MH hair problem.

[she_flame]

So, I'll be getting my first MH doll soon, and I have been thinking about customing her quite much. Biggest problem is her hair - or dilemma that should I reroot new hair to her or make a wig?

Pros and cons, anyone? As rerooted hair would not fall off accidentaly, but making wig is easier (to me atleast). Most MH dolls I have seen customized are done with reroots - is there some ohter reson for it besides "that it's hoe original hair was pu on too".

Feel free to remove, if I have put this in wrong area, or direct me somewhere if there is already good convo about this!

[DollyKim]

Here's how I do a needle and thread reroot http://dolfielittles.typepad.com/blog/2 ... eroot.html It's the best I've found for securing the hair in place. You just need to cut the strands twice as long as you want them to end up being because they get folded in half.

Here's a length guide if you're cutting down 38" locks sold by Dolly Hair viewtopic.php?f=13&t=7745

[she_flame]

Thanks! I'll check the links out! ^^

[zirconmermaid]

I think it all depends on what style you are planning to put the doll in. What are you going to do with her?

[she_flame]

I was thinking originally doing ancient egypt -look to her. But now I have been playing with idea of modern punkish look with egyptian influenses.

Anyway, I want to keep the egypt-theme in some level, as I have adored the look since I was a kid.

[she_flame]

I got her home, and decided that I am going to do moder-punk -look to her. And I want to keep some of her head bald, so what would be the best way to hide the holes of original hair? Any help?

[zirconmermaid]

Apoxie Sculpt or other two part epoxy air dry clay. Michaels sells some in small packages marketed by Martha Stewart. http://www.avesstudio.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=80&category_id=7&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1
The super white is best for doing color matching, or you can paint over it. Very useful stuff to have around!

Edit: the cheapo version that I just thought of - Elmers white glue. Pour out a puddle of it, let it set up a bit first and then go for it. You will have to paint over it, though. Tacky glue works too - letting Elmers set turns it into the Tacky glue.

Edit 2: Acrylic Modeling Paste - check your local art store

[she_flame]

Oh, thanks! ^^ I'll have to check, if my local art/hobby stores sell any of these.

[MeltedCaramel]

I know this topic is older, but I figured I would put in my two cents! Okay, for the hair, rerooting can actually be done much easier on an MH doll with the rerooting tool method and Fabri-tac glue inside the head. Dollyhair.com has a tutorial on how to do that as well, and I personally recommend the reroot tool sold by debi255 on Ebay. The Dollyhair.com ones are a bit unwieldy and break more compared to the ones on Ebay. Get the standard size one, the ones for rerooting reborn eyelashes/etc are good for smaller dolls like Volks/Obitsu 1/6 heads that don't have pre-rooted holes, but Monster High heads are huge and can handle thicker plugs, which gives a nice full look. Also, since the Monster High heads are so big they're perfect for squirting some Fabri-tac glue inside! The stuff dries and makes a reroot as secure as the slower "lock" method and the needle and thread method, but to each their own, rerooting is entirely about personal preference!

Now, the bald parts, I assume you're thinking of a design a bit like Venus McFlytrap's? There is a trick that some MH modders use that was discovered quite by accident while boil-perming. They noticed that a strong boil-perm would usually close up the holes for earrings which are much larger than reroot holes. As long as you've been careful with derooting her so she doesn't have GAPING hair holes, some customizers take a hot glue gun, WITHOUT the hot glue in it, and run it over the holes. It seems to seal the surface of the vinyl back together, it doesn't go all the way through but it gives the skin a smooth, hairless look. Now, if you're doing a buzz-cut on any point of her hair, I reccomend that you paint at least that area of her scalp the hair colour you've chosen, and to reroot super thickly (think how the scalp line is rooted, and do that the entire length of the buzz-cut), and when you're done and have secured it by whatever means you want, cut the hair until it's nothing but short bristles so it looks as if the character has gotten...you guessed it, buzz-cut!

I hope this helps a little. I'm sorry I don't have any tutorials handy, this is more of a "tips I've heard from other customizers" type deal.

[she_flame]

Melted Caramel, thanks for the tips. As my Cleo is still Work in Prosess, as you can see, they will come handy. ^^;



I'll probably try to hot-glue gunning to close te holes, and if that doesn't work, I'll try something else. Also, I am planning to re-re-do her face, as the first face up I did to her seems done ugly now (she's been sitting long time like that besides my desk, so I have had lots of time to see all the mistakes on her paint).