Doll Eyelashes Tutorial

Applying Eyelashes

• The easiest method for adding eyelashes is to buy eyelashes made specifically for dolls or to trim down false eyelashes to fit your doll's eye sockets. Either method works, it just depends on the style of doll you are creating.

  Once you carefully trim up your eyelashes, you'll need to apply them with clear-drying--and preferably quick-drying--craft glue. Use only a small amount applied inside of the eye socket with a fine paintbrush to keep the glue's appearance discreet. Using either tweezers or a specially designed doll eyelash applicator (an EZ-Lasher), take hold of the lashes and gently guide them into the socket and then lightly press the base into the line of glue.

  Press the eyelashes into place with a toothpick, lightly adjusting the placement until the glue has started to harden. It is best to wait 24 hours after applying lashes to insert any eyes to make sure the glue is completely dry. If you have any glue residue, use a damp Q-tip to gently wash it away.

Painting Eyelashes

• If you are working on a doll head without eye sockets, you will need to paint on the eyelashes at the same time as the eyes themselves. This takes practice so feel free to paint some test eyelashes on a piece of thick paper first. Make a gentle curve for each lash, working from one corner to the other, slowly adjusting the length so that the longest lashes are in the center with the shortest at the corners.

  The thickness of the lash is a personal preference, with some doll designers preferring fewer thick lashes and others preferring many thin lashes. Which method you use depends on the aesthetic of the doll you're creating, so experiment on the paper a bit to decide which look is best for your doll.

Rooting Eyelashes

• The most difficult method of applying eyelashes is to directly root them into the eyelid; however, this is the most viable method available if you are working with a sleeping expression.

  Using either mohair or sarin, thread a single strand at a time onto a size 38 or 40 felting needle and plug the end of the thread. Plugging consists of tying off the end and applying a small drop of glue to seal the knot. Then, gently thread the needle through the bulge of the eyelid just above the crease to root one lash. Work one lash at a time until the eyelid is full, and trim the lashes to the proper length.