Step 9: Finishing the lips and nails

Finally, to add some more depth to the fingernails, toenails and lips you will need to add a few details. Once again, this part is optional but I would suggest not skipping this part as the effect looks great.

Continue Reading

Step 8: Mottling

Requires: Mop brush, Berry Maker Tool, Pyrole Red 03

This stage is optional, you do not have to do this. However, it does add more realism to a reborn. Mottling fills out an area with extra color, after all skin isn’t one shade. The trick is to blot off most of the color on the brush before applying as you do not need to use very much.

It is important to remember that there is no right or wrong area to mottle; look at a newborns skin and it will always be different. Feel free to add extra – or less, mottling to your doll that what I have described below.

Put some of the paint onto the mop brush and apply it all over the knee first, you only need to wash the knee with a thin layer at first. Next, with the berry maker, start pouncing the area you just applied the paint too. As the berry maker is clean, the idea is to take some of the paint off the doll. You will need to keep cleaning the tool every 3-5 pounces. Just dab it in a clean paper towel. Keep pouncing until you are left with speckles.

Continue doing this over the leg, and continue with the Forehead, Scalp, Knees, Toes, forearm, ankles, Ball of the foot, Elbow and fingertips. If an area looks too dark, dab it with a clean sponge to soften it.

Once you have done this and are happy with the results, bake for 8-10 minutes.

Alternate method of mottling

Requires: Stencil brush, cosmetic sponge, Pyrole Red 03

This method is slightly easier although the effect can be a bit hit or miss I find. Feel free to try this If you have problems with the method used above.

To add color with this alternate method of mottling, simply dab the brush onto the required area and then pat it with the sponge. You are not trying to blend the area so much, you are trying to remove any harsh edges from the color so it is a more natural transition.

Take the Stencil brush, and dip it into the Red 03 paint. Blot off most of the paint onto a paper towel. Starting with the knee, mottle the area and pat it with the clean sponge afterwards until it is smooth and not so dotty.

Continue to do this on the Forehead, Scalp, Knees, Toes, Ankles, Ball of the foot, Elbow and fingertips. Bake once this has been done.

Step 5: Add some shading

Requires: Cosmetic sponges, Flesh 04 mixture

With the dolls head on its side, dip the sponge in the mixture and pounce some color in the area just in front of the ear. Turn the head and repeat on the other side.

Next, do the same on the limbs. On the outside of the arms, pounce the color from the shoulder to the hands. Do the same for the legs, going from the ankle all the way to the upper thigh.

Bake once this has been done.

Step 6: Establish eyebrows

Requires: liner brush, Burnt Umber Light mixture

This is quite an easy section – simply dip the brush into the paint and paint in lines to mimic eyebrows and establish a base. Bake the head.

Once it is set, fill out the eyebrows with much smaller strokes. Rebake.

Step 7: Blushing

Requires: Cosmetic sponges, Bespoke color

To add blushing onto the doll, simply pounce the color into any area that requires it. To establish the initial base blushing, look for any area that might be considered raised. I like to adding blushing to the following areas.

• Knees, Ankles, Heels, Toes,
• Elbows, Knuckles, Fingers
• Forehead, Tip of the nose, Chin, Cheeks, Ears

Once you have added the blushing, bake all pieces.

Consider adding another layer of blushing to any, but not all, of the above areas except the cheeks. An extra layer can add some great depth to the doll once finished, but you don’t want the cheeks to be overly prominent.

Step 3: Coloring the lips

Requires: #2 Filbert, bespoke mixture

With the brush, paint a line along the length of the crease between the upper and lower lip. (where the mouth opening would be). Once you have done this you do not need to add any extra color. You are trying to achieve a shaded look so the inside of the mouth is darker than the edge of the lips.

Working the bottom lip first, pull some of the color downwards to cover the lip. Repeat onto the upper lip, maintaining the lip shape – most lips have an M shape at the top while the bottom is fairly rounded.

Once done, bake all of the pieces in the oven again.

Check if the lips have the desired shading look. If it is not noticeable at all, then you can go over it again using the same technique and rebake as needed. Don’t put too much color on or you could ruin the head.

Step 4: Add some veins

Requires: Liner brush, Blue mixture

This step is optional. Some people don’t find veins overly attractive on their baby dolls, whereas others adore the realism they can offer. While they may not be the most attractive part of reborning, if you want a realistic effect they can definately add some depth to your baby.

There is no right or wrong way to vein, and the best guide for this part are photographs or even yourself. Look at where you have veins that are the most prominent and look closely at the type of vein they are. Most are a long line with a few forks in them, but some are quite spidery in their appearance.

With a liner brush, dip it into the liner mixture and add a few forked veins onto the forehead, and the inner ear.

Next, add some veins onto the eyelid, Wrist (spidery), back of the hands, middle of the foot and above the ankle (spidery again).

Bake all of the pieces you added veins too.