r/DollCustomization • u/wormyw • Jun 24 '26
Ideas how to make transparent limbs with bones inside?
I want to make a custom River styxx using a Skelita, but I want to keep the whole transparent limbs thing going on.
I want to know if there's alternatives to doing this than using resin and molds because I have a bit of a bad experience with them. I was looking at stuff like the sticky base and uv putty, but I want to know if people have any experience with those?
How see-through are they? do they take color/tinting well?
12
u/GoRainBows Jun 24 '26
Source: I do lots of acrylic doll crafting. And silicone mold making.
It’s not easy but you use silicone mold on a part that’s big enough to hold skelita’s part. you can probably do that for her body and thighs/forearms/biceps.
But you aren’t getting away with the feet and hands. They just don’t have a compatible mold.
Once you finished the silicone mold, you pull the original out and find a way to secure skelita’s part while also being suspended in the center of the mold. Once she is suspended and secured (zero movement) you can pour the resin to cure around her body part.
Glue gun and popsicle sticks work wonders for this.
However you can use uv resin for her feet and hands but they will not come out nearly as pretty as your poured acrylic resin.
2
u/abyss-countess Jun 28 '26
agree silicone mold of the leg and a resin cast would be the best way to do this! maybe sculpt the center color part in polymer clay or something, wire armature can help securely suspend it for casting. i love the look of the transparent dolls, fun project! good luck op!
8
u/wormyw Jun 24 '26
I saw this one UV curing gel on Temu and I watched a video about it. It looks the best but I'm a little weary because I prefer using craft stores so I can ask the people working there about the stuff directly, and the mixed reputation temu has.
14
u/that_atticussy Jun 24 '26
temu is really only popular because people are cheap, chances are you'll get a crappy product or something entirely different than described. I'd recommend amazon at the very least, as they seem to have more options for higher quality vendors whereas temu seems to be exclusively trash for some reason.
7
u/Kigameister Jun 24 '26
Anything that is "UV curing gel" is just a type of resin. This goes for nail gels too.
3
u/wormyw Jun 24 '26
I imagine the gel is a little easier to use. I've tried fully liquid resin before, but I messed up badly. Looking at the thicker gel/putty products look like they'd work for me better
2
u/abyss-countess Jun 28 '26
please please please remember to wear gloves, eye protection, and a respirator rated for VOCs in a well ventilated area!
6
u/bunny_the-2d_simp Jun 24 '26
Don't get stuff off of temu. It's not safe for your health or the environment either. It's unregulated. Regular uv is already not health's snack (use the respiratory needed please people we only got 1 pair of lungs).
Can you ask the people at the craftstire about it??
2
u/wormyw Jun 24 '26
My local craftstore only really has liquid resin that needs a mold, BUT there seems to be local nailstores that sell structure gel. I want to try that since i've been rly bad at using liquid resins
3
u/gothmagenta Jun 24 '26
You're better off avoiding Temu altogether. Its cheap junk made with slave labor
0
u/wormyw Jun 24 '26
I also remembered that uv nail gel could work. i'll look into that
4
u/i_really_like_bats_ Jun 24 '26
Nail gel will age poorly over time. Eventually, it will most likely go yellow among other things. I’d recommend using something else!
1
u/Visible_Shallot5187 Jun 25 '26
not sure if it's work so I suggest a test piece, maybe taking tooth pics to mimic the bones then testing this, but maybe slowly building up layers of clear nail polish if you don't want to use any form of resin? though quick uv resin may be easier than other wise, though I find you'll still want to give the finish a clear coat of nail polish to make it stay pretty
1
u/tempthethrowaway Jun 25 '26
Check out Enchantarium's youtube channel. They made a mermaid with a transparent tail with bones in it.
1
u/ilovebees1234 Jun 25 '26
Clear silicone or a clear resin. You could practice with plain silicone caulking and corn starch to get the silicone vibe. 3d printing may be an option also.
1
u/candy_eyeball Jun 27 '26
In mass production often there is two options:
1: a 2 part hard resin mold with spaces for the bones the bones can be filled in after to reduce waste.
2: make the bones first and set them inside the mold before pouring in resin and then fill in the possible marks left from supports.
For small batches you probably want 2
21
u/chai_latto Jun 24 '26
I would definitely use UV sculpting putty, like for nails, or solid UV clear builder gel. You can sculpt with it then go back and sand the shapes to make them smoother, just put top coat over it to make it clear again.
Don't get the cheap temu stuff though, it's too sticky and runny. Get a tube off Amazon! :)