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Tami K · Member

Eyebrows!!!

babylover · Veteran Member

I don't know how this would work on a reborn, but when I was painting portraits and had this kind of problem, I would look in a mirror at the image (in this case your reborn) and I could figure out what was off balance and correct it. Maybe you could search on line about shaping human eyebrow and follow the rules on your baby. They have very specific directions on linning up the brow with the nose. Then you could measure the brow you like and repeat it with other side. Just a thought. Hope this helps. Sandy

sara zata · Guru

Painting eyebrows for over 20 yrs on porcelain dolls has taught be to be patient,
when painting the brows, use your thumb as a guide, It's called rule of thumb.
Place your thumb over the eye socket and put a faint pencil line,
you start by putting a paint brush up the side of the nose to the tear duct,
above this should be the place you start paintng.
Your brow should end at the edge of the outside of the eye.
Also if you look, you will see a brow line to guide where the brow should be placed.
The stokes shouldn't be evenly placed, the best way to get the look you want,
is in a baby magizine, as most vynal kits dont come with original pics.
I hope this is a help to you, it is hard explaining, but simple to show.
XXXX June

-- Edited by sara zata at 03:16, 2009-01-04

babylover · Veteran Member

Wow, that's great info. Much better that guessing and hope they match. Thanks. Sandy

Buffington · Guru

Thanks again June! I know that our porcelain lessons have come in handy many times with the vinyls.

You can also try turning the head upside down and painting that way. Just something about fooling the brain from being so logical I guess. You can also get those spaced hairs baked when you like them, then go back and paint tiny little hairs in between them to fill in. That way if you don't like them, just wipe them off and you still have your base hairs left to guide you again.
Took me 4 hours on a porcelain to do the eyebrows and I didn't have the option of baking part of them on and filling in. when I wiped them off they ALL came off. but I got through it and you will too. Just takes practice!

Patricia · Veteran Member

I have just gotten my first kit but have been afraid to start as yet. I also did porcelain dolls for a number of years and always found eyebrows to be the most difficult part of painting a doll. However with porcelain you had the option of wiping off the bad eyebrows and trying again until you got it right. I have watched the beginner classroom dvd twice now and I did not hear anything that told me how to remove paint from the vinyl and try again. Please tell me there is someway to correct mistakes!

Buffington · Guru

You can wash off your Genesis paints before you bake them with a little mild soap and water.
What I do with my eyebrows is to do them in stages...
I put on the first line of brow hairs to where I like them, keeping them farther apart than usual because you will fill in later. If you don't like how they are turning out, you can also keep a cotton tip handy with thinner on it. Just gently pull off the hairs you don't like with it, dry, then go again. Try not to rub much as it can cause a shiny spot and the paint may not stick. When you are happy with them then bake.

Next step is to put shorter hairs in between them. You can use a couple of colors to give the brows depth and realism. Bake again.

After that it's just touch up if needed. You can use the thick medium to give them texture (I know I posted somewhere else on that one).

Don't forget... if you're having problems making the brows similar, turn the head upside down and try that way. It fools a logical brain!

oops! I forgot that we also have new eyebrow pencils for putting eyebrows on your babies. Here's the link: http://www.secristdolls.com/inc/sdetail/56344 Also look at what it says below the photo as it directs you to more help! :)

-- Edited by Buffington at 15:44, 2009-02-02

Cuisle · Veteran Member

I do one eyebrow first, then I have to turn the head upside down to do the other eyebrow

Patricia · Veteran Member

Thanks for the ideas on painting eyebrows in stages. I think that might be a good approach. I assume the eyebrow pencils are just to temporarily mark the eyebrow placement and are not permanent?

I'm glad to know there are ways to remove paint and that it is not set in stone.

I'm still working on test pieces--not ready to start on the doll kit yet.

Buffington · Guru

Be careful with the reds and blues, they will sink in fast and are not as readily removable.
I would presume the eyebrow pencils are permanent because I know that Stephanie Sullivan uses Prismacolor pencils and she says they are permanent (but it takes a few days for the color to sink in).

I like using test limbs as they are cheap and who cares what they end up looking like! :)

Tina W. · Guru

I use a regular pencil first Lightly to mark my eyebrows so I can lightly erase as needed and its not permanent. Then use the Prismacolor pencils. I still can't paint them yet !
disbelief

Patricia · Veteran Member

Thanks for the suggestion. Do you just use a regular pencil eraser to remove the pencil marks?

Buffington · Guru

Just make sure when you are using the colored pencils that you have a very sharp point on them so you get fine hairs when you draw. Don't press hard, have a light stroke :)