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Step Two: Base Color
*I am relying less and less on dye and more on oil paint to enhance the color of the vinyl, but it does take more of an artistic eye and more practice to get the oil paint right. If you would prefer to skip the dyeing step, proceed to Step Three*
Now you're ready to dye (that just doesn't sound right if you say it out loud!).
A word of caution: I've never had a problem with bruising before, but some people have found the color gets darker and darker over time (even months later). This can happen with paint OR dye, so the best method is to exercise caution no matter what medium you're using. It's best to get only a hint of color inside the limbs and head to give it more depth and take the orangeness out of the vinyl.
I use short dying times and mauve dye (because it's a nice, medium shade) to prevent bruising. Stick to lighter shades of dye - no purple! Remember, you'll be adding color to the outside later with oil paint; the dye is just to help get the orange tone out of the vinyl and provide a more natural base color. For a fair-skinned look, I sometimes use country blue dye first (for 30-45 seconds), then mauve. It gives a really nice, faint look like real veins under the skin, but you have to be VERY careful not to overdo it.
First, make sure you have something on top of your counter to protect it from dye drips and rings and to use as a drying station for your parts. A large piece of cardboard works great. Also keep paper towels handy to quickly wipe up any spills or drips on the counter or body parts. You might also want to have some bleach nearby in case some drips make it to the counter or floor. You might even try a bit of bleach on the doll part if a drip gets on it - I can't guarantee that will work, though. Be very careful not to get drips on the doll, and if you do, rinse off immediately. I have tried a dab of bleach on drips and find it works best if done right away.
Take the lid off your bottle of mauve dye and put it in the microwave. You might want to cover it with a paper towel in case it explodes or splashes, but I've never had a problem with it. Heat the dye for about 30 seconds (the time may be different for different microwaves). Sometimes it makes popping noises from the plastic bottle getting warped, which is no big deal; just keep an eye on it. When you take it out, the bottle will be very warm (and the plastic might be warped), so take it out with a pot holder or paper towel.
Set your timer to 1 minute and pour the dye into one of the limbs up to the indentation (that's all that will show when the doll is assembled). Hold the limb over the sink and set the bottle of dye in the sink with the funnel in the top. When the time is up, pour the dye into the funnel and immediately rinse out the limb with cold water to stop the dyeing action. Do two limbs, then heat the dye back up for about half the time to get it nice and hot again for the next two limbs.
The head takes a little bit different technique because the bottle of dye won't fill up the whole head. Heat up the dye again for 15 seconds and set your timer for 1.5 minutes. Pour the whole bottle of dye inside the head and, being careful to hold the head over the sink, turn it sideways as much as you can without the dye threatening to spill out. Rotate it in this position constantly until the time is up. Watch the dye inside as you go to make sure it is reaching all the areas you want. The top of the head won't be as important because it will be covered with hair. Then pour the dye back into the bottle and rinse the head out thoroughly with cold water.
When all the pieces are dyed, write down the face mold and number (if this is your first baby, and it's a Snookie face, you'll write Snookie #1) and what you did in a notebook. This will help you in the future if you want to recreate a certain skin tone. If you decide the baby needs more color, do another round of dying. If the dye has had virtually no affect, you might do a two-minute round instead of a one-minute next. But think very carefully about what you're doing, especially if you're using a darker color like the country blue. You might even want to let the doll sit overnight before you add anymore dye. You can always add more dye, but you can't take it away if you get the baby too dark.
When you think you're satisfied, give the parts a quick dry and leave them overnight.
© 2004 Kristin Walters
Step Three: Nose and Eyes
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