New baby painted!

Be still my heart! 

I've had this Celebration of Life Emily (2004/Ashton Drake/Linda Webb) for well over a year now and decided to paint here while I waited for the prototypes to arrive.  I do have a mission...I am taking Evon Nather's painted hair class at the Down East Doll Show so I needed a head to paint while in the class.  She is the perfect candidate for painted hair since her head is ROCK hard.  There is absolutely NO give in her head at all, or in her eye sockets!  Putting her eyes in is very hard work.   She appears to be one of those that have the inner hard shell between the silicone/vinyl layers.  

Ah yes, silicone/vinyl.  How do you paint that stuff?  

In the past, the best paint of choice for silicone/vinyl was Genesis Heat Set Paints. 

That creates a problem for silicone/vinyl dolls as in the past, many have developed the "bumpy head syndrome".  I believe it is caused by both the repetitive heating of the vinyl and the rooting.  

But nothing really sticks to the silicone/vinyl, so what is one to do?  

In 2009, I did an experiment with a silicone/vinyl Ashton Drake/Linda Webb Emily head on Alex limbs.  I first coated the doll with Genesis Matte Varnish and then painted her with LDC air dry paints...yes this is where I first realized this can be done and have created almost all of my dolls since using this technique.  

I love the more natural colors of the LDC paints and, with that Emily doll, I won the 2009 Tiny Treasures Reborn of the year award, the best rooting award and the People's Choice award.  

This technique turns out amazing on these dolls and I am so thrilled with the new one.  I've not named her yet.  She painted up so very well~she was a real pleasure to work on (except for inserting eyes!!!).

 I have added textured hair and brow/facial hair stokes using the Genesis Matte Varnish will look amazing under the painted hair:

I will give this little girl some delicate rooted lashes and get her glossing details done.  She might be my carry-on baby on my flight to NC. 

Tomorrow starts my weekend days off to which we are going to the city for shopping, but I'll pop in on Friday to share a little more of Brittany.  :)

Hugs!