My First Face Up Debut!
I’ve been buying BJD’s for a few years now. The unique thing about the BJD community is the high number of people who buy blank, customizable dolls. I’m no art student. I’m artistic enough, but to paint a dolly face and make it look good? That’s iffy territory…
A few months back, Hujoo gifted me 55 points on their website for a photo contest win. Usually, I’d buy something with a factory face up. In this case, however, I would have had to put in a lot of extra cash. I decided to bite the bullet and buy a blank basic Hujoo.
Deciding what to do with her was hard. Did I want a natural look? A party girl look? A dark goth look? In the end, I decided on giving this girl a colorful, out to a party sort of look. I didn’t want to give her anything too adult or too dark. The key word was fun. I wanted her to have a ‘fun’ face up. Oh, and one thing was mandatory– freckles. She needed freckles!
Using watercolor pastels and watercolor pencils, I created this work of art. After getting a nice tan base color set, I started by working on her pink cheeks.
Next, I worked on her deep purple and electric blue eyes. I had decided right off the bat that because she had such big eyes, they needed to pop. Adding the blue really pushed the eye shadow over the edge– in a good way.
The eyebrows were probably the most challenging part of this face up for me. Making things even has never been my strong point. It took a few tries to get them as even as I could.
Next, I did the lips. I chose a really deep pink, because I knew the sealer would decrease the color somewhat. I debated whether or not to ‘line’ them with a pencil, but in the end, decided against it.
The eyelashes were a little nerve wracking, but I think they turned out pretty good! They’re a little heavy, but they work.
Last, I worked on the freckles. I had known I wanted freckles on this girl from the moment I ordered her. With so little cheek area, I kept the freckles minimal. I used yellow pastels on the bridge of her nose to accent the freckles. The freckles might be my favorite thing about this girl!
By this point, I had sprayed her face twice with sealer. Want to see the final product?
This is my Hujoo (currently nameless) with her new face up. Once we sealed the face for the last time, her colors muted a bit, but still kept their pop. This is what I wanted when I started– a face up that was fun and colorful, but not too adult or too dark. I love, love, love how she turned out. Not too shabby for my first face up, wouldn’t you say?
This process took about two days and went pretty smoothly! I had imagined it being much worse than it was. See my new Hujoo (left) next to my mom’s first attempt at a face up with her Berry, Maggie (right).
I’m looking forward to the next blank Hujoo I find myself in possession of. Who will she be? What will she look like? I don’t know the answer to either of those questions yet, but I do know I’ll be trying this again!!!
Monster High Create a Monster Alternate Wig Ideas
As I mentioned in my review, the wigs in the Monster High Create a Monster set aren’t perfect. But I bare good news– there are cheap alternatives and, better still, you can find them at your local toy store!
The other day, my mom was playing around with her Create a Monster set and discovered that Liv wigs work *really* well on the Create a Monster mold! Liv wigs are built with a circular peg that you insert into the Create a Monster’s original indent. The doll on the left in the photograph below is wearing a Liv wig.
The doll on the right in the photo above is wearing a Moxie Teen wig. Moxie wigs don’t have any pegs at all and are more similar to traditional BJD wigs. They have a far less noticeable plastic band around the wig compared to the Create a Monster wigs options and, from what I can tell, fit the head much better.
Both brands’ wigs fit more naturally, as their hairlines aren’t so high. There are some really neat wigs in both lines, too, so you can outfit your doll with some neat hair. You can find both Liv and Moxie wigs at your local toy store.
Do you know of an alternate wig choice that isn’t listed here? Share it!
Who’s Your Favorite Ghoulia?
It’s that time again! After 507 votes and nearly 30 days of voting, I’ve closed the Frankie poll. Check out the original post for the winning doll!
You are being called to action once again– this time to vote for your favorite Ghoulia! Ghoulia is one of my favorite Monster High dolls. I love her style and her funky glasses! I ask you now, who’s your favorite Ghoulia?
My Favorites:
Basic Ghoulia
Dawn of the Dance Ghoulia
Dead Tired Ghoulia
Here are close ups of the other Ghoulia’s in the running…
Classroom Assortment Ghoulia (wearing her extra outfit instead of her gym outfit)
Fearleading 3 pack Ghoulia
Skull Shores Ghoulia
SDCC 2011 Ghoulia
Gloom Beach 5 pack Ghoulia (She is my least favorite of the bunch. I don’t even care to own her!)
The results are in! Voting is now closed! Here are the results!
Thanks to all the participants and congrats to SDCC ’11 Ghoulia!
Monster High Special: Why Do Ghouls Fall In Love
Set your DVR’s for another Monster High special airing on Nick Valentines weekend! Draculaura takes center stage when an old flame reappears just before her Sweet 1600, which, wouldn’t you know, coincides with Valentines Day!
