Im stuck here guys, and feeling really discouraged. My mottling is to dark and the pattern looks dreadful. I havent done any blushing at this point, and I only have one flesh layer but I just cant get past the look… Any words of advice or encouragement?
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I personally think it looks great! it looks very newborn, and I think you can make a beautiful newborn skintone out of that mottling. I like it! Good job! 
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It doesn’t look too dark if you add a few thin flesh layers over the mottling and then do your blushing.
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That’s totally normal in the painting process! Once you add the remaining layers, it’ll tone down quite nicely. 
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It looks fine. If you want you can add another layer of mottle with a different hole size pattern. Maybe change the shade a little bit to add demention. But it wont be so red once you start adding flesh layers and washes.
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Try doing light mottle colors in purples, blues and yellows and pluck out different patterns in your cosmetic wedges. You can do a thin mint green wash to tone down the red you already did and then go over with another thicker flesh layer to help lighten more and if you decide to give the other mottle colors and patterns a go do a flesh 08 wash over it to help blend all the colors under the skin 
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Ive been using flesh 7, is there a big difference with flesh 8? Maybe Ill order it.
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Yes, definitely a difference in 07 and 08…08 is very pale…you can mix the two as well or add other colours to them to change up the tones…
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I think it looks great. I want to know how you did it?
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I think more mottling with a new light purple color with a new sponge with much smaller holes plucked out…ultimately this will be just fine…Once more layers are added and blushing creases done it will look quite nice…!!
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I love all of the helpful thoughts. This makes me remember why I love this forum!!
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I am curious how you guys do your mottling. I use sea sponges, but it sounds like there is an alternative with the cosmetic sponges. I love the way this mottling came out, which way was it done?
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I also used a cosmetic wedge with holes plucked out. I ran out and bought more wedges so I could make different patterns
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Post a picture of your sponges please? Do you have any more good pattern ideas? I think sponge patterns would make a great video. You could show how you make them and what they look like at the end…etc. (I’m great at telling other people how they could spend their time! LOL)
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I used both sea sponges and plucked cosmetic wedges for my first few dolls. I’ve ditched the sea sponges because I really like the look of the mottling the cosmetic wedges provide. The sea sponges are great for making stork bites, though.
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I tried sea sponges and failed miserably! Lol
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I also tried sea sponges and various other sponges; none did very well dipped in Genesis/odorless thinners.
In the past when things did not go too well i would order heaps of new brushes, new colours, and anything that anybody recommended. Now, if I am not happy with my work I pluck another wedge or 2 
Much cheaper and rewarding, I found.
Anyway, here are some of my wedge, not sure what happened to all my yellow and ochre ones:
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LOL but I am a hoarder so I pluck new ones and keep old ones …
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OMG me too ludmila! I have a few boxes of plucked wedges and wedges used for blotting or whatever but yet when I’m about to mottle I get a brand new wedge and pluck it! If I remember, tomorrow I’ll have to take a pic of my wedge hoarding!
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