Aesthetics Dybbuk's Box - Ongoing Painting/Customization Journal

This September will mark 15 years in the BJD hobby. In September of 2007 I received my first doll from LUTS (a SDF Dion) and I ordered him without a faceup to save money and to put my artistic skills to use. Fast forward, I've been painting dolls off/on for 15 years and it's probably the single thing that's kept me invested and excited about dolls.

Recently, I decided to permanently close my commission services and focus on my collection for a change. I have a lot of blank untouched dolls needing an identity, and I can finally work on them. I decided an ongoing thread to share what I'm doing would be fun. I share all my stuff on my Instagram too, but I generally don't post all the work in progress shots that I take in between start and completion. This thread is also here to trade ideas, offer suggestions/help and hopefully just dialogue about the joys and woes of painting.

Below is my list of all dolls that need a paint job or modification. It's a bit overwhelming now that I've listed them all out. I need to work on 44 dolls total. (I should probably stop buying some for a bit...hehe)

FULL DOLLS that need a FACEUP/REPAINT = 16 Projects Remaining
□ FOVEO Vincent/LUTS SDF Hybrid
☑ LUTS SDF Azure/LUTS JDF Hybrid - Finished
☑ LUTS SDF Dion (1st Ed.) - Finished
□ LUTS SDF Dion (Nine Tails Edition) w/ Fox parts
☑ LUTS MDF Hodoo w/ Cat ears - Finished
☑ Musedoll Re-Che (Tan) - Finished
□ Soul Doll Tera-Zenith Karim
□ Soul Doll Tera-Zenith Daydream
☑ Soul Doll Tera-Zenith Henry - Finished
☑ Soul Doll Tera-Zenith Klaus - Finished
☑ Soul Doll Zenith Ah-In - Finished
□ Soul Doll Zenith Nolan
☑ Soul Doll Zenith Kai - Finished
☑ Soul Doll Zenith Kagel - Finished
□ Soul Doll Double Street Fighter Jinwoo
☑ Soul Doll Double Zii - Finished
□ Soul Doll Double Lee Jun Ki
□ Soul Doll Double Osu
☑ Soul Doll Double Ize - Finished
□ Soul Doll Vito Berial
☑ Soul Doll Tarot Lev - Finished
☑ Soul Doll Tarot Charlotte - Finished
☑ Soul Doll Fairy Story Aspyn- Finished
□ Volks SD17 Regulus
□ Volks Hikaru Genji
☑ Volks SD17 Amakusa Shiro Tokisada - Finished
☑ Volks SD17 Ryoya Konoe - Finished
☑ Volks SD16B Yukinojo - Finished
☑ Volks SD16G SwD Syo Head - Finished
☑ Volks SDGr Eden - Finished
☑ Volks SD13B F-36 - Finished
☑ Volks SD13B Shiro Tachibana - Finished
□ Volks SD13B SwD Lucas
□ Volks SD13B SeiRei Sakaki
☑ Volks SD13G Kun - Finished
☑ Volks SD13G F-66 - Finished
☑ Volks SD13G Elena - Finished
☑ Volks SDMidi F-21 - Finished
☑ Volks YoSD Jun Tachibana - Finished
☑ Volks YoSD Papi - Finished
□ Volks YoSD Megu
□ Volks YoSD Colin
□ Volks YoSD Kakeru
☑ XXDXS Cheung NS Head - Finished

FLOATING HEADS that need a BODY & FACEUP/REPAINT = 15 Projects Remaining
□ Dollshe SA Husky Head (Copper Oriental)
□ FOVEO Debussy (Ecru Camel Skin)
□ FOVEO Midnight Gella.B Head (Ecru Camel Skin)
□ Little Monica Ryuhwa Head
□ Little Monica Eden Head
□ LUTS SDF 2020 Summer Event Head: Sweety Bliss Head
□ LUTS KDF 2013 Summer Event Head (Elf Hodoo)
□ Narindoll Narin Charisma NS Head
□ Pipos Dreaming Cheese Mouse Head (Rainbow Event - Green)
□ Soul Doll Tera-Zenith Zig Head
□ Soul Doll Tera-Zenith Scott Head
□ Soul Doll Zenith Caleb Head
□ Volks F-30 Head
□ Volks Michele Head
□ Volks School A Head

