How to Customize Tonner Dolls

Choose the doll to be repainted and a clean brightly lit area in which to work.

Remove original paint from the Tonner doll face by applying acetone with a soft cloth. Use acetone on a cotton ball or cotton swab to get into the tight spaces around the eyes and lips. Avoid getting acetone on the vinyl body, as this will ruin the vinyl. Allow the face to dry completely before beginning to paint.

Choose a small brush with a very fine point and an acrylic paint for the eyebrows. Paint eyebrows with very tiny strokes to mimic fine hairs.

Outline the eyes. Add the whites of the eyes and include shading and tear ducts for realism. Choose acrylic paints for the color of the eyes. Add the pupil with black paint. Check that the eyes are looking in the same direction by looking at the doll&'s face in a mirror. Add tiny, pinpoint-sized highlights of white and other colors to add depth to the pupils.

Add "eye shadow" by mixing acrylic paint and water into a light wash. Add additional coats of this wash to deepen the color as desired. Add eyeliner around the entire eye. Paint a thin line made from a light brown and water wash under the lower eye to add a "skin shadow" and to make the eye area look less flat.

Paint lashes by using a fine tipped brush to achieve lashes that are a consistent length and thickness.

Outline the lips with a slightly darker shade of paint to give depth. Apply several coats of wash to achieve the desired color. Apply glossy acrylic varnish to add dimension to the lips.

Add blush to the cheeks with watercolor pencils in either pink, plum, red or coral. Blend color carefully with a soft cloth to achieve a seamless finish.

Seal the entire Tonner doll repainted face with acrylic matte finish varnish if satisfied with the outcome. Remove acrylic paint if not pleased with the new face. Wash the doll&'s face with isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth and begin again.