Some people really enjoy customizing their dolls--a few of them have previous knowledge from other, similar crafts and carry those skills over to their dolls. This guide is generally geared towards budding modifiers who find themselves without any real direction, but I hope that it can be a suitable guide for those with a basic knowledge, or who are even proficient as well.
1. Before you even think of doing a modification on a doll, you NEED to make sure you have proper respiratory protection! Resin, when sanded, forms a very fine powder that accumulates in the lungs and can cause respiratory disease later in life. There is no way to remove it, and the chemicals combined to form resin really aren't something you want in your lungs. Neither are fumes from sealants and spray paints. For more information on the subject and a guide to what sort of protection you will need, this is a great article on the subject. The information is gathered from Den of Angels, the biggest forum regarding these dolls. Even if you don't have access to the forum itself, you can view this information.
1. Before you even think of doing a modification on a doll, you NEED to make sure you have proper respiratory protection! Resin, when sanded, forms a very fine powder that accumulates in the lungs and can cause respiratory disease later in life. There is no way to remove it, and the chemicals combined to form resin really aren't something you want in your lungs. Neither are fumes from sealants and spray paints. For more information on the subject and a guide to what sort of protection you will need, this is a great article on the subject. The information is gathered from Den of Angels, the biggest forum regarding these dolls. Even if you don't have access to the forum itself, you can view this information.
2. Have a basic idea of what you want to do, and make sure to do plenty of research on the subject. Knowing what you want to do with your doll, even if it's something simple, will help you plan what materials and tools you'll need to buy and what you don't need. If you're just piercing the ears, you don't need to go out and buy a new can of sealant or epoxy. If you're not sure what type of paints are safe for resin, you can determine what exactly you want from the paint and see what materials are safe for resin. (Oil paints and inks for example, are two of the worst things you can do to resin. Though something water-based like artist acrylic or watercolors are perfectly fine)
3. Think about modifications you've done in the past. If you haven't done modifications on a doll yet, look back on things that you do well on a regular basis. If you can sculpt well, that can translate very easily to additive mods. If you like carving, the same applies. If it's something you're familiar with, it won't be so scary to try and you'll already have somewhat of an idea of what you're doing. If you've never done something but have a pretty good idea how to do it (and really want to try it for yourself) then by all means, go for it. But if you're just starting out, I do recommend staying in your comfort zone for a little while.
4. Gather the tools and materials you've deemed suitable for your project. Local hobby stores that carry Gundam models and train sets are awesome resources for these sorts of things because, well, those kits are made of resin! Even if the store employees aren't familiar with BJD's, they are knowledgeable about resin and what works/what doesn't. They will also carry many of the supplies you need, such as epoxy, pin vices, xacto knives, sand paper, just about anything you can think of. Some local hobby stores will carry Mr. Super Clear, though it is rare and often limited to very small store chains because it has to travel by boat overseas. They do often carry other quality sealants, as well.
5. Work slowly. You don't want to risk taking it too far and permanently damaging your doll. Unless you've made up a big gob of epoxy and can't come back to it, you can often set down a project and work on it some other day. Patience is key when working on dolls, and even though it's driving you crazy that your doll's ears still aren't quite the same size, just keep in mind that what little change your sanding is making is still change.
6. Check your work frequently. Make sure that if you're opening eyes, you are opening them to an even size. If you're doing something with your doll's joints, make sure that they can still support posing and that the joints still fit together properly. Even if you aren't sure something is off, check it anyway. It will save you a lot of trouble later.
7. Relax. Don't just think of your work as something that has to be done. You wouldn't be doing it in the first place if you didn't want to. Just sit in your back yard, quietly sanding away and listen to the birds and just let yourself enjoy the motions. In that moment, when you are sincerely working on a doll for the joy of it, you will be more focused and you will come out with better results. If you get frustrated, pack up your tools and put them and the doll away for a little while. If something is going wrong, be sure to check back frequently online to make sure you are doing it properly.
If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask. You don't even have to ask me, there are plenty of much-more-skilled modders out there that can give you some great advice. If you're not a member on Den of Angels, maybe consider joining. For the most part, they are invite-only, but they have applications to join without an invitation or even run month-long events where registration is open to everyone. They're a great resource for things like hybrids and resin matches, along with doll-specific discussion boards and an entire section for customization work and advice.
~~Aronzo~~
~~Aronzo~~
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