Hey so i have never used heatset before and was wondering if anyone has some techniques they wouldnt mind sharing with me. I have done airdry before but it wasnt very forgiving and i hated the results. Im transitioning to heatset and need some solid advice. Id also like some photos of real baby skin in all skin tones. Id like tanned skin tones and pale and also black skin tones. What would be the best one to start with?
Id love to do babys in all skin colours.
1 Like
I’d suggest viewing Custom Doll Baby videos on YouTube. She goes through creating a doll beginning to end. For your other questions, use the search feature on here as there is a lot of info already shared. Maybe someone will share some tips but there is a lot of research you can do on your own.
6 Likes
I teach heat set on YouTube. I focus on high end reborns but have a beginner series as well to get the basics before moving on to hyper realism. My full series access is a paid membership at $8.99 a month, I have several full series start to finish with nothing left out. I also have hundreds of free videos and am always adding more.
5 Likes
I learned to reborn based on these videos 
2 Likes
Reborn With Me on YouTube is the best to start with Genesis.
Many of us on this forum started with that.
I would recommend starting with Caucasians skin tones, as AA skin tones required more layers and harder to do. After knowing Caucasians basics you can try all types of skin tones.
6 Likes
@Emmas tuts are amazing and you will learn SO much!
2 Likes
Thank you i have looked at her stuff
1 Like
I think most of us here have learned from YouTube. It truly is the best way because you get visuals! I highly recommend e-borns tutorials she covers so many different things products etc.
I watched custom doll baby when I first started. The trick is figuring out which products work best for you and how to mix them.
Some people swear by all kinds of paint thinners. Some super cheap that you can grab off the shelf at Walmart or Home Depot. I tried artist grade Mona Lisa because it was cheaper than other odorless paint thinners and in stock at Michale’s when I started but I found it caused a lot of frustrating problems for me. It dried quickly and I got alot of build up causing dirty creases.
I use wet and wild make up brushes from the dollar store and pluck my own patterns into make up sponges. Some are better than others so it is going to be trial and error what works best for you.
I mix my paint in batches so I don’t have to worry about color matching. For using ghsp fleshtones swipe my brush three times per side through the paint then mix with two tbsp of Gamsol odorless paint thinner. Depending on what paint/color you use you might need more or less paint. My genesis paints were pretty solid but I’m finding the newer paints like BC and IHSP are a totally different Consistency than I’m used to and I’m having a hard time getting the hang of mixing them.
Tips I’ve learned along the way…. Multiple THIN THIN THIN layers to create that translucent skin effect. You don’t need full coverage, you want peek a boo layers. Veins should be lightly pounced on with a narrow brush and blended. One of my pet peeves is having veins that look like they are drawn on by a sharpie. Sometimes that requires multiple layers too
You do NOT have to bake after each layer BUT don’t apply to many before you do because they will start to build up and get super oily and slide around and get muddy looking.
VENTILATE your oven. Use it outside if you can. Or at least in front of an open window with a box fan pulling the fumes out. Wash you oven when you start noticing build up inside. It can build up and start collecting on your kits while baking. Use a soft white cloth to put your parts on in your oven. Wash those often too they will start to yellow with build up. There are oven liners available on reborns or there is someone here on the forum who makes them… I haven’t been here in so long I’ve forgotten her user name but her first name is Carmen?
Avoid thick white tips on finger nails…. Babies aren’t born with a French manicure, don’t forget to shade inside the nostrils adding color with each layer.
Be careful using white and flesh tones they can get chalky looking and it’s hard to come back from that
Check out the WIP threads here to see how people are doing things and share where you are at.
Best thing you can do is share your work here and ask for feed back and GENTLE CONSTRUCTIVE Criticism and don’t be offended. You are learning and people try to help. It is hard sometimes to help and manage someone’s delicate ego at the same time. The worst thing is believing you are doing great and continue on with confidence when you are really creating 
and people are trying to guard your feelings and you end up trying to sell and can’t figure out why no one wants to buy. But also peoples opinions sometimes are just peoples opinions and you can take me or leave me but everyone has a right to them especially if you ask.
You won’t be amazing over night unless you are @JoyW. 
it has taken me almost five years to feel comfortable enough to sell. And I still don’t. YES ive been told I have issues. 
I’ve sold three on reborns.com and two at DOTWE. NONE at Yophi and have had dolls sit on reborns at $260 for six months just over a year ago 
I painted some babies for family but I still have 90% of the dolls I’ve painted I have adhd and it’s kinda more of an obsession lol
This last picture is the first baby I painted with cheap air dry paint like apple barrel to see if it was even something I wanted to do. I still have her. She is horrible. Truly. Splotchy random paint and bare vinyl with runs everywhere oof! But I was hooked and bought ghsp and haven’t looked back.
Good luck!
Everyone here is very generous with feedback
For pics of real babies google is your best friend there are also alot of amazing groups on Facebook
Support our artist sculptors and ALWAYS buy authentic kits 
we wouldn’t be here without them.
8 Likes
Beautifully written, awesome advices.
Although I still bake every layer unless there are layers of the same colors, but no more than 2 because I want my skin tones to be transeunt as much as possible. And I didn’t change oven lining for 5 years 
.
I don’t wash oven’s dome either, I just wipe it with a paper towel a few times a year when I see oil build-up.
4 Likes
That is VERY interesting…. I wonder if it is because I don’t bake as often 
Some layers I want to blend…. Especially “some” of my crease layers and “some” of my mottles I kinda like when the colors mix and make new colors, but they can get muddy too if I mess with them too much. 
1 Like