Adventures with the Airbrush

So I finally pulled out the airbrush.  How long have I been talking about doing that?  Too long!   I've had my airbrush set since 2005.  The last time I used it was 2005.  Pitiful!  I took a class on composition doll repair back then, and this was one of the required tools.  

Here is part of my airbrush set.  It is a complete set, but the other pieces are setting off to the side. Airbrushing allows for very thin coats of paint with great coverage.

You will need an air compressor to get your airbrush to work.

These are airbrush quality paints.  There are many more colors.  This is what I had on hand and what I used for my experiment.

This is my box of repair goodies.  This stuff is amazing.   It's not only used for repairs, but can be used to change a doll's features.  

These two dolls are in an upcoming story and it would be nice if they had articulated bodies.  Model #4 has been waiting a long time for a body.

I didn't want to practice on one of my really good articulated bodies, in case I really messed it up.  I had a couple of SIS articulated bodies and decided to use these.  Mixing colors is always a challenge.  That's why I always say one of the best classes I ever took is a Color Theory class.  It has come in handy so many times.

So this is the body in progress.  I was happy with the color mix and knew that adding additional coats would help me achieve my goal.  I added a few more coats, then let it dry.  You NEVER know what the color  will look like once it's dry.  It acts very similar to house paint.  It got a little darker once it was dry.  There wasn't any measuring to my color mixing.  I always try to see beyond the top surface color.  I look for the undertones to see what's there.  So I mixed mostly caramel brown (I was completely out of my regular brown), a few drops of black, some orange, some yellow and some royal blue.    That was my first color mix, and even though it's not a perfect match, I am pleased with my first results.

It's not as shiny as it appears in this picture.  After I painted it and let it dry, I added a porcelain MATTE glaze to the whole body.

So in this picture you can see more of the matte finish.  It looks the same way on the front.  I still have a few spots to touch up, then I will add one final coat of matte sealer just to make sure the color is protected.

Model #4 is happy to see a new body.

Like I said, not a perfect match, but for my first try after 7 yrs of not doing it, I am pleased.

I will more than likely paint a fashionista body for her.  She needs to be able to move her arms and wrists better than this SIS body allows.

I'm also excited because painting all that pink furniture will be a lot easier.  There's little, to no overspray with airbrushing, and much better coverage quicker.  So that makes it easier.