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raiyne · Veteran Member

My baby looks chaulky

Play Days Dolls · Guru

Hi Michelle,

You can find out a lot about the problem of chalky paint if you search the forum. A lot has been written about this exact issue. Try searching for "chalky" and I think you will find a lot of info.

Linda

Date: May 26, 2010

Hi Michelle. I found that when my babies looked chalky, it meant that I was not thinning the paint enough.

You will get AMAZING results when you thin the paint more. There is practically no such thing as paint that is too thin. You will have to paint more layers, so it takes a lot of time and patience yawn , but wow, is it worth it.

Another thing is that you may be more likely to get a chalky appearance when you use the odorless thinner as opposed to the Genesis Thinning Medium. The Thinning Medium is much more expensive, but it can create a unique effect, a smooth and almost "creamy" look. You are less likely to have a chalky appearance when you use this Thinning Medium, however I am not saying that it's always better to use the Thinning Medium. I use the liquid thinner all the time.

These little emoticons are awesome.

()

Buffington · Guru

Thanks Elizabeth for the tips. :)

solymar · Veteran Member

Oh! I have 1 jar of Color Thinning Medium (30 ml) - how can I use it for thinning my paints enough? How much paint and how much thinning should I take to achieve the best color effect?

Buffington · Guru

You do not want to add more than 30-35% thinning medium to your paints. Otherwise it will not cure right.

You might want to invest in some "test parts" so you can test your paints on them before you try using them on your kit. :)

raiyne · Veteran Member

Wow thanks guys I just almost gave up on reborning. I bought the rosie sculpt I love her but the chaulky is really upseting me so I will try to use more thinner thanks so much.

Play Days Dolls · Guru

I hope you hang in there and don't quit. Give it another try using more thinner. The test parts are really helpful, too. If you have a camera that takes detailed shots, you can always post a photo in the Artist Showcase section. Sometimes it's easier to make suggestions when we can see the problem.

Linda

keyslammer · Member

Bless your heart. I had the SAME problem when I was first starting to reborn. Several of my dolls ended up in the "bad baby box" (for real, I have a box with THAT written on it) because they were chalky looking, looked sunburned, some were just hideous. One looked like a rusty Don King (OMGosh, you should have SEEN the hair). heehee

Anyway, I found out what I was doing wrong and it was that I was using too much of the matte varnish when I finished my babies. That was the only thing I was doing wrong. The next time I used the matte varnish I used it extremely extremely sparingly, thinned it down with odorless mineral spirits to a very very thin, watery consistency, got my dobbing sponge and would dob on a small spot about the size of a quarter, maybe a bit smaller and then I would get my "dry" clean sponge and dob that quarter sized amount I put on the doll as much as I could before applying another spot of the varnish somewhere else. In other words, dob on a very small amount and work that amount over as much of an area as you can with that clean and dry sponge before dobbing another spot with the varnish sponge.

The above solved my problem. When I was getting started there weren't very many people who wanted to help me. It was almost to the point that I felt like they didn't feel there was room in the world for another reborn doll artist.

Now, my babies are gorgeous, if I do say so myself. I take my time and just love every second with this very special art.

All the best,
Donna

sara zata · Guru

Hi Donna

Buffington · Guru

Hi Donna, welcome to our family forum :)
Ya, there are still bunches of (other) forumers that don't want to share their information. We here will share tips and techniques, tried and heard of. We will help you if we can. Lots of suggestions in here. If you think of a topic... just go to the top of the page to the search box, type in a word or two and click to get the threads. We have hundreds of forumers that have contributed over the years to our archives. Not much that hasn't been posted about in here, and answered!

Tina W. · Guru

Welcome to the forum Donna :)
You'll not find any unwelcome feelings here thats for sure! Everyone is very helpful here!

keyslammer · Member

What a wonderful bunch of ladies you all are. Thank you so much for the greetings and welcome. I hope I can help some with my experiences I've had since starting this reborning. I've been doing it for over 3 years and STILL learn something new all the time.

