Skin tone deviations
#1
26. November 2017 - 10:52
Skin tone deviations
Hi,
as dollmaking is to a large extent still a manual process, a certin degree of deviation of skin tones is to be expected from batch to batch. At Doll Sweet, these deviations are usually hardly visible for the untrained eye. However, a slight color shift can happen. If it happens stronger than usual, a case-by-case decision need to be made if the deviation is considered acceptable or beyond the expected color shifting.
Sandro
Re: Doll Sweet skin tones
Hi,
customer question: This head & body combo is supposed to be 'cream':
The customer (@dullahan) perceives the skin tone of the head lighter than the skin tone of the body. The photo illustrates that.
However, based on this photo, the skin tone of the head is neither LPink (which is really fair/light skin with a distinct touch of light pink), nor yellow (Doll Sweet's yellow skin tone has a clear yellowish touch). That would make the head 'cream' (in-between LPink and Yellow).
Though, is there a color shift between the head and body, or is it a trick of lightning?
Sandro
Tools
Re: Doll Sweet skin tones
Well, from my perception in this particular photo it is the light playing tricks as that tiny wedge of the neck getting light onto it seems pretty close to the color of the head.
One more issue is that light perception in this case also depends on curvature, that is you will perceive the full head front different from the upper body/neck areas.
It is possible that they are not exactly the same color though but close enough to be significantly different from other colors on the menu, say LPink or Yellow - meaning they are both made from Cream base, just not from the same batch.
Nice photo of a more unusual head though so I would not mind seeing more.
Kind regards.
Re: Doll Sweet skin tones
In real life the head is a lightish pink color, whereas the body is a more creamy yellow. I can't seem to be able to get it properly photographed with my phone. I truly miss my DSLR right about now. I can try once more once sunlight returns as my house lights are all yellow and dim.
If I could show it in person the color difference would be clearly noticeable. But I do not know what is considered to be a normal color variation between silicone batches so it might just be that they had this DoraCE head ready and then used a new batch of cream to cast the body. But it's a bit strange to me that one is pink and one is slightly yellowish but still be from same base skin tone. There's also the fact that if you look at the "shipped dolls" gallery heads with Lpink color and take a look at the factory pic of my DoraCE head, taken in same lighting and in same place, the head looks like its colored like it's Lpink.
It's not too big of a bother but I'm still entertaining a thought of some day reselling the DS145 to fund getting a 163 or 167. Once I learn how to first handle this lighter doll. For resale it would be good to have a proof one way or another.
Re: Doll Sweet skin tones
Here's a new image I took by using one of my mini flashlights.
Tools
Re: Doll Sweet skin tones
Yup, that's a lot more noticeable there, good picture.
Still would like to see a picture with ore skin from the body, i.e. a bit more distance( no, not necessarily a boobie shot) but I guess this one is already decent.
Apart from the difference in base tone what is immediately obvious to my untrained eye is the shinyness where the head is a nice matte but the neck shows a lot of reflection.
Kinda odd really, as if the body was created differently or did get some "make-up" whereas the head, apart from areas like the lips( visible) or eye( not so) did not.
The head looks fine to me, alike my recently acquired Samantha, but I am a little surprised by the body shinyness as I would not have expected that.
Which parts finish do you actually prefer - or would you be happy as is if the base tone would just be a little closer?
Kind regards.
Re: Doll Sweet skin tones
Took a new picture with slightly more skin. The shininess is just on the neck as you can see. The doll needs another round of powdering I think. I prefer matte finish more than the shine in general but shine was something I was prepared to when ordering a 145. The issue here is that the tone difference is quite significant. From the owner pictures on TDF, I expected the head color match more closely to the body.
Tools
Re: Doll Sweet skin tones
Well, again, from my point of view and under the lighting used there seems to be a difference in skin tone that makes it look more like a hybrid than a doll ordered as an item.
I do not expect this effect to be much different under other lighting, but the impression may still change noticeably though its hard to say if for better, worse or just different ... but DS have been known to be changing in appearance between artificial and natural lights so it would be interesting as well.
Absolute colors without a reference( and even with one) are also hard to judge though and while I take it you think the body is the cream you wanted but the head is not( if I read you right) I am not sure its like that, I guess DS would be the only ones who might know but would probably need additional pictures in other lighting conditions for an evaluation.
Re: Doll Sweet skin tones
Yeah that's my assessment too. It's drastically different and I view the body being Cream and the head being something else (Lpink?).
As to how to prove this to DS, I'm open to suggestions. Sandro suggested buying the color card chain he uses in that first post's image here. I've no idea where to get those though.
I've had major issues with all of my doll purchases during the year so this is minor, but I'd be happy if just this once things could be done right. First I got a wrong model doll from an european manufacturer, which I did not complain about (not through Sandro). Second time I ordered a 3rd party head (not through Sandro) to make a hybrid and the manufacturer forgot to send the head to me until 3 months had passed (manufacturing took under a week).
Aside from the shipping damage in legs and a slight crease in the neck from faulty shipping storing, the head tone is the only issue. Since the color is different, resale value of this doll will be lowered if I decide to upgrade one day.
Sandro has been nothing but utterly professional, helpful and an advocate to my issues throughout the process so this is not directed to DollStudio at all. But if DS can be convinced of this being a human error, perhaps there's something that could be done to resolve the issue? As long as it doesn't come at Sandro's expense.
Re: Doll Sweet skin tones
Interesting reading this as a DS doll buyer and prospective owner.
Very sorry to hear you are unhappy with your doll, once contact has been made with DS Im sure a solution can be found.
From what I have read they come across as a professional company.
As for colour matching ,there certainly seems to be a difference in tone.
I have a Sinthetic with several heads and the tones do slightly vary even on them.
As for the colour cards they can be found easily on ebay if you use it, as always a quick search online should bring results.
Hope you can resolve this to your satisfaction
Ray
Re: Doll Sweet skin tones
I'm not really unhappy per se. The doll is great, snuggly and beautiful. Sandro talked me into DS instead of a fabric one and he was right to assume that DS was the way to go for me. No regrets whatsoever.
But if the head is not cream I would prefer that the issue be fixed if possible. Or the very least get a confirmation one way or another.