How do you feel about body blushing?

Personally, I'm a fan, in spite of the drawbacks, because I like the "finished" look it gives my dolls. As well, some have particular markings (tattoos, scarring, etc) on their body which would look strange if the rest of the body was not blushed. I also like that it pulls out the fine detail in the sculpts, and allows me to get a closer look at that fine detail.

I stick to a lighter, natural blushing--none of the "sunburned" look; most of the standard blushings I do are done in about two layers, just to help keep them light. Yes, it does chip a bit around joints, so I try to avoid doing much blushing around them.

 

I had a couple dolls with blushing early on and it started flaking off both of them immediately, and not just around the joints. Maybe that was just my bad luck, but I've refused to pay money for it ever since. My dolls stay clothed almost all the time, so it really has little value to me. None of my current dolls have blushing, and I think they look just fine without it.

 

I much prefer the look of body blushing, it makes the dolls look complete. I think it can look a bit silly when the head is so beautifully done up and the body looks so blank.

 

It does look awesome, but I'm way too afraid of chipping to put it on most of my dolls! I feel like I'd rather have an unblushed body than a blushed body that's starting to chip... however! Most of my dollie characters are quite covered up, so it wouldn't be that visible anyway. I am planning to do body blushing on dolls that wear less revealing clothes all the time or occasionally.

I am also considering doing body blushing on one of my yellowed dolls to bring back a bit of a reddish tone. Haven't gotten around to it yet but some day!

As a style, I prefer the more subtle ones - specific colors would depend on the resin, naturally. But I could see myself using mostly browns, reds and maybe a teemy-tiny bit or purple for the more shadowy spots.

This is very well put.

 

It really depends. I love how it looks if it is well done but I currently have a doll I can't stand the sight of. It's so dark against her white skin she looks like she's decaying> I hope to one day get it done right.

 

I don't have body blushing on any of my dolls -- I seldom have anything done other than their face-up. I keep telling myself I should blush and paint everybody's fingernails. . . but I'm sure I won't, even though I do love the way that looks and find it's pretty easy not to damage it when it's only on the hands.
For me the only reason I'd be interested in body blushing is for a special effect, like freckles. Otherwise I just use my imagination and find it's easy to feel my dolls are very real even if they have shiny bare bodies. It's the best option for me, as a general nit-picker, to keep myself happiest with my dolls.I enjoy a good body blushing in pictures on other people's dolls though!

 

I do like body blushing. I do it on all of my dolls. However--- I only like it when it's very subtle. NOT A FAN of body blushing with a lot of contrast/many colors/heavily applied. My least favorite aspect of doing it is how much sealant it uses up to thoroughly basecoat and then seal my dolls. I generally find it to be pretty durable; the only things I find needing much touching up are my girls' fingernails.

 

Body blushing is lovely while it lasts, especially when it's subtle, and not with lots of dark/bright colors. I'm not as fond of blushing that stands out too much, or covers up too much of the doll rather than enhancing/emphasizing the curves and shapes. Of course, I don't mind bright/dark colors on fantasy parts.

My only issue is that, in my experience, the blushing doesn't tend to last. I know some folks seem to be able to get theirs to stick, but the only dolls I've had with blushing have chipped and rubbed fairly quickly. Of course, I play with my dolls a lot, and transport them regularly. So while I like the look of it, I'm not sure, for me personally, that it's worth the effort or money spent.

I suppose I'll just enjoy it on others' dolls.

 

All of my dolls have natural-looking face ups, and body blushing to match. I do a lot of doll photography and don't like the look of bare, unblushed hands or necks. If the resin is thoroughly cleaned before blushing, it doesn't rub off that quickly. I play with my dolls a LOT, and none of them have lost their blushing or manicures. Except maybe around joints, but that doesn't bother me since the dolls are never naked anyways.

 

I love a well done body blush, but I only do it occasionally on my own dolls becuase I play with them a lot and trying to keep it from chipping stresses me out!