SPECIAL PROJECTS/MODS = 7 Projects Remaining
□ 5StarDoll Jadite - Thicket - Praying Mantis REPAIR Full Body Paint Job
□ K-Doll Kael Mod WS Head - Cyberpunk Head Modification
□ Little Monica Broken Enrill Head - Geode Head Modification
□ LUTS SSDF Dreaming Dion/The General in Dark Warriors Fullset - Armor Full Body Paint Job
☑ LUTS SDF Carmine Romance/Resinsoul Hybrid - Plant Terrarium Head Modification - FINISHED (Project Journal)
□ Soul Doll Kids Fairy Story Baby Pink (C.A.D) - Fantasy Parts Blushing
□ Soul Doll Kids Milky Way (Steampunk Ver.) - Fantasy Parts Blushing - In Progress
□ XXDXS Insect Head - Mortal Kombat "Reptile" Character Doll - Full Body/Outfit

TOTAL 29 out of 67 COMPLETED = 45%

 

Project: Volks Kun Head
Completed: August 5, 2022
Materials: Airbrush, acrylic paint for details, and Volks pastels to enhance blushing/color.
Inspiration: Many years ago I saw a beautiful Kun painted by the talented Rabiruna. She had very stark black eyebrows and lashes and beautiful red lips. She was the first Kun I truly loved the look of... sadly she was sold twice, and both times I missed purchasing her. This Kun is a 'version' of that look that I loved.

After airbrushing and painting her lashes, I started to create the eyebrow shape:





Finished product~
1 down, only 43 dolls left...





Styled with wig and clothes:
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Project: Volks Sweet Dreams Syo Head
Completed: August 7, 2022
Materials: Airbrush, acrylic paint for details, and Volks pastels to enhance blushing/color.
Inspiration: I really wasn't sure what I wanted to do with this head. I know originally this mold was marketed as a boy, but I love the sculpt as a more sultry lady. I went to a con last year and found a Cheongsam style dress that I think will really suit her. The plan is to hybrid her on a SD16 body~ For now just painting her with lots of violet/fuchsia hues to match her dress~

I lay my airbrush base layers first and the paint the lashes over the blushing:

Eyebrow shaping:




Final touches~ More images of her to come!



With Gloss and final styling~

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@Seafoam Shade : Thanks so much! I welcome questions or inquiries about the process. I'm far from perfect at this, but I definitely can offer up any suggestions for aspiring painters. Happy to share what I know.

@overlordu : Great question! Part of my answer is for a practical reason. When I first started painting faceups, the hardest part for me was painting the lower lashes. So I got into the habit of painting them first so that IF I completely botched them and needed to start the faceup over I wouldn't have wasted time/energy/sealant painting up eyebrows that were going to get wiped anyway. Overtime, I haven't botched many faceups, so it's out of habit at this point. But I will say I do like making the doll's expression come alive by doing the eyebrows last. Little minute changes to the angle/curvature of the brow can alter the doll's expression and I feel I get a better idea of the doll's potential look if they already have the lashes/eyeliner started. I've seen people do it in so many orders, it's interesting how everyone's process differs. Hope you can tackle more of your lovelies, I love your work as well!

@Ara : I agree, I think all commission artists let their own collections sit on the backburner for the sake of business. I really did enjoy commission work though. I took it much easier in the latter years, but I started to feel that burnout last year. I have so many ideas for my own crew, I'm so excited to finally attempt them. Thank you for the encouragement, and can't wait to see your new refreshed crew as well!

@nikittin : hehehe I'm so excited for you to see all my creations that I received from you! They are providing me so much inspiration! Thank you again for letting me adopt these beauties.

@Roterwolkenvogel : I love this look for Kun... the original Rabiruna Kun that inspired me was... ah *Chef's Kiss*. I'm so glad that I was able to capture her essence. Can't wait to get her all put together now!

 

Project: XXDXS Cheung
Completed: September 5, 2022
Materials: Airbrush, acrylic paint for details, and Volks pastels to enhance blushing/color.
Inspiration: I really didn't have much of a concept for this doll. I am just a big fan of this sculpt (which the artist based off Leslie Cheung). I have one of her other artist heads that I plan to make into Reptile from Mortal Kombat, so perhaps this guy could one day be Sub-Zero?

Time for an update! Failed to do some early progress shots on him, but did capture a bit of my eyebrow process.


My process for eyebrows is to dilute my paint down to very faint but still fine lines. So I'm careful to use more of a thinner, vs. water. Watery paint for me tends to bleed/blot out on the doll. Then I paint the hairs. I paint them freely and don't worry too much if the lines are too long. I will use a magic eraser to 'erase' and shape up the ends of the lines.


