have s-hooks, don't despair! It's not that much harder to take your doll apart. You'll want to begin by taking your doll's headcap or faceplate off. You should be able to see the big knot (or 2) inside of the head. Lay your doll down on your clean towel and untie those knots. If you have a friend to help you, have them hold the doll softly but firmly while you undo the knots. Releasing the tension can cause the elastic to slip inside of the doll but don't worry; you'll find it again as you lay your pieces out.
~If your doll only has one string, untying the head knot will immediately loosen the entire doll.
~If your doll has two strings, You will need to untie both head knots to take your doll apart.
~If your doll has three strings, You will need to untie both knots to take your doll apart. You should then have a part left that is only the chest and arms of your doll. Inside the torso, there is a third knot that you will also need to untie.
If your doll has BOTH, don't worry. Just follow the directions for whichever attachment that hand or foot has. If your hands have s-hooks, but the feet do not, follow the s-hook directions for the hands and follow the No Hook directions for the feet.
NOTICE THAT EACH LIMB'S PARTS ARE ALL TOGETHER, IN THE ORDER THEY GO IN, INCLUDING S-HOOKS AND SMALL JOINT PARTS. LEFT SIDE PARTS ARE SEPARATE FROM RIGHT SIDE PARTS.
WHEN YOU ARE DONE, YOU SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS:
> If you do not like how your doll is strung, you CAN change almost all BJDs to take 1, 2 or 3 strings (assuming it is a human-shaped BJD).
> Consider modifying your doll to take s-hooks, especially if you take it apart often.
Faceup
To do a faceup, the doll MUST be taken apart. The first thing you have to do is to remove the top of the head or the 'headcap'. If you don't know how to do this, scroll up and read 'Taking Your Doll Apart'. If you have a faceplate style doll, all you have to do is remove the faceplate and stow the rest of the doll away safely. If you have a headcap style doll, it will be easier to take the whole doll apart to remove the head. You can usually put the body back together without the head for easier storage. Either way, remember to stow the rest of your doll away safely. Once you have the head or faceplate separated from the body, clean the head with gentle soap and water. Make sure the head is completely clean and dry before you attempt to do the faceup. If there is an old faceup or bits of an old faceup, follow the "Removing Faceups" directions at the end of this section first, wash and dry your head/faceplete and THEN do a new faceup.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT:
~CLEAN DOLL HEAD/FACEPLATE
~SEALANT
~ACRYLIC PAINT, BRUSHES
~CHALK PASTELS, BRUSHES
~WATERCOLOR PENCILS, ERASER
~REFERENCE PHOTOS
~RESPIRATORY GEAR
~CLEAN WATER
~Q-Tips
~PAPER TOWELS
~TOOTHPICKS
~MAGIC ERASER
~PAINT THINNER, BRUSH CLEANER
~A FAN, LARGE WINDOW OR OTHER CONTROLLABLE VENTILATION
~If you don't know what some of these things are, or what brands to use, check out the "Basic Care Guide" page.
~DO NOT use anything oil-based or containing oils because it will eat the resin (i.e. oil paint, grease pencils, etc.)
~You don't have to have paint, pastels AND pencils, but you must have at least one of the three. All three is best.
Step One: Get Ready Draw or print out what you would like the face to look like ahead of time on a piece of paper and put it next to your workspace so that you have something to reference. Include close ups of details you like so they are easier to see while you are working. Lay out a clean towel to work on. Wear your respirator and put a base coat of sealant on your head/faceplate. If you can, give the sealant a few minutes to dry before ventilating the fumes. Little hairs and bits of dirt can easily stick into the sealant while it is drying so this is why I wait to open a window or turn on a fan. This can ruin an otherwise perfect faceup so think about this when setting up your workspace and ventilation. Let it dry completely before attempting to do anything to it. If you try to work on a faceup where the sealant is not yet dry, it will smudge, clump and do other yucky things. Then you'll have to remove it, wash it and start again, so be sure to wait. I like to spray the headcap/headback at the same time so I have a test piece that I can touch without ruining my faceup. It doesn't take long to dry but I like to give it 5-10 minutes before I mess with it, just to be sure. Be aware that these sealants are sensitive to temperature and humidity, just like the resin casting process.
