Painting TBLeague / Phicen Nipples Tutorial (updated with alternatives)

Stryker2011 wrote:Welcome aboard, Alcina2k. Looks like you did a good job.

Alcina2k wrote:
Seems to be fairly nice - I am happy with the results

collectorofmany wrote:

Alcina2k wrote:
Seems to be fairly nice - I am happy with the results

Wow! This colored pencil method seems to work just as well! I also like how much more natural the colors you chose were. Great job, Alcina2k!

GubernatorFan wrote:Alcina2k, I'm glad the tutorial was helpful. Your experiment worked excellently, and your Paolo is ready to go. I should look into the watercolor pencils you used, thank you for recommending them. And, again, welcome aboard.

Alcina2k wrote:All thanks to your artistic work and artistic inspiration!!! Thank YOU!
I have also done Gerry (M33) nipples as well... I varied the intensity of Van Dyke Brown:Indian Red Ratio - so his nipples would not be EXACTLY the same as Paolo's

GubernatorFan wrote:

Alcina2k wrote:All thanks to your artistic work and artistic inspiration!!! Thank YOU!
I have also done Gerry (M33) nipples as well... I varied the intensity of Van Dyke Brown:Indian Red Ratio - so his nipples would not be EXACTLY the same as Paolo's

You are welcome. But, seriously, thank you for the suggestion. This is all about learning from each other.
You should probably show off your Gerry.
Meanwhile, my most recent nipple painting (below) came out a little bit off... but I think still passable -- couldn't be bothered to wash it off and do again... for now.

GubernatorFan wrote:The subtle treatment on Gerry works pretty naturally.

GubernatorFan wrote:Update: Gundam Real Touch Marker method

In addition to the oil pastel method in the original post and the watercolor pencil method (Alcina2k in posts 21-22), CaseyTong suggested a Gundam Real Touch Marker method for painting details on the TBLeague rubbery TPE body surface. I tried to replicate it and can now confirm that it works. I first tested a small spot on the part of the neck that will always be obscured by a head. As CaseyTong suggested, I soaked up any excess liquid ink on the surface with a q-tip. Then I left it alone for several days. After this, I discovered the coloring had remained (so it was not absorbed, like some stains, by the material), and it proved impossible to smudge or remove it with either a dry q-tip, a wet one, or actual washing with soap and water.

I then replicated the experiment on a body where I had not yet applied the oil pastel method on the nipples. Given the small areas in question and the use of a stencil (the larger one of the two used in the oil pastel method tutorial in the original post), the application of even a single layer of marker ink was very even and opaque (it will probably turn out different if you are trying to paint a larger area of the surface). I soaked up the ink with a q-tip again and removed the stencil. This time I tested within minutes with a dry and with a wet q-tip, and there was no smudging or transfer. I have not yet tried washing it off with soap and water, but the earlier experiment suggests that will not remove the coloring. ...

While I cannot comment on any long-term effects, the real touch marker method appears to be successful. Since real touch markers come with two applicators on each end, one larger and one smaller, I will be testing the smaller applicator's performance for painting body hair. It is not finer than the tips I have used before, but it may be better at allowing a good ink flow and the ink certainly seems to work on the TPE surface. I have not tested this on a TPE surface already painted with oil pastel, but will report on this when it happens. I should note that this method can be expected to work well if you are satisfied with the color as applied (thinly or not) on the surface. You are unlikely to be able to blend colors (certainly not lighter colors), unless you manage to somehow remove them and mix them separately before applying them to the surface.

CaseyTong wrote:Actually you can make the color tone lighter or darker.
For lighter tone use small amount of thinner on the q-tips softly wipe it to make it lighter color(or totally wipe it off clean) after that washing it with running water.

For darker tones is just apply few more layers, just remember to dab it with dry q-tips each layer u apply. You doesn't need to wait just apply and dab it dry.

MeMyself&I wrote:Very informative thread and one that I will be experimenting with in the coming weeks! Thanks Gubernator for the (as others have said) hilarious tutorial!
The question is: Has anyone who has tried the methods above experienced any staining on fabrics since doing any of these techniques? I use a lot of fabric in lighter colors, and a lot of white, so I hope that nothing would come off and get on the fabric. I get the impression that if it won't come off easily cleaning the body, then stains on fabric shouldn't be an issue, but I would rather check.
The cleaning comment is this: I use a lot of the trusty #2 pencil when working on projects, and I tend to use the body I am making things for as a template. Well, pencil gets EVERYWHERE and loves getting on the bodies. I found that, and this may have been mentioned somewhere at some point, mineral/baby oil works BEAUTIFULLY to remove the pencil marks and smudges. So long as you dry the body off of the worst of the oil and then clean normally/re-powder there are no detrimental effects to the body. No stickiness. It cleans pencil off like nothing can stop it. I don't know if it works for other things, but maybe it will be useful for those who use pencil for things.

GubernatorFan wrote:

MeMyself&I wrote:Very informative thread and one that I will be experimenting with in the coming weeks! Thanks Gubernator for the (as others have said) hilarious tutorial!
The question is: Has anyone who has tried the methods above experienced any staining on fabrics since doing any of these techniques? I use a lot of fabric in lighter colors, and a lot of white, so I hope that nothing would come off and get on the fabric. I get the impression that if it won't come off easily cleaning the body, then stains on fabric shouldn't be an issue, but I would rather check.
The cleaning comment is this: I use a lot of the trusty #2 pencil when working on projects, and I tend to use the body I am making things for as a template. Well, pencil gets EVERYWHERE and loves getting on the bodies. I found that, and this may have been mentioned somewhere at some point, mineral/baby oil works BEAUTIFULLY to remove the pencil marks and smudges. So long as you dry the body off of the worst of the oil and then clean normally/re-powder there are no detrimental effects to the body. No stickiness. It cleans pencil off like nothing can stop it. I don't know if it works for other things, but maybe it will be useful for those who use pencil for things.

