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Gotta love the BJD Life!

The climate changes from place to place and this can make BJD sealing hard to do sometimes. Sealants like MSC cannot be used in extreme hot/cold conditions nor can it be used if it is in a humid area. So what else can doll owners do? Let’s find out!

What we will show you this week...

-BJD Sealants

-Alternate BJD sealants

-Artist highlight

BJD Sealants

If you are new to dolls maybe you don’t even know what I am talking about. BJD Sealants are what doll owners use to seal in faceup work or to seal bodies with to protect them from staining. Sealants are very vital for faceup work and can add tooth to the smooth resin so pastels/acrylics can stick to the resin. There are even some sealants with UV protection. Want to learn more? Check out my article on sealants here!

Here are some common sealants:

• Mr. Super Clear or Mr. Super Clear UV Cut (MSC)

• Testors Dullcote/ Testors Clear Coat

• Citadel purity seal also known as Munitorum Varnish

• Zoukeimura Finishing Powder

• Gunze Mr. Topcoat

• Tamiya Color Clear Flat

• Vallejo Acrylic Matt Varnish (spray can)/ There are also drops for the airbrush too

Things not to use:

• Krylon Varnish Spray

• Armory Clear Matte Spray

• Mod Podge Matte Spray

• Fixatives meant for paper and pencil work

• Clear nail polish

Which is the best? How do I use it?

Honestly to each his own but I have continued to use MSC. There was a time where I was using Citidel Matte Varnish and I LOVED IT. However they did change the product over time and now it is a bit different and therefore made me go back to using MSC.

I really like using MSC but it is toxic as all get out. You really need to invest in a proper ventilation mask when spraying. It will mess up your lungs really bad if you inhale it. Don’t even try to spray and run out of the room. This brings me to my next point- Spray in a well ventilated room. Most owners will use their garage or do it outside.

This is all well and dandy but what if your garage is crazy humid because you live in an area where it is hot? Or what if you live in an area with crazy arctic temperatures? What do you?

This is where people either get very creative and use fans in their garages, find another place to spray that can be easily controlled, or try something else….which is what I am here to show you today.

Alternate BJD Sealants

NGL I was looking to do a full video series on my experiments with these alternate sealants but time and other things got in the way. One day I would like to go back and continue editing the hours upon hours of footage I have on this experiment. I do have one part up on my YouTube Channel for you to check out. You can see the video below!

Liquitex makes a series of liquid varnishes. There was a video on YouTube (Ana Doll) that inspired me to try out this method and try some other things too. I was very skeptical at first and was not sure how it was going to work.

I actually ended up trying applying it with a sponge, with a actual brush, and then with a micro ionizer off of Amazon.

TLDR the method I actually liked the best was with the micro Ionizer and the green label Liquitex. I will admit though that you really have to make sure your ratio of diluting it with water and solution is perfect. The ionizer will make it into a mist and if it is too thick it will not go through/clog the spraying mechanism. Another thing to note is that you have to clean the ionizer VERY well afterwards. I cleaned it with a tank full of rubbing alcohol and then cleaned the nozzle with a q-tip and rubbing alcohol immediately after use.

Do I throw out my ventilator mask now?

This method enables you to not have to spray in such a secluded off area but I would still spray with a mask to be safe. Through the ionizer method-particles of sealant are now being sent off in the air and can still be inhaled which is probably not good for the lungs. Also note that this stuff goes like…everywhere when you spray it. I would recommend using it in a cardboard box or to purchase a small pop up tent.

What about the sponge and the brush method?

After trying it first hand I feel like there is way too much room for error to go with those two methods. If you are not careful it can pull up pigments of the chalk pastel and make it blotchy. I would highly recommend it though if you are sealing in little bits of acrylic work or tattoo lining work. I can see it working VERY well for that. Again, to each their own but I liked the ionizer the most.

Artist Highlight!

Dolls of Chaos

Debuting this year in 2023, Dolls of Chaos is another fashion forward OOAK series of dolls. You can see their process from start to finish on their IG page. Check out our interview with the creator Justin!

What inspires you as an artist?

I’ve worked in the fashion industry for just shy of 20 years now and I also worked for a leading fashion doll brand, so I feel like my dolls are a miniature extension of those experiences, I’m constantly looking at what’s happening now and also what has already happened in fashion history, art of course, film is a big inspiration and most recently AI and playing with the idea of machine generated ideas and making them a physical reality.

What was your very first creation like?

I’m terms of Dolls of chaos my first creations were exploring 3D sculpting, having never made anything in this way I learnt along side a 3D artist who helped me create her in real life which was full with so much trial and error! The first prototype was very clunky, made in the wrong material and had too many bulbous joints, so it took a lot of refining which could only be done by hand and is more my forte.

I sculpted over the 3D printed parts and cut into them to achieve the proportions and movement I desired.

The whole process till first draft resin prototypes was at least 18 months of not more.

When did you first start making dolls?

I’ve been collecting since I was 16 and the dolls I was interested in were in many forms, I first started making cloth or wooden dolls, then moved into customising existing dolls like Barbie or Blythe.

But I first started creating Dolls of chaos in 2021.

What was your first doll you ever made(name, what materials)?

In terms of Chaos the first doll I made physically was my prototype who I now use for all the fashion designs for the brand, she’s the muse I suppose and I find it important to physically draft directly onto the doll, she’s a wonderful reminder of those first dolls cast, she was made in London fully cast in resin. However in terms of my ‘life in dolls’ the first doll I ever made was a wood and cloth doll very crudely glued and sewn together, much like the Dutch dolls or Pennywood dolls, she didn’t have a name that I can remember and sadly I don’t know where she is now!

What advice do you have for people who want to make their own dolls?

Start immediately! Even sketching your doll and thinking how they would move and what size they would be. It’s exciting to experiment and play with ideas and identity, then just try methods that suit you to bring your doll to reality, there are so many ways to make dolls much like art mediums so whatever you can do make your ideas come to light is a great start.

Also don’t be shy about chatting with collectors and creators if you can, a lot of creators don’t want to share how they work which is fine but not being afraid to ask could get you some great information.

What are your future plans?

Dolls of Chaos is all about fashion and art, I have so many ideas, sometimes too many to work on! But I want to expand into a clothing line for the dolls, we have a sister account on Instagram for clothing specifically @atelier.chaos which is another branch of the Chaos world, of course making more dolls and a sharing them as much as I can with the world.

BJD Life Survey

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Fill out my survey so I can hear from you!

Looking for a BJD Christmas Gift????

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Until next time...

Have a dollytastic day!

BJD Life

PO Box 690835, San Antonio
United States of America