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Step Five: Details
A lot of people have trouble with the eyebrows, nails and eyelashes, but with practice they become like second nature. You can do these steps before or after the hair.
First, we'll do the eyebrows. I use two methods, an eyebrow pencil or oil paint. The easiest way is to use an eyebrow pencil in a coordinating shade - a medium brown can work for many shades of hair. You have to use an eyebrow pencil that has a pretty hard point ... if it's too soft, your lines will be way too thick. To use oil paint, you'll need a small brush (I use a size 0) and paint in the appropriate color thinned slightly with linseed oil. You will dip only the very tips of the brush in the paint. Both the eyebrow pencil and the oil paint will soak into the vinyl, making sealers unnecessary, but the oil paint is more delicate and takes longer to soak in.
The above photo shows an eyebrow done with an eyebrow pencil. It also shows rooted eyelashes (instructions on Rooting page).
The above photo shows eyebrows done with oil paint and a brush. It also shows applied eyelashes (instructions further down the page).
Start at the inside of the eye, making your first line directly above the inside corner of the eye on the browbone. Draw very thin lines with quick flicks of your hand, following the browbone and arching down at the outside. It is important for both the pencil and the brush to keep your touch light, or the lines will be too thick. Remember, eyebrows (especially baby ones) get thinner at the outside. If you have difficulty getting them even, use a spoon as a guide. Look at photos of real babies for inspiration because it's hard to remember what a baby's eyebrows look like if there isn't one in front of you.
If you are using the pencil method, smudge the brows slightly with a Q-tip and add back in a few strokes. This gives them a more three-dimensional look. If you are using the paint method, you may want to let the eyebrows dry a bit and then dab them *very* gently with a makeup sponge, but I only recommend this if you feel the eyebrows are too dark/pronounced because it smudges the paint a bit and if you are a perfectionist like me, you'll have to redo it! The paint method is good because it gives you a broader range of color possibilities, and you can easily wipe the eyebrows off completely if you mess up. On that same note, painted eyebrows will need much longer to dry. Once you are satisfied with them, set the head aside and let it dry overnight, maybe longer.
Next, it's time for the finger and toenails. Gather your supplies: fine-tip paintbrush (again a size 0); glass paint sealer, gloss and white glass paint; toothpicks and a paper towel. First, paint the nails with the sealer. This helps the paint adhere to the nail. The sealer dries very quickly, so you're ready right away to paint.
The best brushes for nails taper to a very fine tip at the end. Dip your brush in the white paint; it should be white with paint but not dripping. It's easiest to paint a straight line if you're holding the limb against yourself or the arm of the chair, table etc. so it is steady. Drag the brush along the very edge of the nail. If you really messed up, wipe it all off right away because this stuff dries fast. If you messed up just a little, try straightening the line up with your fingernail or a toothpick. It's worth saying again - this stuff dries fast, so don't wait to fix the nail or it's there for good. Do this on all the fingers and toes, then go back with the gloss to seal it. This glass paint is the best method I've found for the nails because it is very tough to scratch once it's dry.
I use this same glass paint for the lips. You can leave the lips natural and just give them a wet look with the gloss, or you can choose a natural shade or mix shades and carefully paint over the color that is already on the lips, then gloss. I don't remove the original lip paint because it is good to use as a guide for your new lip color.
For eyelashes you have two options -- rooted or applied. For sleeping face dolls, I prefer to root the lashes; for awake dolls I prefer applied. If you are rooting the hair, it is simple to take some of the leftover mohair and use it for lashes. I will address this in the rooting section.
For applied lashes, you'll need toothpicks, cooking oil or your linseed oil, E6000 glue, a pair of lashes, small scissors, a paintbrush and your glass paint gloss. Peel one lash strip off the tray and hold it against the eye to see if any needs to be cut off. The end of the strip with longer hairs needs to be toward the outside of the eye. If the lash strip is too long, cut a little off one end -- don't cut off too much because you can't get it back! You can always cut off more if it still doesn't fit. When the strip is the right length, cut the other strip to the same length. Make sure you cut from the same end on both (shorter hairs or longer hairs), so they will match.
Apply glue to the inside of the upper eyelid near the eye with a toothpick. Lay the lashes across the eye and dip another toothpick in oil (to keep the lashes and glue from sticking to it). Use the toothpick to push the lash strip up as close as you can to the space between the eye and the lid. Make sure it is even and not overlapping one side of the eye. Leave the eye to dry and apply the lashes to the other eye.
Now dip your small paintbrush in the gloss and apply it to the surface of the eyes, brushing it along the bottom edge of the lashes, too. Try to get as smooth a surface as possible; sometimes this is most easily accomplished if you don't do too much brushing - after a moment, let the gloss settle across the eye. It will smooth itself out this way instead of having brush marks.
The gloss will add a moist glint of realism to your baby's eye, and it will also help hold the eyelashes in place. But the eyelashes are still delicate and should be handled carefully.
© 2004 Kristin Walters
At this point, the path diverges. If you would like to make a doll with rooted hair, click here. If you would like to make a doll with a wig, click here.
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