There's some stuff you can use in an airbrush that performs as well or better than MSC. Around 10 years ago MSC changed the formula and there were some side effects (cracking) and all the customizers went off of it and used other things until the formula was adjusted again.
I'd look at some of the BJD customizers on youtube. I honestly can't remember which of the brands worked best in airbrushes but I DO remember that there was at least 1 that some of the customizers switched over to permanently because it had a better tooth than MSC for doing pastel work.
MSC I think has managed to stay on top because it's the easiest option if you don't want to invest in an airbrush rig and deal with cleaning out your airbrush. Easiest usually wins out over 'a lot more work & expense, but slightly better'
I totally had this problem. Unfortunately there isn’t one that gives the same effect, and if it did, doesn’t last . What I did was use a good quality mask, while holding my breath really hard and spraying it and then running inside haha. I couldn’t smell it which is a good sign. it’s definitely hard at the start to be not scared of the chemicals but if you take proper precautions you will be okay :) I hope this helped a bit
I had good results with Krylon a few years ago, but you have to make sure to get the uv-resistant matte clear one or it won’t work at all. It’s no good for soft vinyl doll heads but works for Blythes and is much more accessible and cheaper than MSC. Only issue I had was it wouldn’t pick up pastels nearly as well (my friend had MSC so I was able to compare), but it’s buildable and a bit less scary to use
I’ve been using the matte citadel munitorium varnish and I’ve had no issues with it so far! I can’t speak for long term yet unfortunately.
It’s really hard to find MSC in the UK so the citadel stuff was the easiest for me to find
Wait what's wrong with liquitex?? I've used it with fashion dolls (Barbie and Monster High) with no issues and was planning on using it with my first custom blythe since I have it on hand. D:
It just isn't well-liked in any of the threads or blogs that I've read- but if it works for you then that's perfect! I think it all truly comes down to personal preference. It depends on what medium you're using as well- apparently liquitex has a tendency to ruin face ups and doesn't take pigment from pencils.
Ah I see. I thought it might have something to do with the material blythe was made with. So I can work with that! Tbh, I'm like you and not a fan of MSC so I knew going in I was going to be playing in 'hard mode', but I've been enjoying the process. I hope you find one that works for you! I've been doing sponge on method and just invested in an airbrush so I'm excited to keep learning new techniques. It's all part of the process and helps us grow I think!
Just don’t spray in a confined area. Use a respirator mask. Spray outside and leave it outside for a good hour.
I also use a cotton mask when doing all my sanding and carving too, so I won’t inhale the plastic filings.
It definitely can. I personally spray it way out in my yard, wear my respirator, and ALSO hold my breath the entire time then run like 20ft away until I breathe again 😂😂
If you read the safety data sheet you'd be a little more wary! It has a clear warning that it can damage your central nervous system which is one of the biggest reasons people think it's so toxic. And of course theres the obvious cancer and reproductive warnings and how extremely toxic it is to your liver. Inhaling forever plastics and them living inside my lungs scares me!!
But yes- it is my OCD that inevitably will be the reason why it bothers me, even if it is totally justified by logic.
I said using MSC with proper precautions with my OCD would bother me mentally in my original post?
Again, if you knew about whats inside MSC you would feel differently about how safe it is!
There's some stuff you can use in an airbrush that performs as well or better than MSC. Around 10 years ago MSC changed the formula and there were some side effects (cracking) and all the customizers went off of it and used other things until the formula was adjusted again. I'd look at some of the BJD customizers on youtube. I honestly can't remember which of the brands worked best in airbrushes but I DO remember that there was at least 1 that some of the customizers switched over to permanently because it had a better tooth than MSC for doing pastel work. MSC I think has managed to stay on top because it's the easiest option if you don't want to invest in an airbrush rig and deal with cleaning out your airbrush. Easiest usually wins out over 'a lot more work & expense, but slightly better'
I THINK what people used was Vallejo matt varnish for airbrushes after looking at some BJD resources.
Thank you so much for your help!! I'm definitely going to be looking into getting an airbrush rig.
Thank you for the resource! I'm also not a fan of MSC so I'm excited to try this one! Thank goodness faceplate are cheap to experiment with!!
I totally had this problem. Unfortunately there isn’t one that gives the same effect, and if it did, doesn’t last . What I did was use a good quality mask, while holding my breath really hard and spraying it and then running inside haha. I couldn’t smell it which is a good sign. it’s definitely hard at the start to be not scared of the chemicals but if you take proper precautions you will be okay :) I hope this helped a bit
I had good results with Krylon a few years ago, but you have to make sure to get the uv-resistant matte clear one or it won’t work at all. It’s no good for soft vinyl doll heads but works for Blythes and is much more accessible and cheaper than MSC. Only issue I had was it wouldn’t pick up pastels nearly as well (my friend had MSC so I was able to compare), but it’s buildable and a bit less scary to use
I’ve been using the matte citadel munitorium varnish and I’ve had no issues with it so far! I can’t speak for long term yet unfortunately. It’s really hard to find MSC in the UK so the citadel stuff was the easiest for me to find
Wait what's wrong with liquitex?? I've used it with fashion dolls (Barbie and Monster High) with no issues and was planning on using it with my first custom blythe since I have it on hand. D:
It just isn't well-liked in any of the threads or blogs that I've read- but if it works for you then that's perfect! I think it all truly comes down to personal preference. It depends on what medium you're using as well- apparently liquitex has a tendency to ruin face ups and doesn't take pigment from pencils.
Ah I see. I thought it might have something to do with the material blythe was made with. So I can work with that! Tbh, I'm like you and not a fan of MSC so I knew going in I was going to be playing in 'hard mode', but I've been enjoying the process. I hope you find one that works for you! I've been doing sponge on method and just invested in an airbrush so I'm excited to keep learning new techniques. It's all part of the process and helps us grow I think!
Just don’t spray in a confined area. Use a respirator mask. Spray outside and leave it outside for a good hour. I also use a cotton mask when doing all my sanding and carving too, so I won’t inhale the plastic filings.
sounds like ocd, MSC won’t hurt you. you’re not huffing it
It definitely can. I personally spray it way out in my yard, wear my respirator, and ALSO hold my breath the entire time then run like 20ft away until I breathe again 😂😂
It will if you’re using it frequently and aren’t taking proper precautions. There’s a reason the can and online listings have a bunch of warnings.
if you’re using a mask and spraying outside there is no reason to be ‘scared’ of MSC
I agree. Your comment didn’t mention the precautions, so I wanted to clarify that for anyone new to customizing.
If you read the safety data sheet you'd be a little more wary! It has a clear warning that it can damage your central nervous system which is one of the biggest reasons people think it's so toxic. And of course theres the obvious cancer and reproductive warnings and how extremely toxic it is to your liver. Inhaling forever plastics and them living inside my lungs scares me!! But yes- it is my OCD that inevitably will be the reason why it bothers me, even if it is totally justified by logic.
clocked it
I said using MSC with proper precautions with my OCD would bother me mentally in my original post? Again, if you knew about whats inside MSC you would feel differently about how safe it is!
girl🙄
Not sure where the confusion is but if you have anything constructive to say I would greatly appreciate it 🖤