Once the brow is shaped, I go over the brow with pastel once more to shape it again.

Final product:

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Project: Volks Amakusa
Completed: September 10, 2022
Materials: Airbrush, acrylic paint for details, and Volks pastels to enhance blushing/color.
Inspiration: I owned an Amakusa a long time ago, but sold him during a stressful point in my life. I purchased him back a few months ago, and now that my faceup skills have grown, I feel I can paint him in the way I've always envisioned him~ dark and handsome! I faced some challenges because it seems his eyelids were roughly modded by his previous owner, but I think I've helped conceal it to a degree. Maybe later, I'll go back to repair the carving and repaint him, but I went ahead and painted him so I could enjoy him.

Similar to eyebrows, I 'erase' and fade the length of my lashes with magic eraser to create a feathery effect. Additionally, it helps me control the length of how long I'd like the lower lashes. This technique might not work for everyone, but It's the way I've trained myself to paint my dolls.

Creating multiple layers helps the lashes feel lush and full~

Added eyeliner and eyebrow shape:



His final look... coming soon!!!​

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@chrstphrl , @Valdemagra & @Lillith - thank you so much for your kind words. I finally cracked open this thread again to get stuff updated, and was very touched by your kind words!

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I finally got some work done these past few weeks. I have been painting dolls for friends, and mine were getting done in slow increments along side them. I want to share my beloved Volks F-36 who got put together this evening with some clothes and a wig!

Project: Volks F-36
Completed: February 19, 2023
Materials: Airbrush, acrylic paint for details, and Volks pastels to enhance blushing/color.
Inspiration: I also owned an F-36 a long time ago, and he was one of the dolls culled during my hiatus from the hobby. I purchased him back a few months ago with my Amakusa. Originally, I owned him in white skin... but I feel his sculpt really shines in the Sunlight skin (or tan as they call it now). I really have enjoyed some of the One-Offs Volks has done with him... in particular there is one F-36 in a hakama type outfit with short black hair that I specifically referenced when painting mine.

Poor image, but his "BEFORE" look when he came home to me 2nd hand!


Now clean and blushed~








With gloss:




Final look with styling~


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@Seafoam Shade , @nikittin , @Valdemagra , @Human-Doll , @chrstphrl - Thank you all for your kind comments! I appreciate all your words of encouragement.
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Project: Soul Doll Tera-Zenith Henry
Completed: July 4, 2023
Materials: Airbrush, acrylic paint for details, and Volks pastels to enhance blushing/color.
Inspiration: The hunky boys in the Tera-Zenith line are some of my favorites! I was lucky to find this Henry head 2nd hand and so glad I opted to get him. This was a doll with no plan, character or idea... I happened to get the outfit he's wearing for free from a seller (it's from some game... but I'm not sure who it is!) because it had some damages. However I was able to remedy some of the damage, and the outfit design gave me an idea for the faceup.

I did not take early progress shots.. =_= ; Buuut.... took a few toward the end. Eyebrows can be some of the most challenging parts of a faceup for me... I struggle with the symmetry and placement. However, lately I have been using color pencils to help me draw/mark where i want to place things. This has been helping me a lot to get better eyebrow symmetry. Especially towards the inner and outer ends of the brows. Since Henry was going to have bushier brows, I made sure to shade where I wanted them to stop so they didn't get uneven.





Afterwards I painted the hairs and covered over the pencil shading~




Final look:

 

Project: Musedoll Suntan Re-Che
Completed: October 22, 2023
Materials: Airbrush, acrylic paint for details, and Volks pastels to enhance blushing/color. Finally, pearl powder for shimmer.
Inspiration: When I first started doing commission faceups around 2008, I was hired by a user to paint a Musedoll Re-Che (2nd release) and was very charmed by the mold. Not enough to ever buy one~ but I always admired the sculpt. Earlier this year a Re-Che (tan version) went on sale in the marketplace, and on a whim I bought him. His sculpt is very different from the original Re-Che I painted years ago, but I am a sucker for tan dolls. He definitely needed a makeover though. His original faceup (while still in great shape after 16 years), didn't showcase the proper beauty of the mold. I think it tried too hard to mature his very child-like face/expression.

BEFORE MAKEOVER:


Base airbrushing and eyebrow blocking:



Start of lashes, I kept them fairly light so he wouldn't look too dramatic.




A better shot of all the acrylic details, eyebrows/lips before glossing:


Finished! With gloss~



With new eyes too! I think the larger size really helps his expression as well.


Re-Che's new and final look!