Hi there everyone! I have a question about applying the soft touch varnish. How do you apply it? it’s kind of thick coming out of the jar. Do I need to thin it with water?
I’ve seen Angie’s recipe for making it more matte.
This is the stuff I’m talking about:
Use Angie’s recipe. Many of us on the forum use it exclusively.
I use this one with Angie’s recipe.
I paint it on a wedge and blot it on. I also use Ang’s formula. I add a second coat 24 hours later.
It should be smooth and liquidy in the jar, kind of like runny glue. If it is thicker than that, it may be an old jar. My got really thick when I wasn’t using it. I was able to use water and salvage it, but it wasn’t the best.
I use it and only with Angie’s recipe.
I have been using this for a few years and I use it
straight from the jar. I also learned some things.
What’s Angie’s formula?
Dissolve 1/4 tsp cornstarch in 20 drops distilled water then take 1 level picnic plastic teaspoon and mix them together.
That’s it.
After you mix Angie’s formula do you mix it in to the whole jar of soft touch varnish before application? Or add it to the varnish in whatever ratio you feel like? I guess I am asking how to apply her formula once it is mixed. Sorry if the answer seems obvious and I just don’t get it! Thanks.
No. You mix it exactly in those proportions. If you need more than that at one time, just double or triple the amount of each ingredient.
Angie’s mix is enough for one baby, the spoonful is the amount you will use for that baby. You will take a seperate container, add the 1/4 tsp cornstach and the 20 drops water, mix that up well, then add your 1 picnic spoon of varnish and mix it up again. The separate container is what you are varnishing with, so the recipe is for 1 spoonful of varnish mix. You do not want to mix it into the whole jar. To apply I tear a cosmetic wedge and put a little varnish on it and pounce it on, then let it air dry. Like Jean said if you want to varnish more then one baby you can double or triple the recipe, but the ratios stay exactly the same.
I use baby food jars to make the mixture. I can do several babies with one jar. It’s a little harder figuring out how much corn starch to add to a mixture this size. If the dolls are looking shiny I’ll add more cornstarch.
So do you mix in a little of the cornstarch mixture with your varnish as you go and just adjust based on your results? More of an art than a science I suppose? Thank you for your help everyone!
No. You have to mix the water and cornstarch first, then add one spoonful of the varnish into the cornstarch water. That is all you use. You do not add it back into the varnish. You take that mixture and apply it to the doll from that mixture. The previous artist is just saying if you mix a bigger batch you might have to adjust a little. Just like if you double or triple a baking recipe you might have to adjust the amount of flour for example. Hope this helps 
No you mix exactly 1/4 tsp varnish 20 drops of water and 1 tsp varnish. That’s the exact recipe it makes 1 spoon of varnish. If you mix more cornstarch you can get white areas. So it’s best to stick with the exact recipe until you are experienced with it.
