Sunday, May 3, 2009

Making beautiful AA babies Part 2 ~ Nils

Optional Step: Orange baby ~Color Correction

Note: Click on pictures to see FULL images.

This is a great section to talk about the Color Wheel. If your baby seems to be too orange or too red or green or whatever the case may be, you can use the color wheel to "neutralize" the color. Find the color that your baby is on the wheel & run your fingers all the way to the opposite side. Whatever color you land on, is the color "wash" you need to give your baby. With the pallet we are using, babies tend to be overly "orange". If you look at the wheel below, you will see the opposite color "on the other side of the wheel" is BLUE. So lets give our baby a blue wash.



If your baby seems too “orange”, you can do a blue wash layer & this should correct the orangy color. Mix a brush stroke (can’t think of another way to describe it) of ultramarine blue with 5 pinches of mineral spirits (using the spoons) or add spirits until it looks very watery.
  • Brush on vinyl limbs with natural bristle brush. Pounce the limbs with a cosmetic sponge. Blend Creases, Let dry & then bake.
  • If color is corrected, proceed to the next step. If the color is not corrected, do another layer of the wash.
Next: First blush/irregular skin layer (not sure what else to call it) Note: You can skip this layer if you like, this is just what I do

Mix ¼ smidgen of Crimsom Red & add
¼ smidgen of Burnt Sienna & add
1 dash & 1 pinch of Genesis Thinning Medium
Add a brush stroke of Flesh 02
1/2 more pinch of thinning medium
Note: Mix well as this layer should be very translucent.

  • Take a cosmetic sponge & some tweezers & pick the top off until it looks very raggedy.


  • Add paint to cosmetic sponge & pounce once on paper towel to remove excess. Pounce this layer all over vinyl limbs only. Make sure you pay attention to the elbows & knees of the limbs. Do not put on palms of hands or feet.



  • Take clean sponge & pounce off the excess.
  • Add more paint to cosmetic sponge & this time pounce all over the BACK & TOP of the head.
  • Next, pounce ONLY the blushing spots on the face of the head. (Wherever you choose these spots to be). I choose the ears, forehead, cheeks & chin.
  • Take a clean sponge & pounce off the excess
  • Let parts completely dry
  • Bake for 8 minutes
  • Let parts completely cool then proceed to next step

Step 4: Top Skin Flesh texture
¼ smidgen of flesh 02
½ smidgen of Raw Sienna
¼ smidgen of Yellow Ochre
Brushstroke of Pyrole Red 02
2 dashes & 2 1/2 pinches Genesis Thinning Medium



  • Add paint to clean cosmetic sponge & pounce EVENLY all over vinyl
  • Be sure to pay attention to inside of nose, blending of palms of hands & soles of feet & make sure paint doesn’t “cake” inside of the creases.
  • Let vinyl COMPLETELY DRY
  • Bake for 8 minutes
  • Let parts completely cool then proceed to next step

NOTE: Please pay close attention to inner arms & thighs as these areas tend to be LIGHTER in complexion than the rest of the body.

**********Repeat until happy with color*************

Step 5: Details
Note: I'm still learning so please be patient with me as I try to "guide" you thru this part.

Veining:

  • Mix a brush stroke of or "tooth pick tip" of vein blue along with a "tooth pick tip" of Phthalo green 01 to a cap full (teaspoon spoon full) of mineral spirits. The consistency should remind you of water color paint.
  • Use a 20/0 liner brush & add thin strokes of paint to wherever you feel veins should be. I don't particular have a set place. I just place them where I feel they look best. Make sure you blot the vein lines with a sponge so that there aren't any harsh lines.
**See Pics Below for veining details**


Palms of hands & soles of feet:

Note: The palms of hands & soles of feet are lighter on AA babies. There are many techniques that can be achieved to get the desired result. This just happens to be my method.

  • Mix 1/2 smidgen of Flesh 07 & 1 dash & 1/2 pinch of Genesis thinning medium.
  • I also add a TOUCH of flesh 06 to tone down the lightness of the color.
  • Pounce a thin layer of paint to the palms & soles of feet.
  • Pay careful attention to blend in with the outter hands so that there won't be a harsh line separating the 2 colors.

Creases:
  • Creases of palms of hands only
  • Note: I opt not to paint the creases of my baby’s feet as none of my children have colored foot creases. This is your choice
  • Mix 1/2 smidgen of Burnt Umber light & 1 dash & 1/2 pinch of Genesis thinning Medium
  • I also add some of my "texture skin flesh" to this mixture *eyeball* the mixture until you're happy with it.
  • Take a large filbert brush & paint the creases of the palms
  • Use blending brush (whichever you choose, I prefer the fan brush) to blend harsh line


Body Creases

  • Mix palm crease color above along with step 3 color (first blush/irregular skin)
  • Use round brush to add to all creases & rolls of baby, inside of nose, ears etc. (I opt to not do the bottom of my baby’s feet) but that choice is yours.
  • Use blending brush to blend any harsh lines
  • Let parts completely dry
  • Bake for 8 minutes
  • Let parts completely cool then proceed to next step




Fingers & Toes Detailing
Note: This step will need to be done multiple times

  • Mix step 4 (Flesh Texture color) along with 1/2 smidgen of Burnt Umber light & 1 dash & 1/2 pinch of Genesis thinning Medium together
  • Use round brush to add detailing to finger knuckles & joints , toe knuckles & joints, finger nail beds, toenail beds
  • Blend to get rid of harsh lines
  • Let parts completely dry
  • Bake for 8 minutes
  • Let parts completely cool
  • Repeat as necessary




  • Use round brush to add a tint of color to fingernails & toenails
  • Let parts completely dry
  • Dip clean round brush directly into genesis thinning medium & then directly into into flesh 07 & begin to brush from bottom of nail bed to make cuticle on all fingers & toes
  • Dip liner brush directly into nail tip & make rounded nail tips on each finger & toe
  • Let parts completely dry
  • Bake for 8 minutes
  • Let parts completely cool then proceed to next step


Final Blushing

  • Use step 3 color (first blush/irregular skin) & blush all the main areas again (knees, cheeks, elbows, soles of feet, palms of hands, fingers & toes & wherever else you would like blush to be)






Congratulations: Detailing is complete!!!

Part 3 coming soon!

No comments:

Post a Comment