So, its been literal years since I was on this forum. I quit painting dolls and have been enjoying 3 dolls in my personal collection. I want to pick up painting again but my health may not allow for that to happen. I quit painting because I couldn’t keep track of what layer I was on and was messing up every doll I tried to paint. I have a health condition that causes cognitive decline. Anyway, I was wondering how many people have picked up silicone. I know there are cheaper options for partial silicone kits now. That should make it easier for folks to try it out right?
TL:DR - Do you paint silicone? How do you like it? Are your silicone dolls selling for you? Will you keep painting silicone?
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Painting silicone is very different from painting vinyl. The entire process is specialized. Silicone kits, even partials, cost hundreds of dollars. You can’t use acrylic or heat set paints. You need silicone paints such as the ones sold at smooth-on.com. You’ll also need new brushes. I wouldn’t invest the amount of money required without seeing if your health will even allow you to paint vinyl. If you definitely want to try it, you can get a silicone head from irresistables.com or macphersoncrafts.com. They range in price from around $150 to more than $200 for just the head. You’ll still have to buy the paints and brushes. If you had trouble keeping track of which layer you were on with vinyl, won’t you have the same issue with silicone? Not trying to burst your bubble here. I just don’t want you to end up with a lot of expensive supplies that you can’t use. If you still have vinyl kits and paints maybe you could try again and write down which layer you’re on.
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Yeah silicone is expensive. I actually started out painting silicones. I reborned a few Ashton Drake silicones with hardware store silicone then moved on to platinum silicone babies. I think I might just try vinyl painting for now though. They are much cheaper to ruin if thats how it goes for me. I have some silicone left to paint with but that stuff doesn’t last forever and it has been sitting for like 2 years now so I don’t know if it will even cure. I’ll have to mix up a little of it and see I guess. I have one blank head left in my stash. There again, it has been sitting for years so will it take paint…I don’t know. Maybe with some naptha to open the pores again it will be alright. I won’t know until I try it.
Have you been able to sell any silicone babies? I have a partial silicone kit that has been for sale for over 2 years. I haven’t been marketing it much though. I was gonna pay for a membership for a month on reborns but a lot has changed with that site since I last used it.
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I can’t afford to make silicones but maybe someday. I’d love to own one. I see good silicones selling for a lot but they don’t necessarily sell quickly. I think it would be worth it for you to get a month’s membership on reborns.com and see what happens. Once you figure out how the changes work, it’s pretty good and I think you actually get more exposure. Which partial silicone did you paint? Do you have a picture?
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I painted Orlaith by Jamie Lynn Powers.
The skin tone was a struggle for me as thats the only darker skin tone I’ve painted. Its not the best ever but it is my best if that makes sense.
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It looks pretty good to me, especially for a first.
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I’ve been loving painting silicone recently! I also have a condition that causes brain fog and slower cognition, so I’ve been keeping a white board up in my craft room to write what layers I’m on and I keep a stopwatch to keep track of how long I’ve been working for.
I haven’t been selling any for a while, I started painting mostly for myself but I’m going to try listing some once I finish more dolls.
Latest I did was Peaches!
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I may have to invest in a white board. Thats a good idea.
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