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Adel · Veteran Member

skin tone

Miss Reborner · Senior Member

You could be thinning the paint too much, but do realize that it takes many layers to build up to a realistic skintone. It's not an exaggeration to say that I have put between 30-50 layers on my dolls. You may want to use a more intense coloring (not just Secrist premixed). Those paints are very thinned out, so it takes a lot more layers of those than if you use regular Genesis paint. If you want her to warm up a bit, try a more yellow tone, too. Keep going and I'm sure it will turn out great!

Adel · Veteran Member

Thank you I dont have any genesis yellow, it will be the next thing I purchase. so far I have done about 10 layers very thinly as I dont want her to go chalky so far she loks like she has been out in the cold with rosie cheeks. thanks again Adel

Tina W. · Guru

Adel,
It is possible you may be thinning too much. You want it to look like the water color paints we used as kids. That's the best way I can describe it :) I use darker flesh colors 07 06 ect on mine. Sometimes I use a complete layer of these colors or just "Mottle" them. I always use different tones of reds in the same manner as well. After I apply the initial flesh, and reds, I take a look and determine if I want to darken a bit more with shades of flesh. Works for me. Hope this helps a bit!

Adel · Veteran Member

Thanks Tina thats great,I will keep trying x

Play Days Dolls · Guru

Andrea and Tina have some great suggestions, and I hope they help.

I know exactly what you mean when you say you've had trouble getting the Berenguer doll's complexion to warm up. Sometimes I've managed to create a sort of grayish underttone that is almost impossible to get rid of.

My latest idea is to add a tiny bit of yellow white Genesis color to either Flesh 07 or Flesh 08 to create a warmer base color. I apply at least 2 coats to make sure the old color is evenly covered before I begin my "normal" (if there is such a thing?) painting steps.

Adel · Veteran Member

thanks Linda, the berenger had an orangy tinge to the vinyl, so I did a wash with flesh 8 and a touch of blue to neutralise, I did many layer's after this but did not seem to get much coverage, the blushing was fine but the base colour underneath was too pale, I have not thinned so much this time and added just a tip of burnt umber to my flesh 8 as I didn't have any flesh 7 to make it slightly darker and this has improved it a bit. thanks for your help

Buffington · Guru

Its always nice to be able to mix custom colors. Even if you get the pre-mixed paints you can always alter them to suit your needs. The burnt umber works well as you did. :)

I used to start with the flesh 08 and Mr Secrist said all my babies looked Norweigan (just like me hehehe) and were very light so now I start my base layer with the flesh 07 instead. They come out much warmer looking lol.

raiyne · Veteran Member

Wow that helps me out a lot to ! ! ! ! I thought that you only like put on 6 layers. This is going to help me out so much to. I sell people with photos saying this is my first reborn doll and then I look at how my first one turned out and I want to cry. I havent had a chance to buy the dvd's on painting but when I get paied on thursday that is the first thing I am going to do:) This is wonderful advice that all of you give out thanks

Poisonivy14 · Senior Member

wow Pat, thanks for the tip about using flesh 07 as the base layer! i would've never guessed to do something like that! i'll try it for sure!! smile

Buffington · Guru

The reason we have the dvd's and the books is so people can learn the basics. From there it's really fun to experiment and maybe develop your own techniques and color mixtures. It's all about having your individual style in the long run. Some are just content to do what the programs teach and that is more than fine but some decide they want more, and that's where the experimenting comes in. If you booboo, with Genesis you get do-overs!!!!

When we first try pretty much anything, we might be extremely good the first time but then not. Or we might be not so good the first time and then great after that. It's all individual and it's all about practice. They don't quote "practice makes perfect" for nothing you know lol

I've been rooting for over 4 years and just now figured out how to do the perfect hair swirl! And on a blonde yet of all things! Go figure...

Your both very welcome! But I would seriously suggest the dvd's to perfect your techniques! :)