Comeback after long hiatus!

Whew, finally finished my second semester in uni. Lots of homework, test and project finished, it was pretty tiring but fun especially when making my first miniature apartment room project, but then I have to abandon my doll project for a while.

I'm kinda surprised though that there many people visiting my blog even though I haven't update for a quite long time. Actually I was thinking to delete my blog since it really love to eat my pic and giving me the minus sign. It already happen for fifth time and I'm losing my patience. Imagine, if one day my blog have more than 100 pic and in one night all of them goes poooff! I will be very frustrated with this blog and curse it for taking my time but becoming a pointless blog. It's look more stable now but if it does it again, God know what I will do next.

Enough about my personal problem, we'll back to my doll project.

So I have done my girl faceup, make her wig and the only thing left is making her clothes. But then, I'm really not satisfied with her, the posing, her face aesthetic, skin match, the wig bang cut too short (my fault though), a resin/vinyl hybrid,etc. I don't think she can be one and the only doll since she doesn't hold my expectation.

I'm going to start a new girl project rather than continuing her, but she still stay with me :)

My new project is actually sculpting my own BJD girl!
But first, if anybody have the same idea with me, I encourage you to research first from sculpting to casting into resin if you want to be accepted in forum like Den of Angels.
I already spend almost $100 just for the material like clay, and tools like rotary and sculpting tools. Not only that, if I want to cast into resin, I have to spend more for the resin and silicone mold, which can make a total more than $300 from the start. Good thing that this project is a long term one, around half a year or more, so I can save money while sculpting my girl.

But I still have to research more like BJD joint types, sculpting and casting method, human anatomy and the most important is SKILL, EXPERIENCE & DETERMINATION.

With all of this, it is more wiser to buy a readily made doll, with the same amount of money and shorter time. I also would love to buy doll, but to these day, no doll satisfy me enough since I have to hybrid a doll to get what I want and that is already not a good experience for me. So yeah, I'm doing this sculpting project, even if I'm not sure this girl I made can hold my expectation too.

Here is the body I have sculpted so far

As you can see, this body is still rough, I have to add clay around waist and butt, adding details, making it smooth, I haven't even make the front part yet. After that, I have to cut into 3 part torso, adding the details that lost, make lock, drill a hole, etc. It's take a long a process, especially if you do this cause obligation, not love, it won't be as nice as you think.
I hope I can make this and finish her before new year, wish me luck :)

Mod and Faceup on my first doll head

Because now is rainy season in my country, I have to wait to find the perfect day to spray MSC. My country is usually hot but rain make it more cooler, but the humidity level is too much.
Finally I can finished modding the head and do my first faceup in two days (I'm a slowpoke :P)

I kinda forgot to take the before picture so I just borrow it from parabox.jp photo in the left one.

As you can see, the first thing that obvious is the eyehole. Not only that, I make the eyehole more larger than it should cause I like large-eyed girl (anime style). Also I sand down the cheek as I feel it's a bit pointy, although maybe it still not obvious as I don't sand down too much (obitsu head is made of thin vinyl, so not much mod can be done)


I know that I'm not a pro artist but at least, I feel my faceup is quite decent for first time (self-praise lol). This head has 7 coats of sealant. I was helped by my father in spraying the sealant cause again, I'm not pro in spraying and my father can seal thin and smooth quite well. Even after blushing white to the doll head, it still much pinker than mirodoll body. Guess I'm not lucky enough to get a white yellow-er batch from Obitsu. Not only that, my mirodoll will be yellower than now one day.

I try to make as much detail as possible so in the lashes, you can see the grainy water pencil mark. Also my hand tend to shake, from nervousness I think, so my lines is not the smoothest if you see nearly. But unless I take a close-up photo, it won't be seen to clearly.

I also make a pair of eyeball since I can't find the one that match what I want. Actually, I make my doll based on my character.I'm quite proud with eye too, it look wet and shiny like real eye after using the acrylic gloss. I used like 2-3 coats to make it really shine, even lights is being reflected in the eye.

