Here are photos of the finished Hitty Coal. After she was sanded, Hitty coal was sealed, painted, and varnished with Liquitex soft body paints, mediums and varnishes. These are all non-toxic, water-based supplies with soap-and-water cleanup. I like oil paints and finishes since they give very fine results but I no longer use them for safety reasons. If you choose oils remember to handle, clean up, and dispose of toxic substances safely.

I switched to non-toxic finishes in 2004 when there started to be a lot of kids in and out of my house. I recommend high-quality artist acrylics for the best results if you want to use water-based paints.

My dolls are initially sealed after sanding with a layer of liquitex varnish. This varnish is designed for further cutting or sanding and additional layering. (Some waterbased varnish is not designed to be worked further, so check labels carefully.)

Most water-based varnishes or sealers will roughen the grain slightly after the first coat or two, applied directly to the wood and allowed to soak in for sealing.

This is easily solved by sanding with very fine sandpaper (220 grit) after the varnish is fully dry and hard, in a day or two. Continued varnishing and sanding layers will produce a hard, smooth surface. It's important to seal your doll well to avoid feathering or spreading when you paint, so you can thin your paint enough to create very fine lines in the features. When you are satisfied that your doll is smooth and well-sealed, it's time to paint!