IT’S 2016! YAY! Here’s one of my new years resolutions: become acquainted with this tool-

Instead of asking for a new doll or video game this year, I figured it was about time to step up my faceup game. I’d been thinking about investing in an airbrush for awhile, but I knew little to nothing about them (though I’m still by no means well-versed). Luckily, my husband managed to find a set on sale, and it was exactly the airbrush I wanted.

Iwata’s Neo series airbrush is apparently one of the best choices for those just starting out, but even for those with experience, it’s a reliable tool. I asked for the opinions of faceup artists in a couple groups and this was the most popular choice. From what I’ve done so far, it controls very easily. The thickness of lines is mitigated by pulling back the button after it’s pressed down, which is simple enough after some practice.

In addition to the advice I received, I also asked what brands/paints people use with their airbrushes, as I’d received Createx acrylic airbrush paint in my starter pack. Acrylic paint will work with airbrushes, but you need to clean it out ASAP as it will gunk up the innards of the airbrush. the recommendation that caught me, however, was gouache.

Let me start by saying this box is the size of my hand. It’s 6 basic tubes of color… And it was $40 at my local art shop. Professional gouache (pronounced gwashe apparently) is usually pretty expensive, but also well worth it. Unlike acrylic which adheres to the surface instantly, gouache will give the user time to erase and correct mistakes. If I had known about that before, I probably would’ve started using it sooner since acrylics and I have our disagreements more often than not. Gouache dries matte and is water soluble. I’ve been told this is what Andreja from Nicolle’s Dreams on Youtube uses. If you haven’t seen any of her videos, look her up! She’s amazing.

Here’s our first project/labrat of the year:

This is my practice head I bought a long time ago. I think she’s a CP Elf Shiwoo? Not 100% because I bought her off Ebay. When I got her she was covered in something I couldn’t identify at first… And it ended up being nail polish. Needless to say she’s got some stains, but for a practice head she’s perfect. I’ll post results of the experiment when I have them. Until then, happy new year everyone! May we all meet our dolly goals this year.

Edit: I was told by a kind member of DoA that she’s actually a CP/Luts Angel Elf Soo. Thank you Sm.!