I dont want to give up. I just want my work to be good enough.rn I do not have the patience to do art anymore but once I get better I will be able to do them I’m going through a hard time rn with my mental illness and have been prescribed medication for it. Unfortunately this medication makes me not have any patience for anything and I have lost my art skills on it. I was very good at art in school so I hope that this transpires in to my work.i have made 2 before but dust kept going on them and sticking to the paint.does this happen with genesis? I’m not sure how to root properly either.or how to do a crown I know you have to mark it out with a pencil but which way do you root the head do you root with the needle being flat or do you root with the needle pointing upwards. Has anyone else been in this sort of situation. And I would really appreciate if I could have someone to talk to about this thanks. I have high expectations for myself and I know I’ll never be as good as a prototype artist because I have no experience with babys in real life so I dont know the shading and such
How long have you been on it? If you just got on it, it might take a minute. I take antidepressants and it has leveled me out a lot! It took me awhile to find the right medicine and dosage to have everything mostly right in the world!
Also, practice! I have already noticed myself getting better and I haven’t fully completed a baby yet! I just learn what not to do with the next baby and try new and different things and they look better! I feel like I’d never be prototype worthy either, but I figure it’s a win if my babies don’t look dead! 
I have been on it a year it is an antipsychotic I would like to go on to a different one but I’m nervous as to the side affects unfortunately this is the only one that seems to work for me but I feel because I cannot do my art anymore I am depressed because that is what used to give me joy in life I really would like to get better with this and be able to reborn because it has been my dream for a while.
Oh I see. That is hard when you can’t find joy. This is about the only thing I find joy in, even with medication. I’d say perhaps start watching videos and stuff. It might give you that craving! Also be all over this forum. I have found that commenting and reading all the stuff I can, gets me more excited.
YouTube has lots of tutorials that will help to inspire you! On YouTube, find “CustomDollBaby.com” for LOTS of tutorials.
Also look for “LaDonna Brooks Briggs”. She also has some under “LaDonna Briggs”.
You sound like me! Every few months I hit a wall and want to give up. Doesn’t help that we are surrounded by a vast collection of amazing artists!
My advice…
Go to Michaels when they are offering a 50-60% coupon and buy a huge bottle of Windsor and Newton brush cleaner and restorer.
This way you won’t feel locked in.
Get a kit on sale from BB - cheaper makes it easier to let yourself go 
Then practice practice practice
I finally turned the corner when I followed a tutorial. I highly recommend doing that. There’s a ton out there for cheap or free. Watching videos on YouTube can help but I need written instructions especially when it comes to mixing paint and getting the right consistency.
I’ll tale some pics of my babies and show you my progression.
I do also have a test kit that I practiced everything on. Poor thing is so fugly lol. I bought the cheapest crappiest mohair from amazon and rooted with that. It was a dream compared to ruby red which is soft and beautiful when finished but what a PITA as it’s not all going in the same direction. I also don’t root completely flat against the vinyl. It’s too awkward and broke a lot of needles trying that and then not all the hair makes it through the vinyl so it can’t be glued. So don’t stress about that. A 45* angle is good 
Smaller needles and mono rooting are key to getting realistic newborn hair.(I’m by no means an expert) but if practice makes perfect I should be frickin amazing! . - (I’m not:shushing_face: but not horrible and I take FOREVER cause I am a perfectionist and really hard on myself). Just avoid pluggy rooting with big needles and focus on one hair at a time. There is a tutorial on YouTube somewhere I’ve seen that the artist dies tell you how to much the paint for the right consistency but I’ve seen so many I don’t remember which it is. Might have been a Kate Charles video 
or custom doll baby
We are always here to help too! 
Hey dont be so hard on yourself your work is amazing. My work is rubbish compared to yours. I might just get some cheap kits from rebornland and see if I can work with those
It’s in my nature! But we all started somewhere and we compare ourselves to amazing artists who started somewhere too although I’ve seen some artists who were amazing from the start zero learning curve and just took a bit to develop thier style. Lmao 
But really
Practice practice practice 
Needles not needless!
Shoot just realized the other post I tried to post didn’t post. Was asking what needles do people recommend to rooting hair?
I use 46g crown the smallest I can get. I buy bulk uncut from BB and use a needle felting tool I got off amazon and a salt lamp to heat the head I got off amazon. I recommend the dimmable ones with the wire prong holders as they hold the lightbulb away from the vinyl and less chance of burnt or meltied spots and never leave unattended like I do 
Ok maybe this is a silly question. Do you use them uncut? Or do you have to cut them? If so how is that done?
Also, you have ALL of us to help you along the hard parts and getting back to enjoyment. If anything, there is entertainment here!
