Faceups Help with my first faceup

For eyelashes and beads, studs, etc. use PVA glue bc it can still be removeable w/o damaging resin

 

1. This really depends on a few factors, if you have lower quality pastels it takes more layers to build up the vibrancy of colors. On average I use 6 layers, give or take 1-2

2. Gouache paint is a good option! I've used watercolor paints in the past and am finally learning how to work with acrylics. The great thing about gouache and watercolor paints is that as long as you haven't sealed it in, you can still wipe it away with a wet cotton swab

3. Just regular white water soluble PVA glue is ideal. I personally use Ponal Classic Holzleim as I'm in Europe. The importance is that the glue dries clear and is water soluble as anything else can and will damage the faceup and the resin

4. No, 100% don't do it. It will damage the resin as you will not be able to remove it without meticulous sanding. Stick to the above mentioned PVA glue, you will save yourself a lot of grief.

 

1. You'll want to start with about 2 layers of sealant and do a new layer whenever it seems the pastels aren't building up. As IzabethS said, it depends on the quality of pastels, but you can absolutely get a good faceup with enough layers of sealant and cheap pastels. Usually takes me (using cheaper pastels) 8 or so layers at most, but I also seal it pretty well after I finish it, so that adds a bit.
2. Both are good! Acrylic can be a pain to get off when it's dried down, watercolor and gouache is a bit easier to work with at first, especially if you don't have steady hands/proper brushes to get those fine brush strokes.
3. White glue, just make sure to hold it as it dries until fully dry to make sure it stays in place.
4. You want to worry about damaging the faceup and use a glue that can come off easily. Elmer's Glue (if you're in the US) works really well, as it can come off with enough soaking in water and is very easy to use and painless to remove. Even if you use a lot of it (such as to create 3D scars), it doesn't damage the faceup. Using something as gentle as that helps a lot to preserve the faceup

 

1. I am frugal with fixative; I use very light layers as primer and also as final sealer. I will apply two to three very light coats of fixative to a clean surface, as base for re/painting. Also, three to four very light coats, for final sealing of the work. I don't use layers of fixative in between my layering of pigment anymore, because you don't need to when you're using acrylic paint only -- you can if you want to, but I find it counterproductive, for my own personal preferences and desire to only use acrylic paints. When sealing pastel, you have to do so every time you have trouble having the pigment sticking or building up anymore. You'll know once you get the hang of it instinctively, the more you practice, but for a beginner, just make sure you are not adding too much pastel powder in a single layer. Or, the layers will chip, and the fixative won't adhere well to anything.
2. I have never used gouache myself, so I can't say anything about it. I can say acrylics are my paint of choice, as an old-fart-traditional-artist, they are my media of choice above everything else. For pretty much everything I paint on! Now, I don't even bother with pastels, for shading. I just use acrylics only, for all my re/painting toy/doll purposes. It's liberating.
3. White school or PVA glue is great for many things you want to attach to a doll's face, but don't want it to be permanently on there, or want it to cause damage. Including attaching lashes, piercings, scars, etc.
4. I wouldn't use super glue of any sort cyanoacrylate glue, because they are a pain in the gut to remove (from personal experience), you usually need something strong to remove and it can damage eyelashes, or
beads. If you want to make it easier on yourself, and your dolls, or other materials, just use PVA glue. It holds well enough, without anything that would need acetone to melt it away (IMHO). I've owned a doll with a lot of facial piercings, and I've never had to re-glue the piercings. I used to handle that doll a lot, and the piercings always remained intact -- I store my BJD away, when I am not handling them, so that means constant wig and clothes removal. The PVA glue holds steady. (:

 

1) This is a little bit of personal preference and might also vary depending on what sealant you're using. I use a couple layers as a base before doing any color work, and then i do another layer when i want to "save" my progress and am happy with where something is and might move on to a part that could overlap with it. Keep in mind that the sealant can affect how your colors look the more layers you add. This is especially noticeable on tan or darker colors when using MSC as a sealant. if you want shimmers, add them at the end of the faceup before doing final sealing, since doing multiple layers of sealant over them can eliminate the shimmer. I do about 2-3 final layers when I finish a faceup or body blushing.
2) Gouache can be used, but can also be reactivated with water, so you'll want to make sure to use a light hand when sealing it. It's more forgiving than acrylic in my opinion, and flows better. If using acrylic, you might want to get a flow aid or retardant to give more time to get fluid lines before it starts drying on your brush or the doll. Some gouache paints, like the acryla gouache, are not reactivated with water and not as easy to remove, but could be a good middle ground (they are more expensive though).
3/4) Use PVA glue, which is just the basic white school glue like Elmer's. It's easily removable and won't damage the doll. You could use tacky glue too, like Alene's, but I find it trickier to work with. Super glue should really only be used for gluing magnets back in a headcap or something, but be very careful about where it gets! It's very difficult to remove and can interfere with sealant and faceups or dyeing dolls.

 

Probably don't have much to add beyond the great advice above, but throwing my hat in the ring:

1) I start with two or three and give it about 20 minutes to dry between coats, then one per "round" of painting, and then end with another two-three. I don't tend to do a ton of makeup-heavy looks, so if you're going more "natural," you may be able to get away with four or so in-between rounds for a total of eight-ish coats. I find that when I do try to do makeup, I need more coats to really build up color. After all the sealant is done, I also add a bit of gloss varnish to the eyelines and, if the mouth is open, the teeth.

2) I've heard good things about gouache, but have only used acrylics. I'll definitely agree that acrylics dry fast and don't budge. I use them sparingly, often to paint tiny details like the corners of eyes or teeth. Personally, I've been tempted to try gouache, I find acrylic a bit of a headache to use in larger amounts.

3) Regular PVA/white/school glue, though I've also used tacky glue. With the former especially, I recommend giving it a bit to dry and get a little tacky before trying to put the lashes on the doll - everything slips and slides everywhere when it's still wet and then everything ends up covered in glue >.<

4) I'd stick with the above two glues for attaching things to the doll itself. Save the crazy glue for things like repairing broken shoes.