I hope I have found a home here with all of you. I can't stand a place where there is a lot of back biting and hen pecking all over the place. I've reviewed MANY MANY posts here before I actually decided to join and I'm amazed at the wonderful folks here.

I need to post that baby that looked like Don King on as my avitar. You all would just die laughing. He was my very first one and I had NO idea how to root hair. I just "went to town" as we say here in the south...got my rooting needle and just poked hair into the vinyl without regard to angles, swirls or anything. Poor little baby had hair that stuck up all over the place. Sad indeed. ashamed

(shhhhh, don't tell anyone, but I actually took pictures of him THINKING he looked good...you know how mothers are. Their children are always the most beautiful no matter how hideous they are to others.) biggrin

I soon found out just how BAD he really was. I will always keep my rookie babies because they show me how far I've really come.

(((hugs)))
Donna

Tina W. · Guru

Nope no back biting here :) Our wonderful moderators make sure of that! I can't stand the pettiness either that's why my home is right here at secrist :) Super nice people and wonderful encouragement and support. You'll love it here I'm sure! LOL I'd love to see your "don king baby" We all have them sitting on a shelf somewhere!! My first on barely had any hair at all (couldn't figure out how the get the needle to catch it) but loved her just the same.

sara zata · Guru

Hi Donna, I did write more than ( Hi Donna) but my computer is playing upso I am on mty husbands old donger and boy is it slow. This is the best Mother Land of reborning, as you can see we all come home for a chat with Mother LOL (PAT ), I haver met some very caring ladiies on this forum and also some very helpfull ones. I'm from Auistralia, June M from Oz, but anyway a very warm and sincere welcome. XXXX June.

Buffington · Guru

Thanks June (and Tina) :) You guys make me blush :o
We all try play nice here. We basically have a "no mean people" policy, as you will see as you post more :)

HBMama · Member

Fairly easy and quick fix: Use Flesh 07instead of Flesh 08 as your base color. It's much less likely to end up looking chalky. Also I now teach students to mix Genesis Thinner with Odorless to create a much softer, moister looking "complexion".

Hope that helps...

S.

keyslammer wrote:

Bless your heart. I had the SAME problem when I was first starting to reborn. Several of my dolls ended up in the "bad baby box" (for real, I have a box with THAT written on it) because they were chalky looking, looked sunburned, some were just hideous. One looked like a rusty Don King (OMGosh, you should have SEEN the hair). heehee

Anyway, I found out what I was doing wrong and it was that I was using too much of the matte varnish when I finished my babies. That was the only thing I was doing wrong. The next time I used the matte varnish I used it extremely extremely sparingly, thinned it down with odorless mineral spirits to a very very thin, watery consistency, got my dobbing sponge and would dob on a small spot about the size of a quarter, maybe a bit smaller and then I would get my "dry" clean sponge and dob that quarter sized amount I put on the doll as much as I could before applying another spot of the varnish somewhere else. In other words, dob on a very small amount and work that amount over as much of an area as you can with that clean and dry sponge before dobbing another spot with the varnish sponge.

The above solved my problem. When I was getting started there weren't very many people who wanted to help me. It was almost to the point that I felt like they didn't feel there was room in the world for another reborn doll artist.

Now, my babies are gorgeous, if I do say so myself. I take my time and just love every second with this very special art.

All the best,
Donna

Buffington · Guru

Thanks Steph! Those are super ideas! I used to use the flesh 08 on my babies as the base and some were on that edge of chalky but not quite. Mr Secrist used to tell me I made Norweigan babies cause they were so pale looking. Good color and blushing, just very Minnesotan, ya sure, you betcha. hahaha

And I love the idea of mixing the Genesis thinner with odorless. Then you must get the best of both worlds. I'll have to try that next time.

