Q: Paint or Watercolor Pencil?

I want to start getting myself involved in customizing my doll, planning to get a DDH06 for my first face up attempt. I've searched for a few and asked a friend, seems like there's two options for DD face up, paint and watercolor pencil... hmm

 

I'm sure I am more familiar with the painting method, that's what they did on Youtube (lol). But watercolor pencils sounds great as well! It'll surely make things easier for me. My question is, can watercolor pencil achieve quite the same quality/effect as paint job for a finishing result? Which method do you often use? Which do you think you prefer?

 

Doing face up on dolls is something I've passioned about, now I have all the time I need I can't wait to get started! As I might get serious over this (haha) what should be the best method for the long run?

 

*Oh and I would be grateful if you could attach some example/comparison of these two face up methods.

The pencils will not get the same effect as paint. Also you need to be careful because your sealant can activate the watercolor and it will bubble or smudge and not end up even. I have used both methods and paint used with proper thinner always gets the best most quality results.

The pencils will not get the same effect as paint. Also you need to be careful because your sealant can activate the watercolor and it will bubble or smudge and not end up even. I have used both methods and paint used with proper thinner always gets the best most quality results.

 

Hi, thanks for your response really appreciate it. May I know how did you start out as a newbie? Watercolor pencil or paint? Also may I know more about this proper thinner you're talking about? Thanks.

Personally, I'm a bit odd: I use the watercolor pencils to sketch out/plan the faceup, because I can "erase" with some water, and then use paint for the final faceup. I also use ground-up pastels and/or micah powder for things like blush, eyeshadow, and lips.

Personally, I'm a bit odd: I use the watercolor pencils to sketch out/plan the faceup, because I can "erase" with some water, and then use paint for the final faceup. I also use ground-up pastels and/or micah powder for things like blush, eyeshadow, and lips.

 

I don't think that's odd at all, some people prefer to sketch first to foresee the look they want. That exactly what I'll be doing even if I decide to opt for paint. Where can have a peek at your face up work?

 

Thanks for the input!

I follow mostly same Poofiemus steps too for my faceups : layer of sealant first , then a rough sketch (very lightly) with watercolour pencils of the eyebrows and eyelashes and then paint over with acrylics (which I simply thin with water) , I don't really like the "texture" pencils, strokes leave on the doll, I find it's too much not "neat" for my tastes while I prefer a more neat look for my faceup's painted parts.

 

Being an illustrator with a preference for painting medias I admit i'm more comfortable using paints and a brush , tought usually people prefer the opposite as a start

Personally, I'm a bit odd: I use the watercolor pencils to sketch out/plan the faceup, because I can "erase" with some water, and then use paint for the final faceup. I also use ground-up pastels and/or micah powder for things like blush, eyeshadow, and lips.

 

I don't think that's odd at all, some people prefer to sketch first to foresee the look they want. That exactly what I'll be doing even if I decide to opt for paint. Where can have a peek at your face up work?

 

Thanks for the input!

 

I've done faceups on two of my girls, and body blushing on a resin dragon.

Agatha, where you can see how my faceup style evolved:

Abby Normal, my newest faceup:

Tachyon, the Cuartos Darkhorn I blushed:

 

I also intend to redo Miku's faceup, because she needs to show her sassyness more, but that won't be happening for a couple months at least because life is piling it on hard and fast right now. (Nothing bad/disastrous, but uuuuugh so busy)

I follow mostly same Poofiemus steps too for my faceups : layer of sealant first , then a rough sketch (very lightly) with watercolour pencils of the eyebrows and eyelashes and then paint over with acrylics (which I simply thin with water) , I don't really like the "texture" pencils, strokes leave on the doll, I find it's too much not "neat" for my tastes while I prefer a more neat look for my faceup's painted parts.

 

Being an illustrator with a preference for painting medias I admit i'm more comfortable using paints and a brush , tought usually people prefer the opposite as a start

 

What's your first impression about painting a DD head? I'm nervous I might screw up the lines I have shaky hands when it comes to work on something so delicate.. I do agree with you, I do think I prefer the neat look on painted faces without the textures.

 

I've done faceups on two of my girls, and body blushing on a resin dragon.

Agatha, where you can see how my faceup style evolved:

Abby Normal, my newest faceup:

Tachyon, the Cuartos Darkhorn I blushed:

 

I also intend to redo Miku's faceup, because she needs to show her sassyness more, but that won't be happening for a couple months at least because life is piling it on hard and fast right now. (Nothing bad/disastrous, but uuuuugh so busy)

 

Thank you so much for the links. I can sorta feel your enjoyment to be able to paint for your doll yourself. To me it helps bonding myself more to my doll, it doesn't have to perfect, just knowing that I painted her myself made it so special. That's why I want to do this badly, my vision of how I want my doll to look like is different from how people want her to look like, they made it close at times but they don't fully understand what I want. As an artist myself, I couldn't settle down having to send my DD head for a commission and then wait for months to get her home. Not to mention, the more money you will have to invest and the wait is a killer. Done this once, literally about a month ago for my first DD and I've had it.

 

What's your first impression about painting a DD head? I'm nervous I might screw up the lines I have shaky hands when it comes to work on something so delicate.. I do agree with you, I do think I prefer the neat look on painted faces without the textures.

 

For me even the first time it was pretty , dunno, relaxing, i have not a lot of time lately to illustrate or just doodle so painting heads for my girls and for others it's kind of a surrogate to draw, i think the most difficult thing is getting simmetry and if you have shaky hands is to try to have straight lines (in my case my main problem is with the symmetry of the the eyebrows more than anything else for example ) , obviously there's always the scary feeling "oh and if i stain the doll?" and when you mod you start to fear to ruin the head, that's why is better to start off with standard heads, if something goes wrong at least you won't be sorry for have "ruined" or stained a limited head (even if with stains you can always buy products to threat them and destain the pieces)

I think you can get a good result using both. The key, especially in the case of watercolor pencils, is layering: draw the first layer, seal, then go over that same layer again to make it darker, seal, go over again etc until you get the desired effect.

 

It's mainly a matter of personal preference - pencils give you a softer look, whereas paints will give you a cleaner look.

 

The only problems I've ever had with pencils and sealant is if you hold the head too close to the nozzle of your sealant-spraying mechanism. Otherwise, no issues.