Flock Rocks!

Ever hated the hair that came on your Ken doll and wanted to change it, but didn't know how?  I hope that this next series of how-to's will help-you do just that!  I am planning several tutorials which will showcase helpful tips and tricks for your doll crafting conundrums and diorama dilemmas.  These tutorials will include things like how to flock your Ken doll (as illustrated in this posting), how to cut Barbie/family doll hair, how to use lighting to your benefit when taking photographs of your dolls, how to properly clean doll hair and bodies, and much more!

Now, let's get started:

Tools needed:

Do yourself a HUGE favor and get yourself a pair of needle nose pliers.  I am using a small set here and have made a note to self to be sure and get a larger, longer pair in the very near future.  These worked well for the Ken doll as those doll head openings are larger.  But, when dealing with Skipper neck opening, forgettaboutit.  It was a strain on my hand and wrist.  And strains are a pain, but I digress.

A glue of some kind preferably Elmer's glue or something non-toxic (seriously, be safe here people.  You are breathing these fumes in!).

A small paintbrush of some sort.  I prefer to use a square tipped flat brush as it applies the glue more evently and gets nice and close to the hairline, but whatever brush you choose will work.  Just make sure it's a small one.  Small tools for small jobs is my motto when dealing in dolls.

Another paintbrush of some sort to brush off the excess flocking (and there will most definitely be excess, trust me).

Hair flocking color of your choice.  Sky's the limit here, but since this is a bit of a task to undertake, might I suggest a color that is pleasing to the eye and one that you will not regret in the morning.

A small tray to dust the hair onto and apply to the head.

Patience.  Goes without saying when working on a small scale, but needing to be said nonetheless.  It is your best tool.  Or at least that's what I continue to remind myself of.

Steps:

Step #1: First decide what Ken doll you'd like to redo the 'do on.  The one I am using here was a recent commission.  I didn't have a choice, so that (thankfully) eliminated having to make a decision.  Start by carefully taking the head off.  Neck knobs mechanismas can vary greatly depending on the era and make of your doll, so be careful here.  This is where patience comes in handy.  Once the head is off, inspect the interior to see if there is any glue inside.  I have found that Mattel has begun glueing hair in place on most newer dolls.  This Ken had glue.  Ew.

Step #2: Take your pliers and insert them into the head through the neck opening.  Then, start to tweeze the hairs out, going for sections.  Once you get this process starting, it gets easier, well mostly, as you go along.  My goal is always to try and get clumps of hair out at once as shown below.  You never know quite when it's going to happen, but when it does, there are a series of pleasant sounding bells and whistles that go off inside my head... and I think I might hear Homer Simpson's voice, like when he sees donuts.  I do the same, but when I see clumps of doll hair.  (I may have some issues.)

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, hair clumps.

Doesn't that ^ look like a piece of carpet?  Maybe it's just me.

Keep working the hair out.  It can take a while, especially if it refuses to come out in clumps.  If that's the case, you are left to feel around inside with the pliers and the tips of the fingers of your other hand (I should have added "two hands" to the supplies list, but I think that's rather obvs.)

Eventually, the head will look like this.  Hairless.  And in need of hair.  Or not.  Your choice.

Step #3: At this point, if you haven't yet thrown in the towel, go ahead and use that towel to dry the head after washing it with a mild soap (dish soap is fine).  Be sure to dry it really, really well inside and out.  The last thing you'd want is for the glue to being trying to adhere to a wet surface only to come loose later on.  Unless, of course, you like to have to redo work a second time.  Been there before... it wasn't pretty.   Once the head is dry, you're ready to start flocking!  On your mark... get set... flock off, flockers!

Step #4: I failed at taking a photo of this step, but can easily use just words to tell you to start painting the glue on the head. Please use the glue sparingly.  You do not want any areas of big, gushy globs of of glue.  "Why not?" you ask?  Well, because I said so.  That and the glue will undoubtedly consume what flocking you will place on it and leave you with a big mess and darkened, patchy areas of what will look like melted plastic when it dries.  Been there before... it wasn't pretty.  I see a pattern forming here.

