How To Paint Toffee Topia & Three New Skin Tones

Tuesday, March 24, 2015
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Hi everyone! I am posting these instructions again in case anyone missed them. Here are reference photos for the Toffee Topia skin tone. Click the images to see enlarged versions. I will not be selling a coloring guide for the Toffee Topia skin tone because like I said before, the colors are the same as Apricot Love-A-Lot. The instructions below will help you achieve the darker tan coloring.

Honeybee Myxx is also a deep tan shade but it is more saturated and reddish than Toffee Topia. This is due to the presence of the reddish brown color used for the paint mixtures. Toffee Topia is based on a yellowish brown and is therefore less intense at a glance.

Which skin tone do I prefer? Both skin tones have their place in the doll market, I'd say, which is why I never bothered to replace Toffee Topia with Honeybee Myxx. I'd use Toffee Topia for sleeping newborns and Honeybee Myxx for awake and seemingly older newborns.

How To Paint the Toffee Topia Skin Tone

1. Toffee Topia is a slightly darker tan shade of Apricot Love-A-Lot. Use the Apricot Love-A-Lot coloring guide.
2. Complete Prep & Neapolitan Chiaroscuro.
3. Open your Depth & Details tutorial. Complete the first part of flesh stacking (transitions).
4. Add a thin base layer wash.
5. Make adjustments to the Neapolitan Chiaroscuro. The wash will dull your Neapolitan Chiaroscuro. I always paint three extra layers.
6. When you start the second part of flesh stacking (the mosaic pattern), use the same colors listed BUT for the purple color, do not use Dioxazine Purple 02. Mix a new purple color using Pyrrole Red 02 and Ultramarine Blue (1:1).

Click here to purchase my coloring guides and tutorials.
The Depth & Details tutorial can be purchased here.

Yes, the rumors are true! I wanted to surprise everyone, but since the cat is out of the bag, I am working on three new skin tones.

Cherry Cheeks-  A light Asian skin tone for older babies.
Tinkerblush-  A Caucasian newborn skin tone that will feature many coloring variations.
Vanilla Truffle- A milky biracial/AA/ethnic newborn skin tone.

 I will have samples of these skin tones soon.
 

Infant Fashion: An Ivory Gown For Julietta

Monday, March 23, 2015



Julietta definitely gives off an elegant vibe. It has been a while since I have designed a fancy baby. I would say that Cassandra, Sarah Bella, Kimani, and Natalia all fit into this so-called 'fancy' category. Their face sculpts just need lace, smocking, truffles and ruffles. The Toffee Topia skin tone is very warm, so the color ivory was my first choice. I drove around from store to store today hunting for an elegant ivory gown, but I could only find white gowns. White works for the Apricot Love-A-Lots and Cacao Silks, but not the Toffee Topia babies. These three gowns were my top choices. I loved them all, but I could only choose one. You'll have to wait and see which one I chose for Julietta. I'll do her photo shoot this weekend. :)

Infant Fashion Sunday: Petit Lem So Pretty

Sunday, March 22, 2015





Petit Lem has some of the sweetest things for newborns! The thing about Petit Lem is that their garments look 100% better in person than they do in pictures. The quality is amazing. My local boutique carries some of these styles, but I have to shop online for newborn sizes. I ordered most of the pictured pieces. I can't get over how adorable the Swan Poem pieces are! I can't use them because they start at 3 months and I need the newborn size. I have one of these outfits for Julietta's box packing. I am still looking for a nice, fancy gown for Julietta's photo shoot. I may need to take a trip to Baby Beau and Belle next. ;)

Julietta Finally Rooted *SOLD*

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Hola amigos! I finally finished rooting my dear Julietta. She has a head full of brown curls that I will reveal during her final photo shoot. Teaser time! :) She needs a second phase of painting and I am sure it will only take a couple of hours. I want to do her photo shoot this coming Wednesday. I need to purchase a gown for her. Dillards has some of the prettiest gowns, but I think I will go with Biscotti or Wendy Bellisimo since I can purchase these brands from a local boutique. Ideally, I'd like a gown with a tulle hem because Julietta looks like a fancy baby girl...more like royalty! What a perfect face sculpt! :) I will update this post soon with a final shoot.

How To Paint the Toffee Topia Skin Tone

1. Toffee Topia is a slightly darker tan shade of Apricot Love-A-Lot. Use the Apricot Love-A-Lot coloring guide.
2. Complete Prep & Neapolitan Chiaroscuro.
3. Open your Depth & Details tutorial. Complete the first part of flesh stacking (transitions).
4. Add a thin base layer wash.
5. Make adjustments to the Neapolitan Chiaroscuro. The wash will dull your Neapolitan Chiaroscuro. I always paint three extra layers.
6. When you start the second part of flesh stacking (the mosaic pattern), use the same colors listed BUT for the purple color, do not use Dioxazine Purple 02. Mix a new purple color using Pyrrole Red 02 and Ultramarine Blue (1:1).

Click here to purchase my coloring guides and tutorials.
The Depth & Details tutorial can be purchased here.

Realborn Thomas Box Opening!

Saturday, March 21, 2014
I love this video! I feel so honored and I would like to thank the staff at Bountiful Baby for the kind words about Thomas. And also-- a million thank yous to fellow artists and collectors for the lovely emails about this video! Thomas was so much fun to work on. I love the Realborns. I have all of the Realborns that have been released to date, and they are all superb!

To answer the questions about Thomas-- I am not sure whether or not he is a prototype, but from what I understand, he will be displayed at the ROSE doll show. Look for Bountiful Baby's booth. :) I will not be present at the doll show, unfortunately. I don't attend doll shows because I am extremely shy and borderline anti-social, hehe. #teamintrovert

I will post the pictures of Thomas' gifts soon, I promise. I am so behind with blogging...#forshame 




 

Realborn Thomas Shipped Home

Wednesday, March 11, 2015



I was sad to see this one go. I love the Realborns and Thomas was so much fun to work with. His little hands and lips are just sheer perfection. His face is so lifelike! Some of you may get to see Thomas in person. From what I understand, he will be displayed during the ROSE doll show at his new family's booth. How exciting! I wish I could be there! I'll post his box packing photos as soon as he arrives home. I still have not posted Saige's box packing photos, I know, I know. I promise I will get to it by the end of the week. :)

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Brooke Nicole - Photographer + Doll Artist | Creative Commons Attribution- Noncommercial License | 2002-2015 Brooke Nicole