equipment

BRUSHES :: Most manufacturers have developed synthetic-bristle brushes specifically for acrylic painting, which have the added bonus of being easy to clean. Buy a few of different sizes; the ones I use the most are a 10/0 spotter (also called a 'detail spotter', these are used for adding small details and highlights), 5/0 round (an 'all-purpose' brush used for filling-in and some detail work), 10/0 liner (also called a 'rigger', these are useful for drawing lines, such as eyeliner) and a kids paintbrush (the sort you get in multi-packs from the £ or $ shop) for mixing my colours with. A 18/0 liner is also useful for painting eyelashes. Pick the sort and sizes which you think you'll find useful and visit craft stores and shops which sell 'air-fix' kits or 'Warhammer' figures for really small brushes. However, it is useful to note that brush sizes are not universal across different brands; I noticed this when I was in the art shop choosing my brushes. One brand's 4/0 round was the same size as another brand's 2/0 round! So, it is best to go by the look of the size, not by the size on the handle. Also, do NOT buy any brushes which have had their bristles splayed by other customers removing the little plastic tube protection. Once the bristles have been bent, it is very difficult to get them back into their original shape.
Before using your brand-new brushes for the first time, gently clean the bristles in some soap and water to remove the gum arabic that is used to protect the bristles. Then for future painting projects, be sure to moisten the brush BEFORE loading it with acrylic paint, otherwise the paint will stick to the dry bristles and gradually build up to a hardened film that ruins them. Do NOT leave brushes soaking in a jar of water for long periods; the bristles become distorted when resting on the bottom of the jar, and the laquer paint on the handle eventually flakes off. Lay brushes in a shallow tray of water, with the bristles resting in the water and the handles propped on the edge, clear of the water.
If paint has solidified on your brush, try soaking it in methylated spirits for at least 12 hours and then work the paint out between your fingers. Wash the brush throughly in soap and warm water.
You can store your brushes in a jar (making sure they're UPRIGHT), but I prefer to store mine in a pencil tin. This way I know they won't get dusty, accidently knocked over or anything else which can happen to jars :) Also, don't bother putting the little plastic tubings back on the brushes. They are very difficult to put on and chances are you'll miss a few bristles and end up splaying them. As long as you clean your brushes thoroughly after you've finished with them and reshape the bristles whilst they're damp, they should be fine.
PALETTES :: Almost anything can be used as a palette; I use an old bun tray (patty tin), but here a few other suggestions:

• plastic (sheet of white melamine or perspex)
• off-cut of hardboard (masonite) coated with acrylic primer
• sheet of glass with white paper underneath
• paper plates
• disposable cups
• old china plate

Extract & info taken from 'Collins Artist's Manual: The Complete Guide to Painting & Drawing Materials and Techniques
Harper-Collins, 1995

cleaning & preparation

detangling hair

Both of these methods are good for detangling hair, and it may seem strange to use fabric softener for your doll's hair, but remember it is nylon!! Use whichever method you find best but remember to use pure (also called 'sensitive', meaning it's uncoloured and unscented) fabric softener, unless you want your dolls smelling strongly of 'Summer Meadow' :P

• METHOD ONE ::
  1. Pour some neat fabric softener onto the hair. Massage into the tangles and leave to soak in.
  2. Squeeze out the excess softener and, using a wide-tooth comb (a double-ended comb, where one end is wide-tooth and the other is fine-tooth, is particularly useful), start from the bottom and gradually comb your way up the hair
  3. After you've detangled with the wide-tooth comb, use the fine-tooth comb to completely detangle the hair.
  4. Once the hair is smooth and straight, rinse clear with warm water. Smooth the hair down with the comb and leave to dry.
• METHOD TWO ::
  1. Fill a cup with 1/3 fabric softener and 2/3 boiling water.
  2. Dunk the hair into the diluted fabric softener and squeeze out the excess.
  3. Detangle as for method 1. Keep dunking the hair into the softener if you get to any stubborn tangles.
  4. Rinse out with warm water and leave to dry.

cleaning & removing stains

If the hair just wants a good wash, use ordinary shampoo and conditioner (make sure they don't contain any wax or oils, as these will attract dirt and dust and make the hair dirty over time). Liquid soap also works well. As most doll's hair is nylon, fabric softener works well as a conditioner.
To clean the body, soak the doll in some washing-up liquid and warm water. This should remove most dirt. For ground in grime, nylon scourers (for cleaning non-stick pans) work well, as they don't scratch or take off face paint. Use toothbrushes to get into the crevices - I use a hard toothbrush on the body and a soft 'baby' toothbrush on the face.
Use blemish cream (such as Clearasil or Oxy-10) to remove staining left by ink, paint or clothes. Apply a thick layer onto the stain and then place the doll in strong sunlight (if, like me, you live in a country that only gets a few days of sunshine a year, then you can just leave your doll somewhere where she won't get disturbed. Not putting her in the sun will just mean it will take a bit longer for the stain to disappear). Leave for a few days, but continue to check the stain. Reapply the cream until the stain disappears. Be careful of using this method on face paint, as it can fade it.
It is advisable to try out any new techniques on dolls that you wouldn't mind getting ruined. All the methods shown here are to be used at your own risk