Barbie deBarbiefied (continuously updated)

Great job on the bike -- and the diorama. Poor Paul! But yes, the Barbie wheelchairs are a rare modern wheelchair option. I see you did the same type of repaint there I did.

GubernatorFan wrote:Nice job. It looks much better.

Here is an update: some black paint on those two additional dresser stands. Maybe another color would look better, but black was all I had a available.

The black chair does not belong to the set, but fits well.

ElBundy wrote:My contribution to this thread:

The above-shown (very) cheap bicycle painted in blue:

...

The Barbie wheelchair (in this case the TBLeague figure really needs it because of a broken ankle). The T-Shirt belongs to Ken:

...


I think there is no other way to get a modern active wheelchair in 1/6.

Wheelchair and bicycle look great!

I also like the black cat in the first picture

one/sixth-uals wrote:Here is an update: some black paint on those two additional dresser stands. Maybe another color would look better, but black was all I had a available. The black chair does not belong to the set, but fits well.

Well, anything to obscure the pink helps. It does look much better. Functionally, the chair to the left is likely to be made of wood in real life, so its framing could be painted in a brown; the framing of the two pieces on the right would seem to be wrought iron or metal, so black might also work here. The framing around the mirror itself could be either metal or wood in real life, so you have yet another choice there. But even as it is now, I think it looks less like a toy, and more like a miniature.

You can also add pushing handles to the wheelchair.



More photos and information here: https://onesixthfigures.forumotion.com/t127p45-barbie-debarbiefied-continuously-updated#54785

GubernatorFan wrote:You can also add pushing handles to the wheelchair.

More photos and information here: https://onesixthfigures.forumotion.com/t127p45-barbie-debarbiefied-continuously-updated#54785

Sorry for the redundancy, I haven't noticed those posts. Cool pictures of the lady and the wheelchair with attached handles.

ElBundy wrote:Sorry for the redundancy, I haven't noticed those posts. Cool pictures of the lady and the wheelchair with attached handles.

It's not a problem -- we solved the issue the same way, and ended up with a more realistic wheelchair. The handles are an idea. Another idea might be arm rests (although perhaps those would be getting in the way of the occupant's mobility).

GubernatorFan wrote:
Another idea might be armrests (although perhaps those would be getting in the way of the occupant's mobility).

Yes, you are right: armrests are usually not parts of so-called 'active wheelchairs' (translated from German). Believe me, I have a lot of professional and familiar experience with wheelchairs.

ElBundy wrote:Yes, you are right: armrests are usually not parts of so-called 'active wheelchairs' (translated from German). Believe me, I have a lot of professional and private experience with wheelchairs.

Thank for confirming. I have very little, but tried to do a bit of basic visual research before making my modifications.

Very creative guys!

My attempt at debarbiefying a fashion doll kitchen set!

Ooh, that looks great! Interested to see what photoshoot this will feature in...

Looks excellent!

Well done!

I agree with the previous posters. This is excellent work!

That is brilliant, Alex. Really nice repaint of that entire set.

Excellent stuff Alex! I'm currently making a kitchen scene too. I shall check in to keep an eye open for tips and further progress!

Your attempt worked beautifully, you now have a believable kitchen for all those hilarious kitchen moments that you are likely to invent. And the paint on the mat looks like someone had an accident with flour and those degreasing pans that go in the oven.

Using the jumpsuit from the barbie looks gtd91 doll looks pretty good on my s29b.

Looks good. It also looks like the “skin” on her right arm is twisted a bit.

By the way, it’s nice to see a few “long-lost members” back.

I do like her hanging out on top of the machinery during a lunch break, or something.

This mailbox is an old Debarbiefication. A rough red paint layer as for a box that has been repainted several times

How pink it is! The "Barbie size" plastic play sets marketed under the "Gloria" brand offer excellent action figure furniture and accessory possibilities at a bargain price. The sets can usually be found on eBay; search for Gloria Play Set for an overview.

