Dollfie eye modification question

Hi!

I am going to be buying a new DD soon and with the customisation I was considering modifying the DDH-07 face to have slightly smaller eyes, I have seen hemi's doll room on youtube use a method where she uses cut vinyl from the back of the doll head and uses a soldering iron to melt the vinyl and modify the eye holes smaller, she does this in this video here. Now I am aware melting vinyl can produce fumes (i have an adequate respirator) but I wanted to know your thoughts on this method because I like the results and the fact that I wouldn't have to repaint the head like you would with epoxy clay.

I have also seen a face-up artist on instagram use a UV resin from BOOTH japan that is colour matched to the dollfie heads, this would be my second option if I buyee does indeed ship UV resin to where I live.

Has anyone here used or seen these methods and have any thoughts on them :D Thank you

If you want smaller eyes, I think it would be easiest to buy a version with closed eyeholes and then just cut out less.

I haven’t ever done an eye mod myself, so please take what I say with a grain of salt.  Also, apologies for the infodump 😅

 

Getting a closed-eye DD head is definitely the way to go if you’re doing a completely flat eye mod—like a sleeping face or winking one, or one where there’s no eye behind the lid.  If you’re doing a partially lidded eye, it might not be the best because of the way the eye fits.  The dome shape of the eye can press against the closed eyelid bit the head comes with, which causes stress on the added material you used to complete the mod.  This might cause the mod to weaken or crack.  However, you could make your own eyes with a flatter surface to prevent this issue, and some eyes might not be an issue at all.

 

I think the main thing to keep in mind about the first method you mentioned, the melting vinyl to the head with a soldering iron way, is that it can create air pockets.  This can be problematic when sanding the eye mod.  A good majority of the pockets can be eliminated by thoroughly melting the surface vinyl and the vinyl pieces, and by generally being very careful about the process.  You’ll also need to be careful about not burning the vinyl and vinyl discoloration.  Some have found that DD flesh/fresh color discolors more easily than DD semi-white, but experiences can differ.  Cleaning the tip of the iron frequently while working can help prevent burns and discoloration.

 

Another way to do an eye mod, similar to the UV resin way, is to use Gaianotes instant color putty.  

Flesh color: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10772010

White color: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10771983

You’ll need an accelerator for it since it dries extremely slow.  Similar to UV resin, you slowly work in layers to build up the lid and get an end result that’s similar to the color of the head.  Mixing a 1:1 ratio of fresh and white putty makes a color similar to DD semi-white; DD flesh is more difficult to get, and might involve a broader range of colors.  Tsutomu Ch on YouTube has a few videos on it (English subtitles are available for both):

(Matching to DD Semi-White)

(Matching to DD Flesh)

This channel also has videos on using soldering irons and UV resin for eye mods, so you might find them useful for other methods too.

 

Final note, UV resin matching DD colors is also available on Taobao.  I’m not sure if you’ll be able to get it shipped to your location, but it’s another resource.  Link here