Airbrushing a Resin Doll: Similar to Painting Miniatures?

Primer is usually just a solid colour layer of paint (white or grey) that you'd put on if you wanted an evenly coloured surface to start painting on. With dolls, unless you're matching the colours of two different parts to be nearly the same, like a WS head on a NS body or something, you really don't need that. Just be sure to seal it well before airbrushing with the thinned out acrylics, and it should be fine. I've never used an airbrush, but I'm sure there are people you can find that have. I only know about primer from working with clay. ^-^;

 

The sealant is used to prime the surface for painting, since it doesn't stick very well to the resin.
You typically don't prime the whole doll with paint though, because of the amount of chipping that's likely to occur with the wear and tear of handling, changing the clothes and posing. It's very common for the paint to chop off near the joints.
So, unless you want a completely different skin color for your doll, it's not suggested.

 

You can also dye the doll, which last longer.
I remember a thread I read around this forum recently where a painted doll started chipping the same day it was painted. Of course that could have been for a number of reasons, like maybe they didn't prime properly, or didn't wait for it to dry properly, but you sound like you've got a lot of experience in that department, so good luck with your air brushing.

 

If you're going really dark, I suggest dying the WS body to match the head as close as you can, and then just using pastels to blush any unevenness. If you're timid about dying it yourself, there are people who can do it for you. I dyed a WS doll to be purple. Roughly the same shade as my typing font. ^-^ He is awesome, turned out very well. There's a whole thread on dolls that have been dyed and how they did it, and how good/bad the results were. I shall link it for you.

http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?274909-Dyeing-Tanning-Database-company-specific

Luckily, the thing with dye is that it doesn't chip like paint, though you have to be careful about some colours turning out, or going too dark. But if you're aiming to match a dark head, then it might be easier. I dyed the head and the body all the same colour, but it was all WS to start with. ^-^

 

Chipping/scratching is going to depend on how much you handle her, how well you handle her, and how well the paint is sealed. If all she does is sit on the shelf she isn't going to chip. It really depends on the person and the doll.

As for touch ups, that also depends. If you think you can fix the chips with a couple of airbrush bursts go for it. But I find it becomes harder and harder to match the original color. So you might end up stripping her and redoing it every time.

I second the dying suggestion. Make sure you find somebody with lots of dying experience. When dye jobs go wrong they go really wrong. Streaking, uneven colors, the works.

 

Ihave a boy torso/bust in soom ns but I need it lighter to work with the ws..kind of pinkish head I love.
any suggestions?
I know I could have someone dye the head but he is so beautiful in the white he is and he is not a head I can find on a whim again if I ruin him.
Iwish I could just get the bust in ws but it too is not easy to find. at least I havenever seen it before and I look on line.
he isthe miracle doll boy bust with the water base and octopus tenticles. he is so freakin awesome..wish hewas white.
any infor would help.
thank you

 

You can indeed airbrush a doll white, but I think it might be easier to use panpastels to blush whiter, if you don't have an airbrush.

That said, A lot depends on how starkly white you need the resin to become, and a lot of people who have painted dolls then suede their joints very thoroughly with say, real suede, or cotton flannel, which may make their posing better or a bit slippy, but it protects your paint job. The downside to paint is that it can chip at the joints, but it sounds as if you'd really like the effect, and well, blushing chips too sometimes.

Personally, I'd seal with Testors matte because I know that's used in models and should not react with airbrush acrylics, but I'd try it on an NS headcap from another doll first to test the coverage of the paint vs the blushing, and see which look is best.