The gloriously gaudy Gloria brand plastic piano...
.


.

... might benefit from a dash of rattle-can paint...
.


.

... to better serve in a classically retro smoke-filled cocktail lounge setting
.




.

The Gloria Dining Room and Fireplace play sets definitely need a bit of dulling down!
.


.

Krylon and Rust-Oleum spray paint to the rescue:
.


.



.

And then, of course, there's one of the best action figure play sets evaaar, the Gloria Happy Hour Play Set:

.

.

This set is so cool it actually looks passable straight out of the box, pink plastic and all:

.

.

The bar set is quite effective as-is if the images are processed as monochrome (black & white):
.


.

But it starts to look even better with a bit of paint here and there to tone down the PIIINNNKKKK! Because, yeah, it's a Gloria set, so it's plenty pink.
.


(Note the "textured" spray paint on the countertop to simulate a classier surface than plain white plastic.)
.

If you wanna get all fancy, bust out the hot melt glue and resurface the cardboard facades of the bar and backbar:
.



.
Online contacts tell me there are a variety of images on Pinterest and other websites featuring renovations and de-pinkifying of the Gloria Happy Hour Play Set.

Excellent work, Dave, beautiful examples on how much one could get out of these Barbie and Barbie-related sets. You've made all look realistic and that bar is unrecognizable (and infinitely better).

I love the piano! I've been looking into ways to get one for a diorama-sans-walls for my action figure, to compliment his baton and manuscripts and to have a place to pose him. This is such a creative idea, [and likely more affordable than certain alternatives,] I may have to take a leaf out of your book.

Through what means I will make it look more like this specific piano, kept in his composing hut, perhaps use clay to alter the shape of the legs, replace the chair, paint the grain on by hand after an initial coat.

helianthus wrote:I love the piano! I've been looking into ways to get one for a diorama-sans-walls for my action figure....

The Gloria piano is slightly undersized for a true full-size grand piano, but it's also cheap: usually around twenty bucks or so on US eBay, and for that price, close enough is good enough, at least for me.

Here are a couple more photos to give a better idea of the size as compared to 11-1/2 inch size action figures:

davidd wrote:

helianthus wrote:I love the piano! I've been looking into ways to get one for a diorama-sans-walls for my action figure....

The Gloria piano is slightly undersized for a true full-size grand piano, but it's also cheap: usually around twenty bucks or so on US eBay, and for that price, close enough is good enough, at least for me.

Here are a couple more photos to give a better idea of the size as compared to 11-1/2 inch size action figures:

.

Ah, good to know - thanks so much for the additional reference photos.

Either way this may not render it inaccurate, it's not the one pictured, but another piano he had, which was of a smaller size, and had 6.5 octaves rather than the modern range of 7 (although the 7 octave range was common at the time, he could not afford a piano of that quality).

Perhaps I could model it off of that one, although the lighter color of this one is very characteristic and I quite like that.

(fun fact, he added strips of metal to the hammers of the keys around the lowest register to give it a weightier timbre, which, given the character of his orchestral and sole chamber work, makes a great deal of sense)

Great work on the scene, it's very atmospheric and homey in a way. Especially with the lights

helianthus wrote:

(fun fact, he added strips of metal to the hammers of the keys around the lowest register to give it a weightier timbre, which, given the character of his orchestral and sole chamber work, makes a great deal of sense)

I have heard stories of people who inserted metal thumb tacks in to the felt hammers of old upright pianos to give them a "tin pan alley" or "old west saloon" type sound.

Ah, I found a page about Mahler's pianos: https://mahlerfoundation.org/mahler/the-man/instruments/

It appears that, until he could afford a Bluthner, his earlier pianos were relatively small in size; smaller than the "concert grand" style of today. The toy-grade Gloria piano would not, then, look out of scale in a historical setting.

Very cool stuff Dave! The pink stuff has a lot of potential especially after a coat or two of pain and imagination! Top work.