I wanted to trim my doll hair first too see how match her face with her hair but I already disassemble my doll to sueded and blushed her body, so the wig have to wait. I hope I can finish this faster as holiday will end in 2 weeks and I can't wait to see my favorite character become a 3D model >.<

My first doll wig is finished

Finally my doll wig is finished and have been washed. It took like 4 days (roughly more than 24 hours) for a beginner like me to finish. After making wig, I finally realize why the longer the hair, the pricier the wig. Not too mention quality and wig's style.
But after all the hard work, I'm quite satisfied with the result, although I feel like the hair is not enough especially the weft I get from the actual wig really like to shed lot hair.

Lot of hair >.<

It is really hard to cut the weft from the wig since I have to be careful in cutting the black sewing thread. It was sewn so tight and secure that I have to spent like 2-3 hours just too cut this much.

As you can see in the left, there still so much left that I think I can make another short wig just from the bangs. Maybe later.....

Top of the wig

I forgot to take the cap I used to sew the weft on. I used a black stocking that is more thicker than ordinary stocking since I need a stretchy but strong fabric to sew lot of weft. I read as much tutorial as possible so I won't make mistake. There is a lot in
internet so I picked some method here and there to make a new one lol.

The most hardest part is to make the top of the wig look as natural as possible just like human hair. Some people decide to use hat to  hide the weft or making some floral headband. Lucky that I can hide the weft quite well, but the wig need bangs/fringe. Good thing I actually have designer my girl to have a bang :P

When I finished making the long wig (The wig length is almost the same with my doll wig), I notice a lot of frizz and my wig is not as silky and shiny as before. It is expected cause when I sew the weft, my hand was tangled with hairs several times. Some people say that to remove frizz from synthetic hair is cutting it, but then, I lose the reason to make long wig.

Water spray bottle, hair straightener and comb

Found out how to de-frizz the hair but it has something to do with heat. So I try some hair to test with my hair straightener and good gracious, it is heat-resistant.
I don't use the toothbrush since it will took much time, but make sure you use wide tooth comb like mine, unless you want the hair to shed a lot (I mean it)

Bowl of Hair and Conditioner water

I soak my wig in conditioner overnight, to remove any possible dirt and help to get the shine back. Then I dry it with a towel really slowly and as dry as possible. In 30 minutes, mine already dry thoroughly (depend on your wig though)
After spending time sprayed water, straighten and combed it, it back to the condition where I first received the package, shiny, silky and soft :3

Even if I don't write the before and after, it so obvious which one is. All the frizz has gone. I think my doll can be a shampoo model right now lol


Now that my doll wig have finished, I can move on to another step that is faceup! I won't trim this wig first to ensure that the faceup will match with the wig style and bangs. Can't wait but nervous at the same time as mistake can't be forgiven~

Supplies for BJD Faceup and Basic Care

Now in this post, I'm going to share my basic knowledge about supplies for faceup and need to take care of your BJD, also what and how to use supplies. After you have read this, you may rethink again about getting your own faceup. Here is the list with picture:

My Own Supplies ^^

1. Mr. Super Clear Flat (MSC)

This spray can is used as primer and sealant, important for faceup. There is two types Normal and UV Cut. The difference is UV cut is said to be safe even under sun and slow the yellowing process, it still not recommended for sunlight to your BJD directly though. And make sure to buy Flat instead glossy, unless you like your doll look wet 24/7 hours. I get the UV cut for USD15, the normal one should be a bit cheaper.

2. Mr. Hobby Acrylic Thinner 

To make a clean and consistent line, one must need a thinner to make acrylic paint become thinner but still have it colors. Water can substitute this too, but I find this acrylic thinner that consist of some alcohol works better for paint. I buy this 110ml thinner for around USD6, but it can last for long time.

3. Mr. Hobby Lacquer Thinner

I'm going to use this as "eraser" if I do make mistake when doing faceup. Be careful on using this though, as it can take down the MSC too, so this also can be used if you want to remove all faceup, but some head may be stained too heavily that even this won't help. I buy this little bottle for USD2.5 but actually the smallest you can buy is 50ml which going to cost more.

