Materials and Cost
To repaint a doll you need:
- Watercolor pencils or acrylic paints
- Miniature paintbrushes
- Chalk pastels
- Makeup brushes & Q-tips
- Gloss varnish
- Acetone & cotton pads
The starter set won’t cost much, even with top quality materials!
Age Considerations and Safety
Is it okay if I am only 11 years old and repaint a doll? As long as you’ll be wearing a proper respiratory mask with filters – yes, it is OK for an 11 year old to use spray sealants.
Painting and Customization Tips
What kind of paint do you use to repaint dolls? Apply a basecoat first. Use a black basecoat for a doll with a dark color scheme or a white basecoat if the toy is lighter. For toys with one solid color and no moving parts, acrylic spray paint saves time.
Can you use acrylic paint on Reborn dolls? Yes, use glass or acrylic paint to start out. Move to heat-set paints as you become more skilled.
What’s the best way to repaint vinyl dolls? Remove the face using acetone. It quickly and efficiently removes factory paint from vinyl dolls without damage.
To remove stains from doll skin, create a mixture of baking soda and water and apply carefully, avoiding the eyes. Wipe clean. If needed, apply rubbing alcohol to remove ink stains.
To dye doll hair, simply cut it very short. Pull out the plugs through the neck hole using pliers or tweezers. Then apply hair dye.
Selecting the Right Sealant
What is the best sealant for doll repaints? I’m looking for sealants that don’t yellow, have good durability, and don’t dry ‘sticky’. A gloss and matte sealant are essential for my process. Have they held up over time?