Step Two: Let's Do It! After your head has been coated, you can paint or draw on it with the pencils, pastels or acrylics. When you do something you like and want to keep, give the head another coat of sealant and let it dry before you continue to work on it. You can use pastels to create a "blushed" look on the cheeks or on the eyes for eyeshadow. Use pencils to make individual lashes. Use paint to get the exact right lip color. Be sure to seal your doll in between. When you are happy with the faceup, seal it several times, allowing it to dry fully each time. This will protect your faceup so that it will not come off at the slightest touch. If you do something you don't like, simply remove it gently with your eraser or Magic Eraser. If you finish the whole head and decide you don't like it, you can just clean it off and begin again. When your last coat of sealant is dry, put the head or faceplate back on your doll and enjoy! No faceup is permanent, and every head mold is versatile and can have lots of possibilities. Don't settle for something you don't like. You can always try again and if you just can't do it yourself, you can always commission someone. However, it can be a very special experience to do your own faceups and can make your doll that much more precious to you. Once your doll has a faceup, try not to touch it as much as possible because it will rub off eventually and the oils in your skin will only make that happen faster, as well as dirtying the face. If it does get dirty, gently wipe the dirt off with a Magic Eraser.
add photos of faceup process here
That's really all that there is to it. For more specific techniques and photos, refer to the tutorials below.
Awesome Faceup Tutorials
REMOVING FACEUPS
Most faceups can be removed with rubbing alcohol and some scrubbing.
All About Eyes
When you remove the headcap, you can also have access to the eyes. You can remove, replace and reposition them to change the look of the doll's face. Prices for eyes range from a few dollars to over $100 per pair. Eyes can be hot glued in, (but this is not recommended unless you never want to change them) or 'puttied' in with Blu-Tac, eye putty and a variety of other materials that make changing eyes and their position fairly easy.
For me, the easiest way to choose eyes is MSSCD. MSSCD is short for Material, Size, Shape, Color, Dome. If you make your choices in that order, it will make finding the eyes you want much easier. You could also add "Brand" to the list if it is important to you, but by using these other factors first, you should be down to a pretty small selection of brands already.
Plastic - Glass - Urethane
Plastic - Glass - Urethane
MATERIAL
The first decision that you will have to make is what material you want your eyes to be made of. They come in plastic, acrylic, silicone, urethane and glass with plastic being the cheapest and glass being the most expensive.
Plastic/Acrylic: The cheapest eyes, so it's easy to buy a lot of them and change them often. A good way to try different colors or sizes without spending a lot of money. Come in a huge variety of colors and patterns, but some people don't like them because the color can be very pixelated or flat. Acrylics do not reflect light as well as better eyes; they look "doll-like" instead of realistic but they often come in the broadest range of colors and patterns. Eye material most likely to have a stemmed eye. Well-known brands: Volks Metallics, Souldoll, Schwarzaugen.
Silicone: A little more expensive, but fit into eyewells very well because they are squishy. Some depth and reflection, but not as nice as urethane or glass. Collects dust like mad. Known for patterns and prints. Well-known brands: Masterpiece, Soom.
Urethane: Pricey, but very nice. Many people put them in a class with high quality glass or better because they "glow" and "track" like glass. ("Tracking" is when a doll's eyes seem to follow you around the room, and a "glow" is really just a nice way they bend the light that they attract.) Less expensive than some really well known glass brands, but more expensive than lower quality glass. Good Depth and Reflection, wide range of colors and custom options such as pupilless, odd colored pupil, pupil in odd shape, dome choice or border colors. Well-known brands: Enchanted Doll, Ethereal Angels, DropRops.
