Mayhem Misfits Makeover Stage One

Remember These Girls???

I have started the makeovers on these 3.

These 2 were covered in acrylic paint and some ink spots here and there.

This one was covered in purple nail polish and had a button glued to her face.  There was also black fabric paint and underneath all of that there was... ink.

Using Acetone, 100% Rubbing Alcohol, Cotton Swabs and Cotton Cosmetic Puffs and a ton of elbow grease they now look like this:

They are not quite finished here as far as clean up, but close.  All 3 have staining. They are shiny on their bodies where I used the acetone.  Acetone melts the plastic.  

Here they are trying on wigs and deciding what their looks will be when I am finished.  They have been sprayed with flat lacquer. Don't they look happier?

I have been fighting with my vertigo lately which means I cannot drive. My husband is so supportive. He suggested we look at the automotive store for some more vinyl spray paint.  The last time I had been there they were out of stock.  They were fully stocked, so the white paint is being sprayed on today.  

That white will be my canvas.  The beauty of the interior auto paint for vinyl is not only the nice coverage, but it dries fast.  This allows me to actually work on them the same day I have sprayed them.

 Only Frankie and Draculaura will be spray painted.  I can cover the stains on Clawdeen with sponged paint and pastels. She had the least damage from paint and ink.  Her worst trouble - hacked off ears.  I am not going to replace them.

More to come soon.  The Misfits are long overdue!

Cheers!  PB

Monster High Rocker

Pinkie Manx

Meet Pinkie Manx.  She is the founding member and the lead singer of the band Phit! She started as a back up singer for the graveyard band Tombstone Killers.  Her voice has a sex kitten quality with a feral edge.  When she started writing songs she wanted to perform those songs and so she formed Phit!
She has a collection of boom boxes and stacks of cassette tapes right next to an old school phonograph and LP's old and new in her living room.  On her end table is her MP3 player next to a jar of fresh catnip.  Her home is a reflection of her in every way.  
"I like to drag the past into the present with me," she says as I gaze around her home.  Yes indeed, she has brought them together and what a great mash-up it is. Just like her clothing.
Pinkie wears old and new together. A new self embellished ripped edges tee shirt with a faded black denim skirt and her favorite pair of Victorian shoes with messy shoe polish, glitter and paint splatters. This is not your average grrrl.

Getting started on her face.

Adding to her eyes and lips.

Deepening the colors on her face.

Added shine to her eyes and lips.

Starting on her clothes.  
Still haven't decided on the colors for her shoes.

More detailing on the clothes.

Boom box, cut off hose and shoes all hand painted.

I have started a new series of girls that reflect the punk scene, the Riot Grrls theme and reflect those I admire like Joan Jett, Bikini Kill and Pink. Pinkie Manx is the first of this series.  She will be up in my etsy shop this week.

Custom Monster High Doll - Ginger

Meet Ginger

Getting started.  White on eyes, brown details on ears and eyebrows.

Still deciding on her eyebrows, what kind of look I want. 

 Added blush on her cheeks, tinted her lips and blushed the inside of her ears.

Trying different tones around the eyes.  Wiped off the eyebrows.

Wiped back some of my painting and increased some of the dark tones closer to the eyes. 

Finished adding the lower lashes and started playing with eyebrows again.

Added more darks, and decided to keep these eyebrows. 

Also colored inside the nostrils and put faint lines on the lips.

Added first coat of Sakura Crystal to the eyes and lips. I will add more after it dries.

Added the eyelashes and more clear to the eyes.  Her face is done.

Her hands were the purple ones-- not what I wanted for this doll at all.

I started by using a cosmetic sponge and white acrylic paint.  It took 2 coats.  I didn't paint in between the fingers-- because I will be putting a darker color there and the purple will disappear.

First coats of color.  I used burnt sienna and white for the flesh, and black for the glove.

I added a darker color to the flesh - you can see the left side is darker than the right side.

Black and gold were added for greater detail.

Ginger is now ready for some clothes.

Next post will show her in her outfit :)



Modding Part 5

Finishing Draken

If she looks a tad unhappy, she is.  Draken is not big on having fittings.  Usually I fit clothing to Cleo- she is my resident 'model on call' for fittings.  But Draken has some "special" attributes that require I fit directly to her.  Her horns and tail must be taken into account.  This is a dry run- I never cut the actual material until I am sure what I am making will fit properly.  This cape is hand and machine basted.  Once I am done fussing with it, I will rip the seams and use it for a pattern. The yellow fleece cost 1.00 for almost 2 yards in the remnants bin.