 

If it is done well, I really like it. Though I prefer it to be done on muscular, manly bodies (Iplehouse SID and EID, Impldoll Idol...). What I absolutely cannot stand is blushing which looks like sunburnt. It really depends.

 

I prefer to blush my dolls body's no matter what size doll, and have from the beginning. I often notice new details while blushing, and call me weird. I like the sense of familiarity with the sculpt's little details and quirks. To me, blushing and faceups are part of 'taking care' of my dolls, kind of like brushing a dog's fur. This isn't to say I don't own dolls with company faceups, or wouldn't pay someone else to do blushing for me, but with the supplies and ability on hand, it's a bit of a bummer to send them out instead. I only get company face-up when it's exactly what I had in mind for the character anyhow, and usually that means he's got like... plain brown eyebrows and pretty average nothing special features but it looks so nice so so what?

 

Is body blushing something you ordinarily do to your dolls or do you prefer leaving your doll bodies un-blushed?
I'd say that about half of my dolls have body blushing that either I've done or paid to have the company do.

Do you have a preference for color palettes?
Not necessarily, as long as it looks natural. Pinks and yellows are typically used on my normal skin dolls, while greys and blues are used on my grey skin dolls. Just depends on skin color and the colors used in the faceup blushing.

Does the doll sculpt matter in your decision to body-blush or not?
Not the sculpt, but the doll itself. If the outfit the doll is wearing can easily chip blushing, I'll really hesitate on doing body blushing. If I love the company faceup, I'll usually do the faceup and body blushing together so it matches well. I used to never pay for body blushing, but after seeing it on a fullset I ordered, I'm in love with it. It's beautiful, and I haven't had any major issues with chipping. Fantasy parts blushing chips way more easily in my opinion, so I think body blushing is worth the cost and/or time to do it

 

I prefer the look of body blushing for my dolls even if my doll in outfit all the time.I like to know that their bodies looks like humans as much as it possible.

 

Personally, I tried to leave the doll without blush .... but after a short time, I missed ... every time I was taking a photo, it bothered me to see their faces so well defined and the rest no ...
So now I always suggest to all the blush
Any kind of sculpt, calls me immediately blush body

For the pallette ... I love the natural colors, then peach, pink or amber for tan

 

I have one doll with body blushing and almost all of his torso detailing has rubbed off. Though I'm still not sure how because it's the paint in the sculpted lines on his body that's flaking away, not the blushing around the joints. So weird.
I wouldn't recommend it unless you doll is gonna be naked 24-7.

 

I much prefer it on any body part that's going to be visible all the time for the same reasons other people have mentioned (looks more finished, etc), but I also understand not wanting to put it on anything that'll be under clothes. On my doll, I blushed everything when I first got her, but I think I'm only going to keep up the blushing on the hands and neck. The blushing on her feet is already wearing off and the other blushing is almost never visible.

 

You guys... I am such a body blushing convert. I used to be like, "if they're clothed then nah" and "it comes off anyway" and "it's such effort" and "joints don't take it well" but then I just did my first body blush on my fave (shh don't tell the others) and, immediately delighted with the results, blushed everyone else, too. And... oh my god. I can't begin to describe how much it really made me bond more with everyone. Their skin looks so real and so warm, freckles and moles add focal points and depth, it's really easy to add and so fun.... I'm a total convert! It's really easy to do nice and even with the right tools (I use a synthetic cat's tongue brush for applying the colour and a soft fluffy brush to blend, because why not apply everything like it's human makeup..) and with a tougher sealant than MSC (like Purity Seal for you cool UK cats) it lasts nicely. I'm so into it!

 

It looks nice initially but it wears too easily - fastenings on clothes (rubbing at the joints etc) so needs too much maintenance.

Plus my dolls wear pretty covering outfits so there's not really any point in body blushing that won't be seen.

Teddy