Say, while I got you here... do you know anything about the thinner used by BnB for their airdry paints? There are a few ladies that want to know what it is since they can no longer get it from BnB since they closed their doors. Just thought I'd ask.
Thanks hun, :)

Play Days Dolls · Guru

I'm touched by the compliments on our forum, and grateful to be able to be a part of it. We have a great forum because we have the most wonderful members, and Pat--the best moderator ever. She's always helpful, caring, and fair.

While it's our job to promote Secrist products, we strive to provide answers to as many reborning questions as possible. We are so lucky to have a group of the nicest, brightest, and friendliest members.

Thanks to Stephanie for weighing in with the excellent advice! The fact that she's here should tell you this forum is special. For those who don't know, Stephanie is an award-winning reborn artist, and sculptor. And she's here... helping our members!

Duh... I have a lot to learn, too. I have been mixing colors and thinners for a long time, but it didn't dawn on me to give this advice to avoid the chalkies.

Linda

keyslammer · Member

I am just SO excited to have found you all. I mean it, I really am. I appreciate all the advice offered just on this one topic and I myself have learned from it. In my post I mentioned "that was the only thing I was doing wrong"....hey, don't get me wrong here. I am NOT perfect and obviously you are doing something wrong when your babies come out looking like Don King on a bad hair day. Yep, the rooting was my hardest thing to learn and it still takes me FOREVER to root, but it's gorgeous when I finish. I found this really cool thing at the beauty supply. I believe they call it a mannequin head holder. It has a vice grip thingy on one end that you clamp it to your work surface. Then what I do is use a pant hose filled with rice and put it in the doll head and then use this when I'm rooting. It pivots and is just wonderful.

Steph, thanks so much for the flesh color tip. I will SURE try that on the baby I am starting tomorrow.

(((dolly hugs)))
D

sara zata · Guru

Well Steph, It is nice to meet you also. As pat said we are a lucky group of reborners and to have someone with your talent, means the world to us all here. XXXXX June

-- Edited by sara zata on Thursday 23rd of September 2010 01:05:02 PM

Buffington · Guru

Thanks Linda *blush*, you're not to shakey either on reborning and advice. :)

If you're having problems with rooting, or don't know the proper way to root, Secrist has a good DVD by Stephanie on it. Otherwise, I think she created a book and sells it on her Hunny Buns website. (I can mention her site here because she is also a Secrist dealer).

Except for a once in a while person, everyone here in forum is great. Both with advice and asking questions. And no one is afraid to either ask or tell. No well kept secrets here! And Steph does pop in once in a while to give answers too. Thanks again Steph!

KristisCuties · Veteran Member

I had the same problem with my first baby, then I read about less is more. I now make sure my paint is about the consistency of watercolor paint. The results are wonderful. The people on here have helped me tremendously!

keyslammer · Member

All you gals are tremendous. I am SO happy to have found this forum. Goodness knows I have dealt with Secrist supplies since day one, but I just recently found the forum. I appreciate each and every one of you who are willing to help others with honest information. I was lead down MANY a wrong path during my learning. Don't get me wrong, even after reborning a long time I still learn something with each doll. wink

keyslammer · Member

You should SEE my first baby. heehee My husband, being the kind of man who is honest to a flaw, knew how hard I worked on that doll but when I showed my finished product to him he smiled and said, "Is it SUPPOSED to look like that"? LOL

Buffington · Guru

Husbands are funny like that sometimes hehehe

MARYBEA01 · Newbie

If the paint doesn't look completely removed should I keep applying thinner? Your advise in starting with 07 paint is great!! I think my (Chaulky) days are over...Thanks a million...........Marybea01

Buffington · Guru

MARYBEA01 wrote:

...If the paint doesn't look completely removed should I keep applying thinner?...........Marybea01

Hello and welcome to our family forum! :)

Let me ask you... what do you mean by "completely removed"? Do you mean the chalkies? I don't want to give you the wrong advice :o

And have you used our "search" feature at the top of the forum page? It's wonderful. All you have to do is put in your word (ie: chalkies, etc) and it will bring up all the topics where people have posted about it. I think chalkies are one of the most questioned ones. Give it a go if you haven't already hun.

HUGS