Glass: Can be bought from $30 to almost $200. Known for "glowing" and "tracking". Best depth and reflection, especially higher into the quality spectrum. May have dome choice. Mostly realistic colors, but expanding. Well-known brands: Luts, CustomHouse, Volks HG, Silver, Zoukeimura, Antique Rose.
SIZE
Next, you need to decide the size of eyes that you are buying. Eyes are usually available in even numbered millimeter sizes such as 16mm, 18mm, and 20mm. Most dolls have a certain size recommended for their face sculpt that is decided by the manufacturer. Going bigger than this size can make your doll look innocent and cute, but it can also make them look permanently shocked, so be careful going big. Going a size smaller is often good for a more realistic look, but it can make some dolls look beady-eyed so again, caution is good. The manufacturer's recommended size is usually a good one, but a few dolls look even better with a bigger or smaller eye.
SHAPE
The third step is eye shape. Eyes can come in many shapes, from completely round to round with a stem, half rounds and even flats. The best choice is really to choose an eye shape that fits your needs. Some dolls don't have big enough eyewells or head space to accomodate full rounds with stems. Whether your doll has an S-hook or other mechanisms in her head is important too. A good eye to start with until you are more familiar with different eye shapes and how they work for different goals is half round or flats.
COLOR
The fourth criteria is Color. The color choices that you make can completely change how a doll looks, so it's important yo put some thought into this, too. Firstly, do you want a pupil and what color? Should it be shaped normally or should it be cat-eye or heart shaped pupil? What color should the iris be? Should it be one color or a pattern? Do you want threading or color variation? What about a colored border for the iris? Transparent Whites? You can order your eyes with any of these options, but only certain option are available with each brand or material. Eyes can come with large or small pupils or even no pupils at all. They can also be bought with neon colors, metallic colors, patterned irises and without whites or without pupils.
DOME
The last criteria is Dome. This is a reference to the height of the dome over the center of the eyes. Some companies only make one dome choice, so you often won't even have to make this decision. If you do though, pick the one that suits your doll best. If you often position eyes mostly straight or slightly off center, then high domes are probably a good choice and often bring more depth and realism to the color. High domes increase "tracking" and "glow". If you generally position eyes off to side or very far up or down, then low domes may often allow you to move the eyes farther because the height of the dome isn't interfering as much. High domes are also called "paperweighted" eyes.
Once you have your eyes, it's time to put them in. The positioning of a doll's eyes is very important in determining the look of the doll. While eyes completely centered and looking dead straight is pretty, there are lots of other ways to position the eyes that flatter your doll even more. Try different angles and take photos so that you can see the difference. Eyes can portray a lot of emotion, even for a doll. Use eye putty to hold eyes in place.
A NOTE ABOUT POSITIONING
insert photo of eye positions
Which Wig Is Which?
Once you replace the headcap, you can put a wig on your doll. There are as many styles to choose from as you can think of and most wigs are in the $20-$40 range, with the exception being fur wigs which are generally pretty cheap. Most wig styles are available in 'natural' colors such as brown, blond and black as well as white or silver. It can be a little harder to find 'crazy' colored wigs, such as red, blue or green depending on the size of wig your BJD wears. Wigs can be made of human hair, synthetic fiber, mohair or fake "fur". Wig sizes are most often determined by one inch increments such as a 6-7 inch wig or a 7-8 inch wig. Some wigs have elastic and some just 'perch' on the doll's head. Some can use velcro to attach them and some wigs can use double sided tape to stay on.
FUR FIBER MOHAIR
Stringing Tension
Something else that you can change while you have the headcap open is the tension on the elastic stringing. Some dolls must be taken apart completely, while others can simply be knotted and unknotted with the headcap removed. The tension of the elastic is a big factor in how well the doll poses and how much you have to mess with your BJD to make it keep the pose. A doll with very loose stringing is floppy and hard to stand, but very cuddley. A doll with tight stringing may kick or hit because the joint will pop into or out of place from the tension on the elastic, but they stand much easier than a doll with loose stringing. Some dolls have the stringing located in the neck instead of the head, but the elastic tension issues are the same. How tight you like your doll to be is entirely up to you.
