Baby fx paint rubbing off

[misteeIrene]

Anyone had any issues with this? I have been having problems with the paint coming off on fingers, toes and ears. I wash kit first with dawn, wipe with alcohol, wash again then matte before painting. The last baby I did has scratch like marks on hers legs and all I did was put her in car to show to my mom. I allowed curing time and I sealed it... feeling pretty down right now.

[anjsmiles Angie]

I haven't had any issues with mine. How are you mixing up your paint?

[misteeIrene]

I didn't have issues the first 3 or 4 either. I'm using her slow dry and distilled water.... How long do you let cure before putting together? Or matting?

[anjsmiles Angie]

I allow a minimum of 24 hours between painting and matting. I try to let the pieces rest a couple days before putting together. Sometimes they sit longer depending on my schedule because I work outside the home and reborn on my days off. I have painted 2 dolls now but no issues with them.

[anjsmiles Angie]

Oh and I didn't matte first. I just painted on bare vinyl and sealed at the end. I had washed my kits first.

Some kits just do not want to hold paint. I recently painted an Elisa Marx kit with Genesis and had issues with the paint not wanting to stick to it.

[misteeIrene]

See, this last one I let sit for 3 weeks because I was waiting on eyes. Wonder if I got bad slow dry or something, that's the only thing different from original set I bought. This is doll 4 that the paint has rubbed off on. I'm so frustrated because now I can't sell it.

[misteeIrene]

Melissa George suggested that I matte first.

[anjsmiles Angie]

The instructions say you do not have to prime the kits but that you can use the Ultra Matte if you have areas that don't want to take the paint. So I have just started painting right on the bare vinyl. I do know some of the softer kits can have problems holding all types of paints. As I edited above, I have had issues with Genesis paints not sticking on fingers and toes before too and had to find work arounds for it.

[misteeIrene]

This last kit is jesse by bb and the three before were josephine, and 2 of the sullivan quads. I don't know. I contacted MG but she said she hasn't heard of anyone having probs. I have 4 dolls here that I'm afraid to sell

[misteeIrene]

I sold 3 before and I haven't heard anything about paying coming off. Only thing different is a new bottle of slow dry

[anjsmiles Angie]

It is hard to say not being there to see all that went into this one. So if I am understanding this right, 3 of the 4 are okay and only the last one is having rub off issues?

Just some things to consider that may or may not be a factor in your situation:

The more slow dry in your mix the longer paints will take to cure.
If you apply sealer in thicker layers that will take longer to cure.
If you have not let your "primer" layer cure well before painting over it that can slow down cure time.
If you got oils from your hands or other sources on your pieces while painting them the paints will not stick well.
If you used products other than the Baby FX brand in your mixes or layers that may have affected them.
If you are using Genesis Heat Set products or sealers in conjunction with your FX paints and the Genesis products are not totally heat set well that will cause problems.

My only other thought is make sure you are using slow dry and did not get the Magic Flow instead. Magic Flow takes longer to cure and is meant for fine detail painting only like hair lines etc.

[misteeIrene]

The first 3 dolls I did using baby fx were fine...or at least I never noticed a problem before selling. The last 4 I have done the paint has been rubbing off. I wear gloves when painting so no oils from hand. I blow dry between layers, only using fx products. The primer layer was left on for a few days before I started painting. I don't have magic flow, only slow dry.... Thanks for your help. I'm just at a loss.

[anjsmiles Angie]

I am at a loss for you. What are you using as your primer layer?
Maybe a new bottle of slow dry would make a difference.

