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Aviva · Senior Member

???? yoo hoo...I have another question

Tina W. · Guru

Hi Aviva-
I found this in the forum for you. Its from Pat B. She answered a similar question awhile back.

Vinyl dolls are just vinyl, vinyl/silicone dolls are basically vinyl with some silicone mixed in to the liquid usually to make it more flexible and so they can pull it out of the mold easier. It is also good if you are making full limbs or limbs with deeper detail. They tend to again remove easier from the mold. The silicone are usually solid as you stated, and are even more translucent than our Secrist vinyl dolls. You cannot use any other paint than silicone paint. Apparently there is platinum silicone and another type which the name escapes me now. If you use Genesis paints on silicone (which Genesis says not to) it may go on nicely (or not) but would end up coming off in some fashion at a later date. Same with oils or acrylics. Solid silicone is also much heavier.

They do tend to move a lot more realistically, but the real color is never there (IMHO), & you can usually tell they are dolls close up. It seems to be quite a different process, not sure if it's more expensive or not. I guess I never checked. I did just run across one artist that is making limited editions in solid silicone with her hubby. I should ask her. Or maybe I'll Google it!

I personally don't see what all the hype is about the silicone since you need more specialized things to work on them with. I am perfectly satisfied working on the Secrist and other non-silicone dolls. Although I do work on S/V mix dolls all the time too (from other companies).

Sorry, I guess this got long... :) Hope it helps.

__________________

"We don't stop playing because we grow old...
We grow old because we stop playing!" Unknown author

My current avatar is an in-progress Vivien.
Pat B. -- Forum Moderator

Aviva · Senior Member

Shoot...I pressed the wrong buttons. darn it, so I don't know if this erased my other post or what, but.....
Piper is a silicone/vinyl kit. She's not all silicone. I have heard they are sticky and shiny. She's not. Well I did notice when I took her picture inside with a flash it looked alittle like her cheek was a little shiny. I thought I would have to get those other paints..that start with LDC or something like that. I can't type right now....nite.

I'll put a picture of her on the showcase thread.

-- Edited by Aviva at 06:19, 2009-02-05

Tina W. · Guru

Hmm I recently reborned a silicone/vinyl kit myself. I used the GHS paints and and he came out fine no shine or experience with stickiness...however in my experience (this was my first such kit) you have to make sure you bake long enough and at the right temp. I had issues in the beginning with a small area that did not want to stick and then had some crackling in that same area. You really have to wash it well (using a soft brush) and make sure nothing is on the vinyl! I think that was part of my problem. He is so soft though it did make rootina bit of a nightmare but all an all he came out nice.

Buffington · Guru

You can paint the silicone/vinyl mix kits with Genesis and they should all be fine. It's just the all silicone dolls that have that kind of gummyworm squidgy feel and look. Although they have pretty good detailing. But they need to be painted with silicone paints as was stated above.

I also have LDC paints from DD and I haven't used them yet. Guess I like the Genesis too much, but I will try them soon.

Be extremely careful with baking silicone vinyl because it will give off toxic fumes. So bake it outdoors if you can and not in your regular oven! I just got a report from a mod in another forum I belong to that tells someones ordeal with being ill from baking kits containing silicone in their home in their regular oven with not good ventilation!
Secrist says right on their site that their kits are "non-toxic" vinyl and they stand behind that fact. None of the other websites that deal in dolls or kits come right out and say that!

Tina, I was just thinking (uh oh!) that if your head for rooting was soft, why not put a rice sock in it (not heated) just for some stability! That should make your rooting a little better. I'm going to give it a try on one of my BB kits :)

Tina W. · Guru

I never even thought about that! I will definately give it a try if I come across that issue again. It was a bugger to do! Took forever to finish.
Thanks again Pat!

Aviva · Senior Member

I've rooted really soft heads. I just bend it a bit right where I'm rooting and that give it's more stability. But I don't mind it much. I think I said before that rooting was very relaxing to me and I don't hardly ever use the vise for rooting. I just pick up the needle and start rooting. Depending on the needle...if it's too long, then my palm will get sore. But most of the tie it doesn't hurt and I can root a bit faster that way. I've been working on two Secrist babies right now. Zoe and missy. Mom loves Missy. I did give her a head of hair, but cut it a little shorter than usual, but she's a smaller babe. Anyway..thanks for all the advice. Wow that just makes me feel a bit more relaxed about painting the S/V doll.

Buffington · Guru

You're so welcome Aviva. And rooting is also very relaxing for me too. It's like others who knit or crochet. Very relaxing and calming (as long as I don't break a needle lol).