TIGHT STRINGING
BETTER POSING
KICKY LEGS & ARMS
LOOSE STRINGING
BETTER CUDDLER
WORSE POSING
Putting Your Doll Back Together
Once you have you doll laid out, and your stringing adjusted, it's time to put it back together! This video is much better than I could explain it:
Intermediate modifications are not that difficult but they do result in permanent/semi-permanent changes to your doll. Customizations such as tattoos or piercings, seam sanding, blushing, wiring and sueding all fall into this category. To do most of these things, you will need to be familiar with Basic Modifications first. Instructions for all of these intermediate modifications are listed in lime green. These are modifications which have a chance of damaging your doll if not done properly.
INTERMEDIATE MODIFICATIONS
Wiring & Sueding
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. It's easiest 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. Once it is dry, you can put the doll back together and this should help your doll stand and pose better.
Seam Sanding
(((NOTE: The vast majority of tan, ebony or oddly colored (purple, blue, green, etc.) 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. To reduce this color difference, use the finest sandpaper over the entire surface of the doll, after removing the seams.
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.
Lifelike Blushing
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 lots of tutorials on both of these techniques. For this, we will be using pastels. First, seal the part you are blushing. I like to shave a little bit of powder from my pastels and mix the exact color I want to use. Then, using a small brush or cotton swab, I wipe the pastel into any creases or lines. I also do the nails, nipples and anything else that has texture (indents or parts that stick out.) You can use a clean cotton swab to highlight or remove excess color. Once I am happy with it, I can seal it with a few layers of MSC and let it dry completely before putting my doll back together. Dolls that are blushed all over look much more realistic.
This can and does wear off. When it begins to chip, use rubbing alcohol to remove it fully before applying new blushing.
Tattoos & Piercings
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 before and 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. Seal your part first. 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 PVA glue (like Elmer's). 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!
ADVANCED MODIFICATIONS
Advanced modifications are more difficult but they do result in much more noticeable changes to your doll. Customizations such as facial reshaping, eye/ear mods, repositioning hands and feet all fall into this category. To do most of these things, you will need to be familiar with Basic AND Intermediate Modifications first. Instructions for all of these advanced modifications are listed in emerald green. These are modifications which can easily damage your doll.
Facial Reshaping
The look of a doll can be changed considerably just by using a little fine sandpaper or apoxie. Noses can be shortened and puffy cheeks can be slimmed. If your doll is close to what you want, but just not quite perfect then facial modification might be just what you're looking for!
To subtract, simply sand the area. 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. 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. Please note that sanding the face may result in discoloration that will probably need to be blushed over, at least.
To add, roughen the surface with sandpaper and add Apoxie. Smooth until happy. Apoxie can be tinted to match the original skin tone but dolls change color over time and any "additions" will need to be blushed eventually, if not right away.
Eye/Ear Mods
Not happy with your dolls ears or eyes? If you want a pointy eared elf instead, apoxie might be the route for you to take. Just because your doll has eyes that are closed, does not mean that they have to stay that way! You can use an Xacto knife to open them a little or a lot. The same is also true of open eyed dolls; you can close them with apoxie, or add elf ears.
To open closed eyes, use a watercolor pencil to sketch out how wide you'd like them to be open. Carefully use your Xacto knife to shave small pieces until you reach your line,
To close open eyes,
To add elf ears, roughen the surface with sandpaper and add Apoxie. Sculpt ears. Smooth until happy. Apoxie can be tinted to match the original skin tone but dolls change color over time and any "additions" will need to be blushed eventually, if not right away.
Hand Positioning
It is very simple to use steam or hot water to change the position of the hands.