Going off the trailer, I’m not sure I love the animation. We’ll have to see about that… I love that Spectra and Cupid are involved. Also, there is a good chance that we’ll have a new guy added to the group with Valentine! You know Mattel wouldn’t create a new character without some plans to make a doll!!!
What do you think?
Monster High Create A Monster Review
Earlier this week, I had a comment on one of my posts asking my thoughts on the Create A Monster sets recently released by Mattel. Here’s a quick review of the Monster High Create a Monster line.
The Basics:
Let’s start off with the basics. It’s clear that some people are confused by this new line based on some of the reviews I’ve read. What is this ‘Create a Monster’ thing? The Create a Monster line is a similar to the ‘Muppet Whatnots’ I mentioned a few weeks back. The Create a Monster line is a neat way to expand your Monster High collection AND create your own Monster High characters. The gist? You create your own monster with pieces from the starter sets or add on packs.
At the time of this writing, there are two starter sets available. You will need at least one of these starter sets to use the add on packs (don’t worry, I’ll get back to those). Each starter set includes one torso, two pairs of thighs, two pairs of bottom limbs, two pairs of upper arms, two pairs of lower arms, two pairs of hands, two outfits, two pairs of shoes, and two wigs. You can choose to create one specific creature (ie: werewolf, dragon, whatever you set allows) or you can mix and match pieces to create your own totally unique monster.
A thing to keep in mind is that the starter sets only include one torso. You have to choose what monster to create– you can’t make two dolls based on these starter sets!
Now that we got that out of the way, lets discuss the ‘add on’ packs. They are exactly that- add ons. Think of this like a role playing card game. You start with a starter set filled with basic essentials and then expand your deck with ‘add on’ packs.
In the Create a Monster line, this means that the ‘add on’ sets do not include a torso, upper arms, or thighs. ’Add on’ packs are usually themed and include 1 doll head, 1 pair of lower arms, 1 pair of hands, 1 pair of lower legs, 1 pair of shoes, 1 outfit, 1 wig and an accessory.
So far, Mattel has released three expansion packs- a three eyed girl, a skeleton, and a bee girl.
The Pros:
I love the idea behind this set. With shelves full of Frankie’s, Draculara’s, and the rest of the Monster High gang, being able to create a new monster on a whim is an exciting prospect. For those like me, who photograph their dolls, this concept is great to adding to the uniqueness of photos. Here’s a few more pro’s about this set.
- The pieces go in nicely and fit snugly. I haven’t had any problems with limbs being too loose or too tight. The pegs that connect the limbs together seem thicker than a regular Monster High doll and don’t seem as fragile.
- Pieces come out just as easily as they go in.
- I love the new limbs in these sets. The dragon, for instance, has scaley skin and wicked tattoos. The face molds have unique ears, depending on what kind of creature it originally created. An example is the skeleton girl from the expansion pack. She doesn’t have ears at all.
- It’s really fun putting these ghouls together and taking them apart again. Seriously, time will fly when you start playing with these sets!
- There are so many options open to you when you have every starter and add on kits.
The Cons or the Less than Perfect:
Nothing is perfect and this set has a few flaws I feel I should point out.
- The wigs don’t work very well. Each head has a place where you can insert a pegged wig. The wigs have a plastic rim around them, which is very noticeable on bang-less styles.
- Along side that, the wigs don’t go down low enough. The hairline is too high to look natural. Styling is a must when creating your monsters hair style and you’ll have to work a bit to make these wigs look like they should.
- It’s hard to attach the ears (for werewolves) to the wigs.
- Labels on the low legs would have been nice for those dolls without fins on their legs. It’s easy to put the right lower limb on the left thigh accidently.
- The Skeleton girl seems the most fragile of all the ‘add on’s. Be careful with her arms and legs b/c of the ‘boney’ nature of her.
- The dresses work much better on these bodies, in my opinion. The two piece looks look, er, odd when the starter body is pink and the add on limbs are blue.
- I wish they sold a set with only an extra torso, upper arms, and thighs. I have so many doll heads and limbs with no body.
Overall:
I really like these sets and the concept overall. I hope 2012 holds more fun starter and add on packs. The biggest problem with the Create a Monster line is the wig issue, but Monique wigs made for 1/6th scale dolls look like they’ll fit these fine.
I love this new line. It is tons of fun and one of the more creative Monster High products I’ve seen.
The Monster High Create a Monster line is a great idea and one that I hope continues for a long time!
So, there you have my thoughts… What are yours?
IDEX 2012- My Fantasy Schedule
Before I get ahead of myself, I should mention I’m not actually attending IDEX. Florida is just a twinge too far away for me to attend. Still, I wanted to at least let you readers in on what I would be doing at IDEX 2012.
Friday:
9 am – Noon
Travel in Style with Durelle Brown
Make your own vintage-inspired three-piece luggage set—pullman, train case, and hat box—for 16-inch dolls with Durelle Brown of Demi-Divas by Durelle. Students must bring: scissors, clear straight edge, and a large seam ripper.
