Applying Genesis Matte Varnish

Recently, I have had a lot of people ask me how to apply Genesis Matte Varnish~so here is how I do it:

Use the Genesis Matte Varnish (GMV) at FULL strength. Soften it up by putting some on a small plate and stirring it well with a stir stick (Popsicle stick).

OPTION 1: (This option creates a lot of texture~both visual and physical) Use a small, dark gray paint sponge-brush as found in the craft section at Walmart or in the painting isle of any hardware store and even Walmart. Spread the GMV on the plate in a way that you will be able to just grab a bit of GMV with the end of the sponge-brush. Dab the sponge-brush into the edge of the GMV to pick up just a little bit of it.

POUNCE it onto the your doll parts working in 6" sections. Use a stiff paint brush to pounce apply the GMV into the area around the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, fingers, toes, creases and folds. Even the GMV out by using a clean make-up wedge and POUNCING the varnish into the vinyl. Use a dry brush to POUNCE the areas where you applied the GMV with a brush. Be sure to leave some texture and NEVER rub GMV with the wedge. GMV will shine if you rub or brush it during this stage.

Change your make-up wedges frequently! Once the wedge is saturated it does not work well so change them often. (this is true in painting too~so don't skimp on those wedges!) I buy my wedges at the Dollar Tree store. Buy wedges that do not have any vitamin E or other oils on them.

Watch for hairs and lint as you work and use toothpicks to remove them.

The process of coating a doll with GMV takes about 2+ hours per doll for me. It is time intense but I love the results of it.

Once each piece is coated, set it aside to air dry a bit on a drying rack made of pegs. (I use a Pampered Chef Stone Ware drying rack but many ladies use a baby bottle drying rack~anything with pegs/dowels to invert your limbs onto~the head can just sit aside on its own)

When all the parts are coated, set them on a cookie tray lined with a clean towel or receiving blanket on the bottom and a small bassinet sheet on the top. (The sheet keeps lint away from your wet parts)

Turn on the fan over your stove and crack a window if you can. This will allow a bit of protection for you and your family as the vinyl bakes.

Bake at 275 degrees F for 9 minutes, turn the parts over and bake an additional 5 minutes. If there is any moisture on the parts at all, allow them to bake a few more minutes and watch them close.

Remove from the oven when done and move the parts to a cooling area just to take them off the hot tray.

If you are using Genesis Paints, the GMV would be the final coat to your paint job.

If using the Little Dreams Collection (LDC) or any other air dry paints, the GMV would go right onto the vinyl before any painting is done. Be sure that the vinyl is cool after baking in the GMV before painting begins.

OPTION 2: (This option uses less Genesis Matte Varnish and minimizes both the visual and physical texture to the vinyl) Soften a small amount of Genesis Matte Varnish (GMV) on a small plate using a stir stick. Apply the varnish to the vinyl using a large paint brush, such as a 5/8 Angular Shader. Brush the GMV thinly onto the vinyl as if you are painting it. You will see that this method uses a lot less GMV.

Brush it onto the your doll parts working in 6" sections. Be sure to brush the GMV into the area around the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, fingers, toes, creases and folds. Even the GMV out by using a clean make-up wedge and POUNCING the varnish into the vinyl. Use a dry brush to POUNCE the the creases, folds and small areas. Be sure to leave some texture and NEVER rub GMV with the wedge. GMV will shine if you rub or brush it during this stage.

Change your make-up wedges frequently! Once the wedge is saturated it does not work well so change them often. (this is true in painting too~so don't skimp on those wedges!) I buy my wedges at the Dollar Tree store. Buy wedges that do not have any vitamin E or other oils on them.

Watch for hairs and lint as you work and use toothpicks to remove them.

The process of coating a doll with GMV takes about 2+ hours per doll for me. It is time intense but I love the results of it.

Once each piece is coated, set it aside to air dry a bit on a drying rack made of pegs. (I use a Pampered Chef Stone Ware drying rack but many ladies use a baby bottle drying rack~anything with pegs/dowels to invert your limbs onto~the head can just sit aside on its own)

When all the parts are coated, set them on a cookie tray lined with a clean towel or receiving blanket on the bottom and a small bassinet sheet on the top. (The sheet keeps lint away from your wet parts)

Turn on the fan over your stove and crack a window if you can. This will allow a bit of protection for you and your family as the vinyl bakes.

Bake at 275 degrees F for 9 minutes, turn the parts over and bake an additional 5 minutes. If there is any moisture on the parts at all, allow them to bake a few more minutes and watch them close.

Remove from the oven when done and move the parts to a cooling area just to take them off the hot tray.

If you are using Genesis Paints, the GMV would be the final coat to your paint job.

If using the Little Dreams Collection (LDC) or any other air dry paints, the GMV would go right onto the vinyl before any painting is done. Be sure that the vinyl is cool after baking in the GMV before painting begins.

Happy varnishing!