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Best method for painting scars?

May 31, 2023

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    1. Hey!
      I'm getting back into the hobby, and the character I'd like to use for one of my dolls has scars on his forehead.

      Here is a picture of his scars
      [​IMG]

      I don't want to carve into the head I have, since that's super permanent, but I do want them to look decent. I've done scars before, but never somewhere super visible like the face. I know elmers glue is a method some people do to get them to look as if they're "risen" but is this also permanent?

      Sorry if this isn't the correct place for this sort of thing, I'm not really big on forum sites and I'm not used to using this one !
       
      #1 Malvolio, May 31, 2023
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    2. Elmer's glue should not be permanent, as to my knowledge it's a water based glue. You could theoretically just wash it off if you don't like it, though I'd still recommend sealing the face before applying any sort of glue to it as to protect the resin and get a better surface for the glue to adhere to. You could also try hot glue since it's not permanent as well (just how you can hot glue the inside of the joints to get better posing then scrape it off later if you don't like it) and it might be a little hardier and easier to work with than elmer's glue.
      Btw I really like the way the scars look, very distinct! Would love to see pictures once you start customizing your doll :kitty1
       
      #2 Kaito-len, May 31, 2023
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    3. I always do raised scars with water soluble PVA glue, which is what Elmer’s is.

      I apply it with a needle or pin over sealed resin and wait for it to fully dry before a blush a little with pastels. Then I seal again and blush some more until it is the color I want it.
      It works like a charm for realistic scars!

      Here’s a couple of examples:

      [​IMG]
      [​IMG]
      [​IMG]
       
      #3 IzabethS, May 31, 2023
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    4. Accidental double post
       
      #4 IzabethS, Jun 1, 2023
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    5. Thank you!!! I'm not sure where I'd post this, but I can try to do that! I'm going to do a practice faceup on a spare head in a few days. The character (He's actually my pfp) has a few weird things about him that will be a challenge for sure.
      Your examples are simply STUNNING. I especially love that lip scar in the first one. I'll try this I think! I just want them to have a slight raised effect without being permanent. I couldn't find any clear answers on if it was hard to remove, I just know I tend to repurpose heads often in my endless inability to make up my mind. :kitty2 Thank you!
       
      #5 Malvolio, Jun 1, 2023
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    6. Glad I could help a little, and thank you for the compliment! This method is definitely non-permanent and removes with the same stuff as the rest of a Faceup. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t last though! I have dolls with scars I did many years ago and they still look great. I like to gloss the scar slightly a the end as scar tissue has a slight glossy texture to it that is different from normal skin.

      I’m curious to see what you do once you get to customizing your doll!
       
      #6 IzabethS, Jun 1, 2023
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