Since many of you fellow watchers have asked me what materials do I use to paint the Monster High dolls, here are few tips and winks for you to start your very own MH custom doll. :3

Please note that these are only the methods what I use and what I've learned from reading tutorials and discussing about these with other MH doll repainters. Methods do vary depending on people and their working methods and materials what they want to use. I've painted Asian Balljointed Dolls from year 2006, and whatever I use to paint resin, I use to paint MH dolls as well.
Please, be cautious to use anything with oil or acetone on it! Oil is very bad for resin, and just to be extra careful with these small and fragile MH dolls, please try not to use anything which has oil or acetone in it. :3


What to use to removed the factory paint?

♥ I use acetone free nailpolish remover and a cotton pad to take the factory paint off. After I have cleaned the head and limbs from the factory paint, I'll wash the parts with soap water to clean the remain nailpolish remover from the surface, and to prevent the plastic to be slippery after the nailpolish remover. You can also use Magic Sponge to take the factory paint off, but it will take more time to scrub, but if you're patient enough, the paint will come off sooner or later. You can also try Isoprophyl Alcohol, but like Magic Sponge, it will take time to scrub the paint off. I got allergic reactions from the Isoprophyl alcohol, so be cautious when you use it. If you're oversensitive to scents, please be cautious with the Acetone free Nailpolish as well!

What do I need to start painting?

♥ After cleaning the head and body parts, I highly recommend to first COAT the doll. This way you will make the plastic surface less slippery and plasticy, and the paint will stick better on the surface and it prevents the paint to stain the doll.
What I use to coat the dolls is Mr.Super Clear, but since it's so hard to get nowadays, you can also use Armypainter clear coat, or something similar depending what your country sells.

♥ You will need as thin and sharp brush you can find. The best result you will get from 10/0 and smaller brushes than that. The brushes must have a sharp tip on them, otherwise you will make too thick lines.

♥ Acrylic paints, the best ones I've ever used are in small bottles where I can squeeze the right amount of paint, like Army Painter colors. But you can use whatever acrylics, preferably those which are in small tubes. Remember to check that the paint wont contain any oil.

♥ Dry pastels to make blushing on the face and body. I have old Gallery dry pastels which I use to scratch the pastel to a fine dust with a knife, sometimes mixing two or three colors together to get the best shade for blushing.

♥ Makeup brushes, several different sizes of them to spread the blush evenly on the doll. I prefer those which are made for eyeshadowing, the one's with the hair tip.

♥ Gloss to give the eyes and lips nice and realistic glossy surface.

Other tips and winks?

Always remember to coat the head after you've cleaned it from the previous paint. Remember to dry the surface you are about to coat, because most of the coats wont stick if the surface is moist or wet. After you've done painting your doll, give the area another finishing coat so that the paint wont wear out.

You can check multiple different tutorials which are made for BJD's. I use the very same methods and materials as to paint the resin, so the tutorials that you will find will have the same methods in them as painting the MH dolls.

I hope that this was any helpful to you at all~
Have fun to create your very own Monster High doll!