4. Mr. Hobby Acrylic Gloss
To make something looks glossy and wet, like lips or eye, this is needed too. Put this after MSC sealant so it will look glossy rather than flat. Make the lips and eye look more real and better :) I get this little 10ml for USD 2.5. And please don't use nail polish for substitute, unless you want to ruin your doll.

5.  Water-based Acrylic Paint

Another important supplies, used this to draw the eye shape, eyebrow, lips line, etc. You actually only need some basic color so buying just 12 colors like this one or some specific color (black, brown, white, etc) is quite enough. I have this for quite long time as I'm a design student so not sure about the price, but still quite cheap.

6. Soft Pastel Chalk (Water-based)

This is great for blushing the head and body, to give more touch of realism. After all, our body is not consist of just one color right? Not only that, you can make a different skin tone to match better by blushing. So pastel chalk is a must! :P

7. Paint Brush

Actually, this is a nail-art brush, but since most of the brush is pointy, it can help to make great detail in faceup. This lot have 13 brush in total, but I think I will only going to use 5-6. I get this brush for under USD3 which is very cheap for the great quality and variety.

8. Tissue

Well, I don't need to tell what should you do with tissue. The only thing I can tell is it's great as substitute for makeup sponge to smudge the pastel for blush. And clean your hand from pastel and paint before touching your doll :)

9. Baby wet wipes

This is great to clean little dirt from your doll if you take your doll out and notice there something dirty in the body. Why must baby wipes? other wipes actually can do the same thing but just in case so harmful ingredients won't touch with your resin doll.

10. Magic Eraser

The most popular product in doll world. Not only it clean your product house but also some persistent dirt from your doll. But it also abrasive enough to become a fine sandpaper so be careful of using this.I buy this in Daiso Singapore for SGD2

11. Watercolor pencil

Great for help lines before you start with acrylic paint. With pencil, it's easier to make a steady line and you can make your intended shape without afraid of making mistake, also it soluble with water since it is water color pencil

12. Plastic Glove (not pictured)

I feel that this is actually optional but some people recommend it.  It can help with faceup so your hand won't touch with the head directly and keep it clean, especially if you tend to have oily hand which is not good when touching your doll.

13.  Blu-tack

It almost look like clay that have adhesive properties and since it won't go dry and hard like clay, it is reusable. Mostly used as poster tack, but in BJD world, it is used to attach the eyeball on the head. Make sure you buy a tack that is oil free and if possible white one, in case of staining. Some people also use silicone ear plug as alternative too.

14. Toothbrush

This is not used for brushing your doll teeth lol. It is used to brush some straying hair from your doll wig. Some people also used metal brush, like for pets one, since stray hair caused by static from plastic comb.
Also, use a new one, I know that this should be a common knowledge but sometimes you never know what people might use. It is no good if you find something else beside hair in your doll wig right?

15. Eyelash and Water-Based Glue (not pictured)
Since BJD have similar face to human, every BJD head have eyelash on them as it's natural, even to a BJD man head. Since mine going to be anime-style head, I'm still deciding whether to use one or not as it's quite unsual for anime-style. You can used a regular eyelash , just need to trim it so it won't awfully too long for your doll. And used water-based glue so you can easily take it off if you want to change it.

Warning: You have to use WATER-BASED supplies for your BJD. Why? Cause oil-based is harmful to BJD and only going to wreck your doll. I know it's your doll and you can do whatever you want with it, but once you found out this too late, it will be a heartache and I better advise first.

Also, noticed the price supplies. By buying all of this, it will cost you roughly more than USD25. You should rethink again and maybe getting a factory faceup or commission will be a lot better. Most people going to charge around USD15-50, but remember, not only you pay for the supplies, but you also pay for the skill which you probably don't have at the moment.
But if you like to try for the first time like me, then by all means, get it. As long as you happy, then it will worth it :)


Now that all basic information has covered, I'm going to write my doll project start from DIY project, modding and finishing. The start for my BJD journey :D