Dollieh Sanctuary

So, Reena is my first shot at custom anything. My daughters decided she was no longer lovable because she's a bit of a flop. So now she's my victim. I apologize for the phone photos... I'm too lazy to drag out my Rebel right now.

Honestly, I never intended to continue with her faceup. I aimed to make her my practice doll and re-face her a billion times till I produced something I halfway liked. I started her mostly to do eyes over and over because that seemed like the hardest part (unless you're doing a La Dee Da doll who's lips are so small that they become the pain). But, I kinda like this first attempt at eyes and decided to continue.

After an ill-fated attempt to color in the eye whites AFTER the colored parts had been completed and sealed (remember, I was practicing eyes - if I'd known I'd like them, I'd have painted the white beforehand), I metaphorically flushed all my acrylic paint down the commode and vowed never to use paint again. I'll have to purchase more supplies before I can finish her up, but I'm proud of the progress and wanted to share.

I intend to darken her eyeliner a tad more, add a little black detailing to the brows, color the whites of her eyes (which will cure what seems to be pinkeye poor dear), rework her lips a bit, add a shine to her eyes, gloss, and reroot her with black hair.

Yesterday's work


This morning's work

I have not attempted to do customizing myself yet, but I have a few friends so are dragging me into it slowly. Heh. Your progress on your doll looks good. Now normally for me I am not into the dark make-up, but I like how your colors blend together and how the blue really pops. It's like if I turned off the lights on her, her eyes would glow blue. *smiles*

I have not attempted to do customizing myself yet, but I have a few friends so are dragging me into it slowly. Heh. Your progress on your doll looks good. Now normally for me I am not into the dark make-up, but I like how your colors blend together and how the blue really pops. It's like if I turned off the lights on her, her eyes would glow blue. *smiles*

Wow, she's looking amazing!

Thanks I've always been kinda drawn to the more dark and smokey eye faceups. I'm ready to get her finished up. I'm wondering if I posted this in the wrong place as I see there is a thread for making stuff

She is beautiful! Very nice blushing. Usually, I am not too much of a fan of the heavy smoky eye, but for her it really fits Please keep on putting pictures of your customs! (I have a rather masochistic relationship to pictures like that, I really enjoy seeing the beautiful customs, and then again I am a bit bummed because mine will most likely never live up to my standards XD)

Thanks! If I'm to post more customs as I go alone, you guys are gonna most likely see alot of smokey eyeballs. I apologize in advance I don't actually love the blushing myself. It does look better in person vs these ate up photos though, thank goodness.

And ya know, I never thought I'd be any good at faceups, but I'm rather satisfied with how this chick is turning out. So you never know until you try. Just gotta find out what works for you I suppose. Like I said, the eyes were the scariest bit for me starting out (I was set on just carving those suckers out and using glass eyes), then it turned out that lips were less my strong point than anything. I thought lips were supposed to be the easy part. I'm thinking it's just those ridiculously small lips that threw me for a loop. Plus I need better quality pastels.

This is a FIRST TRY?! You're already crazy good at this! Please don't throw in the towel! I'd love to see her finished. She reminds me of one of those 60s big eyed paintings but in the best of ways (I have a tiny obsession with those paintings even though they freak my family out). So I see you stated pastels and acrylics. I'm new to face ups myself. Which did you use for which parts? And are there any tutorials you recommend?

Thanks! Everything is watercolor pencils except the eye shadow and blush. I use prismacolor pencils and some cheap off brand pastels. I really wanna learn to use acrylic paint but I can't get it right. I'll keep at it though.
I don't really have any specific tutorials to recommend. I looked up a few on YouTube for monster high but it has kinda just been trial and error lol