Transforming Girl Doll into Boy Doll

I have been asked to make doll clothes for 18 inch boy dolls.  I needed a boy model quickly so I happen to remember Darby from My Froggy Stuff doing a tutorial on transforming a girl doll into a boy doll. So I quickly looked up the tutorial and there was two.  She took one Springfield doll link here "Make an American Boy for Less" http://myfroggystuff.blogspot.com/2012/06/make-american-boy-for-less.html      and one Journey doll from Toy's R Us  link for this tutorial American Boy Doll: Attempt #2  http://myfroggystuff.blogspot.com/2013/05/american-boy-doll-attempt-2.html

I looked at the Springfield dolls at Michaels and I went to Toy's R Us and looked at there dolls.  Still wasn't 100% satisfied.  I knew that I was going to IL today with my daughter and granddaughters, and they have a Target store.  I looked at every doll they had.  I wanted one with a fuller face - narrow lips. I found one. 
Meet Lilly Anna

 She has long blonde hair and her hair is very thick and full.  Some of the other dolls had wide spaces between the rows of hair and had some painted hair in between the roots.  I wasn't sure about that.  Some had short bangs and I knew that would be difficult to style into a boys hair cut (without showing roots and scalp).

 As you can see here - very thick hair. 

 

My husband is a cosmetologist and he agreed to help me with the transformation. 

 

The first think I did was take a magic eraser and rubbed over the cheek bones to remove the pink blush. I gently rubbed the vinyl.

Next we needed to take care of those tiny black eyebrows. I had some paint here that I use for my nursing moulage simulation (make nursing wounds and other medical aspects realistic for my nursing students).  There was a thin black curved line above her eyes for her eye brows.

 He had some MicroBrushes that he got at Hobby Lobby...very tiny and perfect the job.

 As you can see here the tip is very small.

 Sorry the bottle label is not in the best shape - I used Folk Art artist paint color burnt ? something - label is torn.

 

 

 I also liked the color of her lips I remembered on My Froggy's tutorial on her doll she didn't change lip color since it was more natural looking.  In the tutorial on My Froggy Stuff she had to paint the dolls lips on the Springfield but on the Journey doll she didn't have to.  I left the lips natural color.

 

My husband felt the eye brows were too dark since the hair color was blonde. I had a lighter tan colored paint - Coffee Latte

So he painted some of it on top of the dark color and blending it in with the dark brown.

When doing the other eyebrow to make sure you get them even it is best to turn the doll upside down.

 

Now for the real transformation - cutting the long hair.  We started cutting hair on the kitchen counter

 He used regular shears to cut off long hair.

Parting hair and cutting off long length.  The scissors on the counter is texture shears and cuts hair in fine pieces and he decided it would be messy and get all over kitchen.  He used this type of shear to prevent blunt cut look. So we went into the garage to finish cutting the hair due to hair would be everywhere in my kitchen.

 

 

 

Hair cut done - wow the transformation.  Needs to be styled

 Back view of hair

Came into house and quickly made some boy shorts and used a yellow t-shirt (pattern is from Liberty Jane) from the AG dolls collection. 

 This is the back of head view. A lot of length taken off.

My daughter and granddaughters seen picture said hair needed something else... So I went the hair and finger styled into the messy look.

 

Meet Ryan

New doll transformation - from Lilly Anna to Ryan. 

 

I personally do no think he looks all that bad.  I could never do this to an American Girl doll that was in perfect condition.

I think he will serve his purpose as a male doll model.  I think perhaps he will look better in outside setting for next photo shoots.  It was dark outside when we got done so had to take photos inside.  I always try to use natural lighting when taking photos. I think the pictures turn out better.

 

UPDATE: here are some more photos that I took outside this morning

 Took this one inside. Used trifold poster board and baseball fabric for backdrop.

 

Also, this morning I was browsing through my Google + page that I follow and came across Rhonda's BlogSpot on her tutorials and blogs on boy doll transformation.  Check them out at

http://livingadollslife.blogspot.com/2013/06/new-boy-doll-series.html

 

Here is has photo's and video on transforming Meredith Journey doll into Hans.

http://livingadollslife.blogspot.com/2013/06/htm-boy-doll-hans-makeover.html

 

After seeing her video, I will be changing Dana into "Blake". I had purchased Dana - Journey Doll but wasn't sure it would look good.  I will need to trim eyelashes though on Dana since hers are really long....Will post new blog soon for this boy doll transformation. http://gigisdollcreations.blogspot.com/2013/06/18-inch-boy-doll-makeover-2.html

 

Thanks for stopping by and browsing.

 GiGi