MY PROCESS
Once you have selected the vinyl kit you want created, I will order the kit for you. First, I wash the vinyl kit with Dawn dish soap to remove any factory grease that is on the kit. Grease and paint do not mix!
Once the kit is completely dry, I apply a thin layer of IHSHP primer varnish to the entire kit. This helps the paint stick. IHSHP and BC heat set paints and mediums are heat set and must be baked at 275 degrees for 9 minutes. I use a NuWave oven to bake my vinyl parts.
Each kit is painted with 20-25 thin layers of paint, baked between almost all layers to set them. The layers consist of blushing, mottling, fine details, general skin tones and color washes. Once I like the results, painting is considered complete. For open eyed babies, placing the eyes in the head helps me detail the face.
Rooting is done using the finest mohair (I like Ju&Na Finest Doll Art and Slumberland mohair the best). I will ask you what color and style of hair you want for your doll. I start on one side, root around the back, up the other side and finish in the front. I do the swirl on the crown last. I use 42 and 43 gauge needles from Europe. If too many hairs get rooted per hole, I tweeze out any plugs I see. I root the hair long and give it a haircut once finished rooting. I root the upper lashes on all dolls. Once the hair is finished, I seal it inside the head with glue.
Once dry, I glue the magnets in the head for a pacifier and hair bow (for girls). While this dries, I weight the limbs using fine glass beads topped with fiber fill. The limbs are sealed shut. The body is also weighted using larger glass beads in a stocking. Lastly, I weight the head using a small stocking full of glass beads, then stuff with fiber fill. I attach all the vinyl parts to the cloth body and they are ready for their photo shoot.
On all custom babies, I ask several questions along the way to find out what you want and like. Please keep in mind, I have one painting style. You can see my skin tones and painting style in the gallery of dolls. If you like what you see, then I am the reborn artist for you! Please let me know if I can bring a baby doll to life for you.
Thanks,
Laurie
Huxley By Andrea Arcello