Geta Feet (altering fingers/toes)
Some dolls have fingers or toes that are so close together that they are one big piece of resin instead of four or five little ones. You can fix this by separating the fingers or toes with an Xacto knife. It also helps to have a little sandpaper and bandaids nearby, in case of slippage. Sometimes a doll has huge feet or undetailed hands and you might want to change them. Fine detail can easily be sanded into or sculpted onto an existing piece of resin easily so here's how to: detail the hands, reshape flat feet to heeled feet, reduce the size of the feet, add claws or nails and slim the fingers.
Modding Neckholes
You may want to mod the neckhole for several reasons, like poseability or perhaps you want to make a hybrid that doesn't normally work because the neckhole sizes do not match.
PROFESSIONAL MODIFICATIONS
Professional modifications are only for the truly daring. Customizations such as full body paint, dyeing your doll, suwarrico and gender reassignment all fall into this category. To do any of these things, you will need to be familiar with Basic, Intermediate AND Advanced Modifications first. Instructions for all of these professional modifications are listed in dark green. These are modifications which will permanently change your doll.
Dyeing A Doll
The first thing that you want to do when dyeing a doll is to take it apart and clean it. First I used a Mister Clean Magic Eraser to get the whole doll free of spots or dirt rubs. After that I washed it with a gentle dish soap and a baby washcloth because any residue can cause weird things to happen. You don't need a baby washcloth but I am paranoid about scratching my doll parts while cleaning them. I then lay out all my parts on a clean cloth in an organized manner so that the left arm and left leg are on the left side, and the right arm and right leg are on the right side. I put the head and torso pieces in the middle. This helps because then you don't get them all mixed up in the process and end up with parts in the wrong place when you put your doll back together. I also take all the S-hooks, elastic, wig and eyes and put them in a plastic bag and set them aside somewhere safe since you don't want to get dye on them. You might also want to gather up some other stuff to dye with the remaining dye. I had plenty left over to dye several pieces of clothes. You may also want to wear some old clothes because dye is, well dye and will stain anything you get it on. Luckily it wipes off the stove if you get it pretty fast. Gloves and/or an extra set of hands and eyes are useful.
Then, gather everything that you will need: doll parts, dye, dye instructions, gloves, string, scissors and a test piece if you have one. I use the Delf neck piece because you can't see it when the doll is assembled, but you could just use the headcap. You will also need a big bowl of clean cold water and somewhere to hang the parts while they dry. You will also want to tie a piece of strong string to each piece. Remember not to tie it too close to the body or it will leave a line where the dye could not reach. Paper towels can be useful too, since I got the dye *everywhere*.
The next thing is to make the dye. Whatever you use needs to be big enough that your largest part can be completely submerged in the dye. It also helps if it can be thrown out if the dye stains. YOU DO NOT WANT TO USE THIS TO COOK FOOD EVER AGAIN, so grab a used one from the thrift store. I use a small saucepot and heat clean water until it's almost boiling. I use RIT clothing dye because it's easy, cheap and readily available. I mix the dye into the hot water and stir a lot. Once the dye is completely dissolved, I lower the temperature. You only need it to be hot when you are dissolving the dye, not when you are dipping the doll. It does still need to be warm so don't turn it off.
Start with your test piece first so you can see what color your dye will be. Dip each piece into the dye using the string that you tied to it. Each part will take a different amount of time to reach the same color because of the thickness of the resin. Small thin parts like ankle pieces will take much less time than big thick pieces like the torso; because of this, parts where the thickness of the resin change dramatically (such as the torso) will have darker edges since the resin is thinner there. I think it looks pretty natural, but it depends on the color you are using. Do not let the pieces sit on the bottom of the pan or you will burn the resin. Dip for about 30 seconds to start out, and check the color. It helps to have lots of bright white light in the room so that you can match the pieces well. It may take some patience to do all the pieces, especially if you are doing it by yourself. It took me about an hour and a half to do one 60cm girl, but it was fun because I did it with a friend. I recommend doing smaller pieces together such as both hands or both feet. This is especially true of joint pieces like shoulder caps, elbow joints and ankle pieces so that they match each other perfectly and give your doll more balanced color. Nothing looks sillier than one shoulder being two shades lighter than the other, IMO. It also makes the process go faster.
