Monday, July 2, 2012

A different kind of doll

When I was out at Toys R Us shopping from some Monster High dolls (I totally scored, they had a great selection!) I grabbed a different kind of doll.  They were in the same display as the Monster High dolls and I reached for one before I even realized it was something different.  They're called Bratzillaz and appear to be a reaction to the popularity of Monster High.

They have pretty similar looks and sizes, but different proportions.  I decided to get one when I noticed that they have actual eyes, not painted ones.  I couldn't find a lot of information about them online, but what I did find said that they have glass eyes, THIS IS NOT TRUE.  So be warned if you're going to paint one, you're going to have to remove the eyes before you can wipe the face because acetone will melt the acrylic eyes.  I grabbed one named Cloetta Spelletta, her two different eyes attracted me.


The eyes are difficult to remove, but I read that heating the head up helps.  I had to squeeze the head really hard and pry them out with a knitting needle.  They can't be removed from inside the head, there's a socket for them to fit into through the eye openings.  This is problematic.


All wrapped up and highlights added!  You can see the head is really different looking from any of the Monster High girls, with make up they looked more similar.


Pink blush.


Smoky eyeshadow.


Eyelashes painted.


Pastel work, I outlined the lips, filled in the eyelid creases, and marked where the eyebrows go.  This was where I noticed how smooth the vinyl is, it's closer to working on resin than the Monster High dolls.  It's really not tacky at all on its own, a very stiff vinyl.


Detail work on the eyebrows.


Eyeliner and a little more pastels.


Teeth!


Sealing and gloss!  Unfortunately this means the next step is to insert the eyes.  This is difficult when you don't want to damage the face up.  I can only recommend a few things since I had a lot of trouble.  One, trim off the little pegs on the backs of the eyes, I could not get them to work otherwise.  Two, do it when the head is still 'fresh' from the face up, before the sealant gets too dry and stiff.  Three, try using some smooth pliers, not to grip the eyes, but to help get the vinyl over the edges of the eyes so they can sink into the eye sockets.

Other than that, I have no more suggestions other than to use different eyes.  If you buy some oval glass eyes they should have more rounded edge and should be easier to push in without getting caught or damaging the paint.


Finished!  She's not my favorite, I don't think I would purchase another.  The head is pretty cute, in a very stylized way, and having sockets for real eyes is neat, but the body is not well proportioned at all.  It's clear they were trying to emulate Monster High dolls, but they sort of missed the mark a little.  Plus, the hands are really horribly sculpted, they're just flat mitten hands.

3 comments:

  1. Bratz dolls have been around for much longer than Monster High dolls. They have something like 9 years on Monster High dolls

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    1. I know, but this is a new line of Bratz, and to my knowledge the first line with real eyes.

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    2. The Bratzillas are newer than MH and they are definitely a result of the popularity of the MH dolls.

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