Thank you very much, I'm glad you liked it and found it informative.

Staining fabric -- I just tested again with a pristine white paper towel and plenty of pressing and rubbing on two bodies that got their nipples painted recently. The real touch marker did not stain at all. The oil pastel did not either. But you have to make sure you have followed the proper procedures -- help the marker ink dry by soaking up the (wet) excess, and then give it some more time for good measure. With the oil pastel, make sure you have rubbed it in very well, and then gently wash it with some warm water -- this should help get rid of any remaining loose particles and should also indicate if the color is not fully ensconced (you would see it run or stain the paper towel with which you dry it -- if you see that, you need to do some more rubbing in). This last issue is more common when you have colored an entire body, not just the nipples. When I put one of my first "black" bodies into some light-colored sport shorts for the photos, I saw a little bit of color transfer, not enough to notice from the outside, but it was there on the inside. And this indicated I hadn't done a thorough enough job. And, of course, remember to re-apply the protective powder, which should also help decrease the likelihood of staining a little.

Thank you for the suggestion regarding cleaning pencil marks. Incidentally, soft pencil can be applied to the seamless body surface, and then it can be transferred easily to other surfaces that come into contact with it. This would make it a prime culprit when it comes to staining.

MeMyself&I wrote:Awesome! Thank you for the info, I will be doing this for some of my bodies in the near future! I would have replied earlier, but it’s been a week and a half... Are there any oil pastel brands that are recommended for this?

GubernatorFan wrote:

MeMyself&I wrote:Awesome! Thank you for the info, I will be doing this for some of my bodies in the near future! I would have replied earlier, but it’s been a week and a half...  Are there any oil pastel brands that are recommended for this?

Continued testing of the Gundam real touch marker shows that, at least when applied to larger surfaces, a lot of the coloring (but probably not all) can be removed by using soap and water, making one's design look faded -- just an FYI, if you go that way.

Oil Pastel - following Ephiane's announcement of her discovery, I used the same brand as she did, Staedtler. But it doesn't have to be that one, just make sure the oil pastels you use are not water soluble (these would wash off, being water soluble). I have recently gotten a pack of Cray-Pas Expressionist "Multi-Cultural Oil Pastel Color Assortment," which might be more useful for non-Alien/fantasy characters (having more in the way of browns and tans and olives than most oil pastel assortments), but I just haven't had much of a chance to use it.

MeMyself&I wrote:For what I’m doing I don’t think I’ll be going the Gundam marker route, though that’s good info to have stored away.

I’ll look into those brands that you and Ephiane have used/found, so thanks for the recommendations! Good advice on the non-water soluble, I would have never thought it if you didn’t say anything! I’ll be seeing if I can pick something up after work today.  

maxman wrote:This is a funny topic and tutorial, but very informative. Great effort on the photos to show-how.

GubernatorFan wrote:

MeMyself&I wrote:For what I’m doing I don’t think I’ll be going the Gundam marker route, though that’s good info to have stored away.

I’ll look into those brands that you and Ephiane have used/found, so thanks for the recommendations! Good advice on the non-water soluble, I would have never thought it if you didn’t say anything! I’ll be seeing if I can pick something up after work today.  

I just mentioned the Gundam thing in case it was relevant -- actually the nipple part of the experiment seems to have been successful, although it is hard to tell, as it is now under layers of whole-body-painting experimentation.

I learned my lesson early on when, in an attempt to get easier blending of oil pastel colors, I had gotten water-soluble oil pastels -- but washing it and ensuring there is no transfer quickly showed me what should have been the obvious problem. I guess one just can't have it all... Good luck, and looking forward to seeing what you end up with.

MeMyself&I wrote:I did end up ordering the staedtler, what I will call “jumbo pack,” off amazon and it should be to me in the next week or so. I wanted options so go big or go home, right? I do have my clear plastic sheet with holes punched as a key for each size of the punch so I can determine what works best. Once I have them I’ll be experimenting and will post the results!

GubernatorFan wrote:

MeMyself&I wrote:I did end up ordering the staedtler, what I will call “jumbo pack,” off amazon and it should be to me in the next week or so. I wanted options so go big or go home, right? I do have my clear plastic sheet with holes punched as a key for each size of the punch so I can determine what works best. Once I have them I’ll be experimenting and will post the results!

I think that is a good choice -- I didn't find any jumbo versions (I'm assuming you mean individual pastel size, not just a set with many colors) when I was looking, at least not any with enough colors I wanted (browns are not very popular in these sets, except the "Multi-Cultural" set). Should come in useful if painting whole bodies. Remember when painting nipples to keep it to one precise application for each color -- trying to retouch would inevitably involve some minute movement of the stencil and result in a misshapen shape. On the other hand, if you're just doing nipples, some intensive washing with soap ought to allow you to start anew if there was a big mistake.

MeMyself&I wrote:I should have been much more specific, but I got the 48 count pack, not some huge stick version lol. Jumbo as in the number of colors! Either way, it is here! Arrived today. I have some other stuff to work on, but will play with them this weekend. I’ll post pics down the line of what I’ve managed.

GubernatorFan wrote:

MeMyself&I wrote:I should have been much more specific, but I got the 48 count pack, not some huge stick version lol. Jumbo as in the number of colors! Either way, it is here! Arrived today. I have some other stuff to work on, but will play with them this weekend. I’ll post pics down the line of what I’ve managed.

I see, well, more colors is always potentially helpful. Looking forward to hearing how it goes. Just remember forum propriety policies, depending on what nipples you are painting.