[Kathleens_foreverbabies]

Hi Ladies, reading this post I am totally confused~are we talking about painting vinyl doll kits? I have never had any of these issues but I don't use the FX or slow dry or anything like that. In fact I don't wash the kits either unless they look dirty. I will rinse them off with water, no soap and pat them dry. And I don't use sealer or matte medium unless the baby gets very shiny because it does cause the vinyl to feel different. I mix my paint much differently that most artists do too~I use vitamin E (from capsules) instead of paint thinner or whatever you usually use. That eliminates the danger from the fumes and it works great. The only thing I don't mix that way is the paint for the veins, that works better with the thinner. I have a hand dryer but I bought a NuWave oven a year ago and I keep it in my garage. I absolutely love it and it is so much more efficient. I've been reborning for more than 13 years now and I've never had a complaint about the paint coming off any of my babies. I hope this helps in some way, good luck, hugs, Kathleen

[misteeIrene]

I always start off with her flesh color.

[Debbie@TNGUN]

Hi Misty, I am so sorry that you are stressed out on this doll and that you've had issues.

Please verify that this is the 4th kit that you have painted with Baby FX and it is just the 4th kit that the paint is coming off....at least that you are aware of? Or do you have 4 kits painted that the paint is coming off?

As Angie stated, once in a while you just get a kit that has the issues~it may not be the paint at all.

But one common denominator that always pops up when people have problems with paint coming off is that they prepped the vinyl with alcohol. I have seen this common denominator with ALL paints, be them air dry or heat set. I have NO scientific explanation why, but in the 10 yrs I have been reborning this has been one true denominator.

So when you say that you primed the vinyl, you used the Baby FX flesh color, correct? What did you mix in with it and what was your ratio?

I am sorry for all of the questions but they usually help get to the bottom of the issue.

Chin up! We'll get this figured out.

[misteeIrene]

Thanks Debbie....

The first 3 kits I did and sold I didn't have any issues...at least that I saw before selling.

Josephine by Brit Klinger I painted and then it sat for over a month. I rooted the swirl and noticed paint came off on lip peak. Didn't think much just figured that I rubbed hard or something. I root slow,,lol, so about a month later as I was taking pics to sell I saw some paint on toes and ears had rubbed off.

Next two were 2 of the sullivan quads. These were the first that I noticed the paint rubbing off on toes, fingers and ears...the sharper points. I had just finished assembling one when I noticed the missing paint. That's when I went to check the josephine and noticed the missing paint.

The current kit with issues is Hesse by BB

I wash the kit with dawn to prep, rub with alchol then wash again with hoT water. after talking with Melissa, I matted the jesse kit first before painting. I waited a few days after to start painting.. When painting I normally add a drop or 2 of paint, same with the slow dry then distilled water until it's thin enough that I like. I like the paint thin.

I wear gloves, blow dry between layers and when not painting I normally leave a fan blowing on them. We have ac on so it's not humid.

Jesse after painting, I waited a few days after painting to use the final sealer then waited another week or so before assembling. I assembled yesterday then put in car to show my mom. When I got home to take pics I saw the rub/scratch marks. I had rubbed with a clean sponge before and paint didn't come off, so I had assumed it was alright.

I only use fx products, no powders and nothing from craft store.

[anjsmiles Angie]

I wonder if your paint mix ratios may be of issue? I do know that if you use too much water in air dry paints it can reduce the adhesion properties of the paint. I am using the formula Debbie gave me of 1 drop paint:5 drops slow dry:15 drops water. You can dab off your sponge on a paper towel before pouncing on the kit to get a lighter application. You can also keep a damp wedge on hand to pounce over color once you apply it to lighten it as well.

[misteeIrene]

Would too much water really keep from drying? Don't some people just use water, no slow dry? Thought I read that somewhere. MG didn't seem to think I was using too much water.l I dunno,,,sigh. You guys r great for helping me.

[anjsmiles Angie]

All I know is that I have researched air dry acrylics off and on over the years and the one thing I always found in materials I read is that too much water can break down the pigments in acrylic paints causing them to lose their adhesion properties. Also tap water can do this which is why distilled water is recommended. You can thin the paints with all water but you want to keep your water to paint ratio to a minimum and not thin them out til they are just tinted. This is why all air dry systems include slow drys or thinning mediums.