When the part is the color you want, dip it into the bowl of cold water to remove the extra dye. You might have to dip it a few times to remove it all. Not only does it remove the extra dye, but it kind of helps to set the color in as well. If you are really brave, this is when you would rub off a little dye here and there to even the color, but I don't suggest this unless you are really careful and hopefully have some experience in dyeing doll parts first. Then hang your piece up to dry, making sure that it is not touching any other pieces. The dye will pool a little, so hang them with the ball joint down so the dark spot will not be visible on your assembled doll. You can use your test piece to make sure all the pieces match so you don't have to hold all the pieces up the each other. By using the test piece, you can check that all the parts are pretty close to the same color and never have to touch the pieces and leave smears because it *will* smear. Once all your pieces are hung, wait for them to dry completely before coating with Mister Super Clear or other sealant. I would use several coats to be sure that it will not rub off easily because it is darn hard to touch up the color without cleaning the doll completely and starting over. Although I loved the deep, dark green my doll came out the first time, I wanted a more natural color so I removed the dye and did it again, lighter.
Tips:
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Anywhere the doll is sanded will come out a different color. I recommend lightly sanding the entire doll beforehand, but this may not help with extreme mods. Even seam sanding will show up a different color as will scratches and places where you didn't clean all the sealant off.
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Don't get upset if it doesn't turn out right the first time; a little rubbing alcohol will remove the dye and you can try again. It won't make them like new, but it's good enough for repeating the dyeing process.
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Dye will stay better if you do not seal it first; but don't forget to seal it afterward or everything it touches will be colored too. The doll will also lose color very quickly if you don't put sealant over the dye.
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Vinyl (such as a Dollfie Dream) will dye differently than resin, and may take several tries to match a resin head to a vinyl body.
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Dyeing turns out best when done to a doll with white skin!
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Dyeing enhances color variations so if you want one flat all-over color, consider painting instead.
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If dyeing a Tiny doll, be careful about how long you leave it in the dye because it may make the parts pliable or easier to break until they cool off properly.
This doll had it's seams sanded but not the rest of the doll. You can see the discoloration is strong. This is why you sand the whole doll first.
This doll was not cleaned properly before being dyed. The old sealant caused much discoloration here.
Full Body Paint
Takes a lot of time and patience and a dedication to keeping it painted. The paint will rub off in the joints and will need to be replaced often. This is best done with an airbrush for the most even coloring. Good Luck!
Suwarrico
Some dolls come equipped with a specially shaped slot that allows them to sit like this. ->
This is called 'Suwarrico' or 'Cute Sitting'. This specially shaped slot can be carved into nearly any doll's legs as long as they have a solid ball shape there. This is what it looks like when it is done.->
Here is how you do it. First you take the doll apart and mark the shapes on the thigh ball clearly with watercolor pencil. (This will easily wash off if there is any left when you are done.) Use a Dremel or other tool to remove the resin inside your marks. Use a fine grade of sandpaper to clean up any scratches and to make your cuts as clean as possible so they will not cut into your stringing as you pose the doll. Now put your doll back together and Poof! Your doll can now do 'cute sitting' poses!
Gender Reassignment
Changing the gender of a doll isn't particularly hard, but it's not a lot of fun either. It IS a lot of sanding however. Even if you have a Dremel, it's better to do the fine detailing by hand unless you're really, really good with a Dremel.
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So that is how you complete every modification that I can think of, from basic to the most complex. If there is another tutorial that you would like to see, just let me know and I'll do my best to get it on here.