Temporary Tattoos

Wasn't sure where to post this, but here it goes...

I've seen dolls with what look like temp tattoos.  I've seen some really cute ones I might consider putting on one or two of my dolls, BUT does anyone know if this might damage the vinyl?  I can see it making a stain of some sort that would be difficult to remove maybe, but wondering about more serious damage being done.

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1137764235/07d-bear-cartoon-temporary-tattoo-animal?click_key=6adce087cd9a5ee1cc0bf93fb2f23bffe24c9543%3A1137764235&click_sum=eb7f0308&ref=user_profile&frs=1

8 hours ago, Vickie386 said:

I can see it making a stain of some sort that would be difficult to remove maybe, but wondering about more serious damage being done.

It's possible that they won't work on vinyl the way they do on skin, but I doubt more serious damage can result from temp tattoos. You could always test by using a readily replaceable part like a bust or a hand. Any dye or pigment does have the potential to stain.

Keep in mind that the human sized temp tattoos are are going to be huge on a DD, so if you really want her to have a tattoo it might be easiest to have a faceup artist paint the tattoo on. They can seal the doll and the work, but stain treatment for that part will require removing the sealant and the tattoo.

You can apply decals to a DD without causing them harm, so you might look for something along those lines too. You may want to finish with a sealant to help protect the work.

Search Etsy for: Nail Art Decals

Those should be a good size for dolls and the selection is probably huge.

You can look up modelers videos on applying decals and they should talk about a chemical agent used to keep the decal wet and make it move easily while you position it, and also a fixing agent that makes it look less like a decal and more like a painted surface. I know from personal experience that those are safe on resins, but I'd probably suggest testing them on a hand on a DD. For nail art decals I'm sure they normally have clear nail-polish added over them, but for a DD tattoo you'd be using something like matte MSC. MSC is made for modelers, so it should be safe for decals.

You might want to get an extra part for the tattooing that only gets used when the tattoo is visible and swap that part on when she's wearing that type of outfit. That way her tattoo won't get rubbed off by clothing and accessories while it's hidden underneath.

I've put temp tattoos on dolls with little issue so far - if you're concerned, apply a couple layers of MSC before putting the tattoo on, and it should be good! A layer of MSC after the tattoo will help keep it on. I don't think they're all that different from waterslide decals honestly.

2 hours ago, BeyondTime said:

It's possible that they won't work on vinyl the way they do on skin, but I doubt more serious damage can result from temp tattoos. You could always test by using a readily replaceable part like a bust or a hand. Any dye or pigment does have the potential to stain.

Keep in mind that the human sized temp tattoos are are going to be huge on a DD, so if you really want her to have a tattoo it might be easiest to have a faceup artist paint the tattoo on. They can seal the doll and the work, but stain treatment for that part will require removing the sealant and the tattoo.

You can apply decals to a DD without causing them harm, so you might look for something along those lines too. You may want to finish with a sealant to help protect the work.

Search Etsy for: Nail Art Decals

Those should be a good size for dolls and the selection is probably huge.

You can look up modelers videos on applying decals and they should talk about a chemical agent used to keep the decal wet and make it move easily while you position it, and also a fixing agent that makes it look less like a decal and more like a painted surface. I know from personal experience that those are safe on resins, but I'd probably suggest testing them on a hand on a DD. For nail art decals I'm sure they normally have clear nail-polish added over them, but for a DD tattoo you'd be using something like matte MSC. MSC is made for modelers, so it should be safe for decals.

You might want to get an extra part for the tattooing that only gets used when the tattoo is visible and swap that part on when she's wearing that type of outfit. That way her tattoo won't get rubbed off by clothing and accessories while it's hidden underneath.

Awesome information!  Thanks so much.  I've put temp tattoos on some of my resin dolls, but for some reason was more hesitant to do it to my vinyl dolls.  I've found some really cute smaller tattoos, so yay!  Maybe I'll even figure out how to post pics.   

36 minutes ago, Oculae said:

I've put temp tattoos on dolls with little issue so far - if you're concerned, apply a couple layers of MSC before putting the tattoo on, and it should be good! A layer of MSC after the tattoo will help keep it on. I don't think they're all that different from waterslide decals honestly.

Thanks so much for the info and advice. I'm ready "to tattoo" one of my girls and see what happens 🤪

Thanks for this info.  I was wondering how to give one of my girls a tattoo while at work today and this was perfect.