Difficulty level: some skills required.
Price: $50
Saturday:
9 am – 11 am
STORYTIME
Maggie Made Dolls presents fairy tales with a twist, an original video presentation that will begin with “Once Upon a Time,” and end with “Happily Ever After.” It’s what happens in the middle that will be fun, and Maggie will present each guest with an exclusive 11″ souvenir doll. For more information or to register for this event, please contact Maggie Made Dolls directly at maggiemadedolls@verizon.netor 1-610-269-2120. www.maggiemadedolls.com.
Price: $350
9 am – Noon
Sweet Face-Up Awesome Airbrush by Joe MacPhale
Attendees will be shown the elements and techniques of proper assembly and use of the airbrush by artist Joe MacPhale of Ancient Whispers. Different types of airbrush techniques will be discussed as well as what type of airbrush is best for face-ups. Students will apply these techniques on one of the face paints provided and will learn the art of fine-tuning with a liner brush and application of details like painted eyelashes, eyebrows, and false eyelashes. Students will leave with a complete face plate to take home! Attendees should bring a small cuticle scissors and close-up glasses or hand-free magnifiers if needed.Difficulty level: some skills required. Price. $120
12:30 pm – 2 pm
“Under and Over” with Connie Lowe
Using “antiqued” basic corsets provided, attendees will decorate two OOAK corsets for their ball-jointed dolls (BJDs) with Connie Lowe of Marbled Halls. A variety of antique trims will be offered, so each corset will be unique. Two sizes will be available and can be worn either “under” or “over” a costume. They’ll most likely be too lovely to hide! Although these are designed for BJDs, they can be used on a variety of dolls, including antique dolls. All materials will be provided. Basic hand sewing skills will help but are not required.
Difficulty level: easy.
Price: $60
1:00 pm – 3 pm
Ellowyne Wilde Invites IDEX Attendees to an Afternoon of Tea and (sigh…) Ennui
Join Ellowyne Wilde for an afternoon of tea and ennui. A light dessert will be served, along with a hint of boredom and woe. Robert Tonner and Debra DeForte of Wilde Imagination will present a unique program, along with a special Essential Ellowyne doll for each attendee.
This event is limited to 120 attendees.
Price: $160 and includes an exclusive Ellowyne dressed doll.
8 pm – 10 pm
IDEX’s 3rd Annual BJD Mixer
Roaring Twenties Speakeasy Experience
This year, break out the flapper dresses, long pearl necklaces, and cloche hats for IDEX’s speakeasy-style 1920s BJD mixer and meet-up. Join other BJD enthusiasts for some late night fun and be first in line to meet “Jazz Baby”- a Haute Doll exclusive, with 1920′s inspired face-up and clothing designed by Val Zeitler and produced by DollHeart and JollyPlus.
Try your luck for some wowza door-prizes and raffle items and a special Charity Raffle of a complete OOAK, “Gracelyn”, the first BJD by Cristy Stone of Xtreme Dolls. All proceeds from this raffle will go to benefit Canine Castaways and St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
For the full IDEX Speakeasy Experience put on your favorite Roaring Twenties styles, step into the spotlight and win a prize for Best Costume. Then, mug it up in front of the camera with your favorite BJD for a memento of the occasion, sample the “bootleg liquor” and spend the rest of the evening rubbing elbows with the BJD hoi palloi.
Price: $45
Sunday:
It’s a Whole Nu Mood™!
Join Robert Tonner and Company as he introduces highlights of the 2012 collection. You will have the oppotunity to win fabulous door prizes and will receive a special, limited-edition 16″souvenir doll from the debut Nu Mood™ collection. This can’t miss breakfast is only $75 and seating is limited.
Clothespin Dolls with Bev White
Learn how to make your own wooden clothespin doll with Bev White of Happy Thymes Collectibles. Dolls will be wire jointed with a bead for a head. Students must bring: sewing needles and needle-nose pliers. Materials provided: pre-sewn clothing, yarn for the hair, and accessories.
Difficulty level: easy.
Price: $30
1 pm – 2 pm
Creating Sets for Doll Photography with Donn Kinney and Dreux Priore
Learn the different techniques to create scale sets and environments to use when photographing dolls from Donn Kinney and Dreux Priore of Bishonen House. Students will learn about basic materials and construction techniques, then discuss the repurposing of found objects versus creating scratch-built props and the use of digital techniques to extend and enhance handmade environments.
Difficulty level: easy
Price: $25
I know from attending other conventions, I’d probably only get to participate in half of these. A girl can dream, can’t she? :-) The ones I think I’d most like to attend are the ones that give souvenir dolls and the BJD mixer/airbrushing class.
What would you be doing at IDEX 2012 or if you are attending, what program are you most excited about?
