Doing Things You 'Shouldn't' Do... And Precautions Taken

[WhiteDove01s]

Preliminary tests are done, and I'd have to say that the answer for a doll with a lot of sentimental value is probably "no, dremel on porcelain doesn't work". The long answer turned out to be more complex than I thought it would.

I'm still prepping the pictures (for some reason, my camera insists on always taking HUGE images that have to be post-processed down to a sane size), because the results are interesting.

The dremel DID actually remove the paint from the test head, and did so even more easily than on any Barbie to date. But it did not do so without affecting the porcelain. I say 'affect' here and not damage because that's where it gets odd. It doesn't feel scratched in any way, it didn't chip or crack (even when I worked dry). But the area I removed the paint from now has a slightly softer/more matte finish that looks just a hair lighter than the surrounding area. I think the color difference is an optical illusion caused by the surface sanding as the color of the porcelain in the head I'm using goes right through the piece. It kind of reminds me of sanding the shiny/hard plastic parts of vinyl dolls to either get them to take paint or blushing or just to remove the 'unnatural' shininess. The area doesn't feel any different to touch than the rest of the doll.

It also means that if a dremel IS used to remove paint from a porcelain doll, the dremel would have to be used over the entire surface, not just the painted part, and then the whole thing followed up with a very fine grit sandpaper (240) to soften the effects. I'm going to continue the experiment and try that on the test head to see if it results in the skin tone looking even again. If so, it'd be a method that /could/ be used on a doll /if/ one wanted that effect on the doll's 'skin'. (I actually kind of like it, it looks more natural somehow.) And I would recommend getting a muggable test doll from a thrift store and trying it at least once, because it really is a kind of cool effect - just not one you might want for your gran's doll, as it's a pretty permanent all-over change...

I'll describe exactly what I did step by step when I get the pics up.

[OkamiKodomo]

Well, my goal is permanent change, so it may still work. I will definitely get a "practice" doll, though, so I can get a feel for how the dremel feels on porcelain. I am no stranger to its use, but I know from experience that different materials feel different. I may actually like the matte effect, that sounds like something right up my alley.

[WhiteDove01s]

*nods* It'd really depend on the effect you're going for. I went ahead and dremeled and then sanded half of the face to see if I could get the effect 'even' over a larger area. It doesn't seem to want to even out too much, though more sanding might make a difference. And it's one of those things that's being a right bleep to photograph. The camera either seems to show it more 'scuffy' than it actually is, or less so. And I'm still not sure what to call how it actually looks... weathered? Sandblasted? Antiqued? It reminds me of this nice set of cocoa mugs I have. (It could also be that I am craving cocoa.)

There are little variations in tone, too, which to me make it look more like real skin (the evil overlord said it looked like it had pores). More follow-up sanding with fine sandpaper might even it out better because the test still looks a little splotchy in spots... but Aunt Flo has arrived, and with her the one time of the month when 'new project' goes from 'Oh, yay!' to 'Oh no' in my head. XD So I'll pick back up with more sanding after she leaves.

This is so far the best picture of what I have. No cracks or chips even when I worked with the head dry, it doesn't feel scuffy, and the unevenness is noticeable but a smidge less pronounced than this in most light. The flash really picks it up. (and, going by the pics I took earlier, less noticeable in sun than indoors, at least according to the camera.) I have a feeling it's one of those effects that just has to be seen in person because a camera is going to be over or under what it is but never actually get it.


I used this dremel head (I tried a sanding one, but not only did it prove very hit-or-miss (mostly miss) with the paint, it also caused the scuffy/matte/strange finish anyway and kept slipping off the little rubber drum) and worked in little circles to try to get the effect as even as possible. Fine white dust is produced so might be a good idea to use a dust mask or scarf tied on. I just worked over the areas with a really light touch until it looked like I'd applied a light dusting of white chalk as even as I could get it, then washed the area. Followed up with 240 grit sandpaper, but as I said before a bit more of that might get the effect more even... I got crampy and had to take a break.


I also found it very tricky to get the last little bit of paint between the lips, and still have a couple missed spots there. I think if I do the other side of the test head to finish up later, the right blushing and faceup will work with the 'odd' result to cause a very natural-looking face. It'll be interesting to try (once Aunt Flo leaves. XD)

[OkamiKodomo]

Seeing as we do the odd resin casting in our home, as well as spraying dollies in our [WELL VENTILATED] bathroom and regular modification projects, we are well-prepared with multiple types of respiratory protection. We have three grades of dust masks for when dealing with assorted dry particles, including two OSHA approved types of filters, and then we each have a half face respirator to deal with the oil and/or aerosol particles and fumes. I also don't wear glasses, so I have a pair of safety goggles as well.

I actually really like the texture, and I am hopeful that I can use the technique on my girl. She really is quite pretty but she needs a real face-up. Originally, she also had a wig made of real hair, but it was so old that the fibers literally crumbled into dust if you so much as breathed on her too hard. And that is not an exaggeration! So I will be looking for a wig for her, probably from Monique. Her dress was also yellowed and stained, so I soaked in Oxyclean, and I plan on giving it a light dye with brown, then making her into a steampunk gal.

[WhiteDove01s]

I actually really like the texture

It's definitely interesting, even if I can't think of the right words to describe it. Thank you, btw, for suggesting this particular experiment. This one has turned out to be a lot of fun, despite not being my usual scale or material.

Originally, she also had a wig made of real hair, but it was so old that the fibers literally crumbled into dust if you so much as breathed on her too hard. And that is not an exaggeration!

I've seen that happen! When cleaning out the back room (and we still haven't gone through everything back there... stuff gets piled on top and we move stuff around... but in this case I mean just when fighting off the area of it affected by a black mold outbreak due to roof leak) there was a little doll with hair that I think was mohair. She went nearly bald almost as soon as I picked her up. And the two china dolls (I still haven't found the other head) had been hit so bad their bodies were total losses and the underlying fabric of the wigs had rotted and fell apart at a touch. I did manage to salvage the wefts, though.

So I will be looking for a wig for her, probably from Monique. Her dress was also yellowed and stained, so I soaked in Oxyclean, and I plan on giving it a light dye with brown, then making her into a steampunk gal.

She sounds like she's going to be gorgeous.

[WhiteDove01s]

Little update in that I finally have the bigger post of the dremel-on-porcelain experiment up, with a lot more pictures
http://playscaletheater.dreamwidth.org/1761.html

I think this last one, taken out in the sun, comes the closest to catching how the end result actually looks (well, the end result on half the face, with the other left for comparison for now XD)

[OkamiKodomo]

That is actually really neat! And gives me an idea of what to expect. I also have a bunch of special grinding bits, in addition to diamond and sanding bits, so they might help smooth the appearance a bit better. Good to know!