Step #5: Once you have the head covered in a thin layer of glue, you will need to work quickly to get the flocking on.  I put some on a small tray and then pinch and push it onto the head all around making sure to cover the entire head.  It's okay to put more on than you need.  What the glue needs, the glue will take.  It's bossy that way.  The excess can be brushed off later when it dries a bit.  Just be sure to use a different brush than the one you used to apply the glue.  I need to add that to the supplies list above, too.  Done.

Step #6: You may need to repeat steps #4 and #5 depending on how "flocky" you want your new 'do.  Just be sure and allow the layers to dry completely before applying more glue on top as you will ruin the work you've just worked to complete.  This guy I worked on took two layers and I was pleased.

Step #7: Wait... we're done?  Oh.  Yep, we're done.

Okay!  So, there you have it, folks.  A freshly flocked fellow.  The fellow with the faux hawk below on the left took about 4 layers to build it up in the middle just so.  And for what it's worth, that particular Ken doll did not, I repeat, did not have any glue inside his head so it went a little smoother than the glued guy did.

Go on now, have some fun taking a dude doll from, "um, no" to "whoa, bro!"

- TR

Transition

I should be out walking in this wonderful weather we are having here in MI.  It's currently 72º and sunny today after a light rain through the night.  Last night was the first this year where it has been warm enough in the house to have the fan blowing on me ever so gently.  Waking up with cool, crisp sheets around me is one of my absolute favorite things.

The wild things are really beginning to take hold and move into their blossoming phase.  I have some supercharged hot pink creeping phlox in the front yard that is starting to rear it's blossomy heads.  When that stuff blooms it appears to be exploding onto the lawn as if someone purposefully overturned a bucket of paint in large, bountiful globs.  Walkers-by often stop and ogle it and, if I'm out when they're near, they'll ask me what it is.  I often respond with, "Magic."

I've been entirely preoccupied with things in my personal life unfolding, which I will refrain from going into in any great detail here.  But, all this mindfulness has rallied me away from doll painting.   I will try and salvage my absence by posting a few of my most recent doll works:

I hope that things are idling nicely where you are.  I can only hope to be coasting some place soon myself.

Ripe For Repainting

Was pilfering through my doll bin the other day looking for a few dolls to begin a few repaints on when I found this guy lurking about in the dark corners.  Though he looks trashed and beyond any form of bringing back around, I welcome the challenge.

I'm actually really looking forward to working on this doll!

Last week I finished up a few customs for a few orders and am pleased with how they turned out:

The Skipper doll took my breath away a little bit.  This was the first time I had painted doll's eyes using multiple colors to create depth... and I am very pleased with the results.  The Midge owner sent me a photo of the doll after they put a wig on her and dressed her.  She looks beautiful!

h e l l o

And welcome.

So, you might be wondering why I chose "tiny ribbons" for the name of this blog.  Well, tiny ribbons is actually more representational of the small details that go into what makes a doll or a toy special.  It's also about taking time to notice the small things in life.

My focus for this existence of this blog is going to be about all things doll and toy related.  It's also going to coincide with an array of articles I will be writing for a few doll related magazines in the next several months.  And, since I am asked so frequently, it's also going to showcase my doll painting and restoration creations.  Needless to say, I am very excited!

It's been a long time coming, really, since I've been involved in dolls in some form professionally for nearly the last two decades.  But, I've never showcased my work... until now.  Let's start with some of some older restoration work:

The top images show the blonde flip TNT Francie restored.  The second images show a custom Sun Sun Malibu Francie that I sold a while back.  Francie is probably my most favorite doll to work on.  I love the shape of her face (she has the sweetest profile) and that her look is relatively versatile.

As time goes on, I will be showing my other dolls as well as some tips to help fellow doll customizers with their own creations and what products I use.  I may even post a few repainting tutorials on You Tube, depending on time constraints.

Until then, feel free to post your comments below and I will answer them as best I can.  I am looking so very forward to how this blog will be changing and expanding as time travels on and new ideas present themselves!