I also purchased some light brown fleece when I bought the yellow. I want her to look like she is wearing a fur cape.  One that is well worn.  Using Tulip fabric spray paint and my fingers I change the color and look of the brown fleece.  At the top is the brown with black, bottom is the original color.  Behind both is the yellow that I practiced on.

I rarely fail to make a mess when I paint- which is what you see on the label.

It is important to remember scale when one is working with fabrics and dolls.  A long fake fur cape would look too big and cumbersome.   This fleece looks more like buffalo or a sheep type of fur once it is painted.  This needs to look like something she killed and then made her own.

After Draken is finished with all of her fittings, I will apply her hair.  She will remain a little spitting and hissing baldy until I am done with her garments.  Right now she is clawing her way through my goodie drawer looking for weapons.  As if her fangs and nails aren't enough!  Pretty sure she wants a staff as well.  I will go twig hunting soon if she continues on this path...

Skirt made of batik in layers of shredded single pieces. 

Vest style top made of white felt with faux white fur and vintage embroidered ribbon.



Cape has soft suede ties at the throat. 
I would have fussed more with the hood, but both of us were
feeling pretty impatient- best not push things.  I will fuss after she has hair.



I lined her boots with the same material as the cape. 

Everything fits.  It has been a long day for both of us.  Tomorrow, she gets hair and then an outdoor photo shoot.

Next Post will have her finished and will include some better photos of her garments and her wearing them.

Remember: Write a comment on this post and get an entry for the September Drawing.

Modding Part 4

At Long Last

Remember Draken?

There were thoughts of giving Draken glass eyes, which is why I didn't wipe her eyes off when I started.  My thought was to use the eyes that were there as a cutting template.  Fast forward 3 weeks.  I have this vision of her - and it does not include glass eyes.  So, I began painting over the existing eyes.

The violet on her head is sponged on unevenly- on purpose.  Our skin does not look the same all over- and I do not want her to have a plastic feel when I am finished.  I am also studying photos of lizard markings- to give me a baseline to work from.

Here I started to add detail to the head with paint.  Her horns have a light coat of burnt sienna on them to give them more depth.  I mixed violet with green and painted her horn caps.  The painting on her eyes is just a base coat.  Same for her lips.  The eye color is violet mixed with brilliant blue.  The lips are brilliant blue washed over the violet.  Violet and black were mixed in even parts to make the contrasting color for her ears.  I suspect her ears will not be visible when I am finished- but that doesn't matter.  I will paint anything that has a chance of being seen. 

Continuing to add detail.  Using the same basic colors: Violet, Black, Burnt Sienna and Brilliant Blue.

First coat of Sakura Crystal is on her eyes to make them stand out.

Is that a smile I see on her face?  Think so. 

She has been on hold for so long I would hear her hissing from her project box every time I walked by.   

Looking more like horns now.

Now you didn't think she would be bright violet did you?  Draken relies on the element of surprise.  She likes to suddenly appear from the shadows. Remember she is a Mountain Dragon.  Tall, proud and tough as nails.

After she has had a day to dry completely, I will spray her with Mr.Super Clear Flat before painting any more on her.  This protects what I have done and gives me a slightly toothy texture on which to add paint.

It is getting more difficult to photograph her now.  There are many subtle shades that are hard to capture with the new paint.  If you click on the photos you can see them enlarged and see more of the colors.

Draken needs at least one pair of boots.  I started to make these while she was drying.

They fit.  Next step is to paint them with acrylic black paint.  It will make them look more like leather. 

 I may make her a second pair.  Boots she can wear at home.  These are for outdoors.  I want these to look like the mountain Fairy Folk made them for her.  She protects them and sometimes in the winter she brings them food.  As a Thank You they gift her with things.

Her face has been stippled with violet, black and ultramarine blue.

I keep old brushes for stippling.  The trick is to go slowly and try things out on your palette before you paint your doll.

She will have golden yellow eyes.  This base is orange.  Yellow is a transparent color-- so the base color is important.

Reptile eyes vary a lot.  Some have round pupils, some have slits.  I am thinking slits for Draken.  So I went looking for photos of reptile eyes with slits:

These are real eyes!  I love the top one- looks like it is smiling, and the eyelashes are da bomb!

Well, who on earth would mess with her?  With those eyes, her fangs do not need to be shown.  So I am leaving her lips as is- and sealing them with Sakura Crystal.

Boots Painted with 2 coats of acrylic black.

Flaps turned and held in place with ivory colored buttons.  I chose those buttons because they echo her eyes with their slitted pupils.

Next Post will have her hair and her clothing.

Remember:  Comment on a this post and receive another entry for the September drawing. 

Still taking suggestions for the prize :) ~PB