Face-up critique, thank you

I need tips and opinions how to make a better face-up these for these two DDH-03. I put comparison pics with Volks's limited edition heads because I want be to able to do faceup more like the ones in Volks's heads (thin clear lines with less lashes).

 

First up is my heavily modded normal skin DDH-03. I want her to have a happy expression with no saddness in. DDH-03 mold makes it hard to accomplish ^^; She's goign to be a red-headed spirit of a tree when she's finished.

 

 

This white DDh-03 suffers from orange stains around her eyes :/ I'm not sure if it's that or too much dark around her eyes, but she looks like she cried and her overall impression is too dark. If Volks would make white skin Yukino I propably wouldn't even try to paint standard head... I would like her faceup to be sweet, but I seem to lack insight how to make a faceup like that.

 

I've used the smallest and finest brush I could find but I can't paint thin and steady lines. Do you think a crow quill would work when doing a faceup? I used masking tape stencil to make the eyebrow

For thin lines, I start with a sharp watercolor pencil. It's easy to erase with a wet q-tip and make the line thinner as needed. Often it takes several tries to get a good line. On top of that, I carefully paint with a tiny brush. With the brush it helps to do lots of practice strokes, making sure the paint consistency is good and the brush fibers are holding together and flexing correctly. Once the practice looks right, then I attack the head.

 

However, it is possible to do it all with watercolor pencil, it just requires a couple layers of spraying and building up the line to make it feel solid.

 

It's more of a traditional BJD style, but I found these videos really helpful:

For thin lines, I start with a sharp watercolor pencil. It's easy to erase with a wet q-tip and make the line thinner as needed. Often it takes several tries to get a good line. On top of that, I carefully paint with a tiny brush. With the brush it helps to do lots of practice strokes, making sure the paint consistency is good and the brush fibers are holding together and flexing correctly. Once the practice looks right, then I attack the head.

 

However, it is possible to do it all with watercolor pencil, it just requires a couple layers of spraying and building up the line to make it feel solid.

 

I have watercolor pencils so I could try those. How do you get acrylic paint consistency to stay good? What do you use for that? Water just makes the paint thinner and without water the paint dries in minutes to clotty.

 

The sealant spray is difficult that I don't have well ventilated space to use it. I can only spray one coat or the whole apartment stinks and I get a sore throat. To use spray outside I have to wait till May.

there is a faceup pen from wolks (maybe its similar to your water pens??) ...thats awesome to draw similar eyebrowns ...

 

which brushes do you use? ^^

And what do you use for the shadows? ^^

 

I use color with water... its thinner but its better to handle with ^^ ...

(and by the way i make a lot color away from the brush ... (will upload a pic in a few minutes how this looks like xD) ... and than I make a smaaaaaaall thin line on the part i want to paint ... even when i am sure its nice i use more color ...

 

(look at the first post, scroll down XD... the beeeeaaaauuuutyyyyful thumb XDDD)

 

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1743&p=28514#p28514

there is a faceup pen from wolks (maybe its similar to your water pens??) ...thats awesome to draw similar eyebrowns ...

 

which brushes do you use? ^^

And what do you use for the shadows? ^^

 

I use color with water... its thinner but its better to handle with ^^ ...

(and by the way i make a lot color away from the brush ... (will upload a pic in a few minutes how this looks like xD) ... and than I make a smaaaaaaall thin line on the part i want to paint ... even when i am sure its nice i use more color ...

 

(look at the first post, scroll down XD... the beeeeaaaauuuutyyyyful thumb XDDD)

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1743&p=28514#p28514

 

I love the faceups you do! Leni is beautiful. I think I understand what you mean by brushing most of the color of the brush (and everybody's finger have elephant skin in close-ups). I still haven't got the hang how to do it so I would have paint left in the brush ^^; Must practice more I guess.

 

I'll take a picture of paints and pastels and stuff I have used for faceup tomorrow.

 

Finally had time to take a picture in daylight. Evil is the citadel colour I used in my first face-up try, that stained my doll heads bright orange.

My older heads are stained too (￣^￣)ゞ... Its only removable with sanding it down T_T ugly work... I hated it >_< ... I tried to remove it with zit, but it dosent work much good T_T

 

You material looks good i think, the only tip i can

give is: give you a lot of time when you do, dont be hectically ... Hear soft music or something similar, so that your pulse come down and your breath be flat... And even when you make a line, stop breathing ^.~ ... Thats how i do my faceups xD ...

You material looks good i think, the only tip i can

give is: give you a lot of time when you do, dont be hectically ... Hear soft music or something similar, so that your pulse come down and your breath be flat... And even when you make a line, stop breathing ^.~ ... Thats how i do my faceups xD ...

 

Next time I'll try that and painting only in bright daylight.

My older heads are stained too (￣^￣)ゞ... Its only removable with sanding it down T_T ugly work... I hated it >_< ... I tried to remove it with zit, but it dosent work much good T_T

 

You material looks good i think, the only tip i can

give is: give you a lot of time when you do, dont be hectically ... Hear soft music or something similar, so that your pulse come down and your breath be flat... And even when you make a line, stop breathing ^.~ ... Thats how i do my faceups xD ...

It is very helpful hearing suggestions like this. I've been a bit terrified of when I get around to painting Tamayuki's face, I just don't want to mess up and have him get upset at me or have him not look like himself anymore.

 

I keep telling myself that I can take one of his pictures and doodle all over his face in Illustrator without any worries about damaging him, but I have yet to do it. His face as it is, I love it, but even the blankness frustrates me when I go to photograph him. Am I the only person to feel a bit strange about 'building' on another person's work (the face sculpt)? That's so like me...

 

~Sister Kyoya