Aging Veins 
Mix equal parts of Eye Blue (19) and Rose Glow Additive (22). Apply like a wash into eyelid area, into wrinkles and over tops of hands. 

Feature Enhancer 
Add dimension around nostrils, ears, lips and lids by applying Feature Enhancer (18) in crevices. Feature Enhancer is also an excellent eye shadow, and interesting for hair color, lashes and brows. 

Freckles 
Use Dark Brown (4), Auburn (7) and Yellow Brown (6) alone or in combination. Apply specifically with a detail spotter and let stand without blotting, or blot randomly with a stippler or sponge. 

Painted Eyes 
Use Black (1) for the pupil, regardless of eye color. To achieve more color depth for the iris, apply two colors into each other while wet blotting between color applications. For example, for a beautiful Blue-Green, apply Eye Blue (19), blot with Q-Tip, and then apply Blonde (8) and blot again. Dark brown (4) and Blonde intermix beautifully in the same way. 

Painted Eyes - Highlights 
Use White (20) for highlights or for raised highlights use Raised Glaze Additive (32) on painted eyes. Add over black pupil or colored iris. 

Tear Ducts, Nostrils, Finger Nails 
Tear ducts, nostrils and finger nail accents generally use the same color as the doll's lips, whichever red or pink tone that is. 

Intensity 
Intensity of application of any color paint can cause completely different looks. Generally, lips are accented with the same paint used for the overall lip color, but the accents are a slightly thicker mixture and therefore appear darker. 

Color Tips 

Rose Glow Additive 
Rose Glow Additive (22) is added to reds (except True Red) to stabilize them during firing. It allows red paint to fire hotter than cone 018 without burning off when used as a wash or blush, and may be added to other manufacturers reds. 

Blotchy cheeks are often a result of color burning off when firing too hot. The cheeks look good until the doll maker applies a second coat of color; the media applied for the second coat washes away some of the first coat, thus the blotchy look. You may add up to equal parts of Rose Glow Additive to your cheek color to prevent burn off. 

Matting Agent 
Add about 10% Matting Agent (24) to Signature System China Paints (which are glossy), so that when applied opaquely the colors will not be shiny. 

It is not necessary to apply Matting Agent to color that is applied thinly as a wash (translucent application), as thin washes tend not to be shiny. 

Too much Matting Agent added to the color will dilute the color intensity and deter paint adhesion with some colors. 

Flux 
Flux (23) consists of three ingredients -- lead oxide, borate of soda and pure silica acid (a fusible glass). All fluxes in china paint are not the same, as these three items can change proportions. 

Jean's Flux enhances the flow of red paints that are mixed for cheeks and overall washes. Do not add to Black, Brown or any other colors -- these already flow beautifully. 

Glaze Sheen 
Glaze Sheen (25) is applied last over lips, eyes or for tears as an opaque application, then fired to cone 022 for a very high shine. Do not fire the head again to cone 018 (normal china paint temperature) or the glaze sheen will overfire and cause the paint beneath to turn yellow. 

White 
White (20) may be added to any color to lighten the paint. 

Lips, Cheeks, Overall Washes 
French Lip (10), Pink Cheek (11), Pink Lip (12), Rosey Blush (13) and Peach Lip (14) are different shades of pinks that can be interchanged for those features. 

Eye Shadow 
Eye Shadow (17) is a color often recommended by Kay McKee for reproducing some of her favorite pink lip and cheek tones. 

Soft Lash 
Soft Lash (3) is a combination of red and green that creates a grayed brown, excellent for modern doll lashes. 

Auburn and Blonde 
Auburn (7) and Blonde (8) have been blended to match the modacrylic wigs so often used for dolls. Blonde is a lovely soft color for baby hair. Auburn is a great overall wash for a warm tan skin tone. 

Dark Brown 
Dark Brown (2), as well as being great for lashes and brows, is an excellent overall brown wash. 

French Brow Additive 
French Brow Additive (21) is designed to be added to any warm brown to remove the red. 

Clown Colors 
These vibrant hues (Colors 26 - 31) work beautifully both as thinly applied blushes (except True Red) and as pure opaque glossy color. 

Although they all fire to cone 018, they should be painted on and fired in the following order if they are all being used on the same piece. 

1. True Purple (31) and True Green (27) can endure the highest temperature and will also fire fine at cone 017. They should be applied first. 

2. True Blue (26) and True Yellow (28) are the "average" colors, and should be applied next. 

3. True Orange (29) and especially True Red (30) are temperamental. This is true of all fired orange and red glazes. They should be fired last, and preferably only once, and they thrive at 019 environment. 

And of these six colors, if premixed with Clean and Dry and mixed to a thick, flowing consistency that is applied smoothly, will achieve opaque high gloss in one application. 
 
 

Glycerin - General Information 
Glycerin is a cleaning agent used in the manufacture of some types of soap. It is also a humectant, meaning it draws moisture out of the air, and for this reason it is used in many skin care lotions. 

If the air is humid, our China Painter's Glycerin will get wetter as it sits on your tile. For this reason paint should be mixed thick, with only a track thinned for immediate use. 

China Painter's Glycerin 
An "open media", meaning it stays wet rather than drying out while you're working with it. Used to paint all features, with the exception of cheeks. Also used to pre-clean surfaces prior to painting. Wipe back thoroughly. 

Cheek Blush Glycerin 
A "closed media", meaning it tends to dry out in use. Used to paint cheeks. 

Clean and Dry 
Use it as a premix prior to adding glycerin to your dry china paint. It enhances the paint's ability to absorb the glycerin, and reduces the necessary grinding. 

Also use it to clean brushes, dry mops and stipplers - it dries in a matter of moments, so your clean brush or mop is ready for reuse quickly. 

Firing Tips 

About Cones 
Check what cone your kiln is firing to by using free-standing test cones in three positions on each shelf of your kiln. 

 
Top: Cone 018 fired perfectly. 
Middle: Cone 018 overfired. (Reds will become blotchy.) 
Bottom: Cone 018 not fully matured, but excellent for Signature System China Paint. 

The ideal position for firing china paint is the BOTTOM illustration. You may have to adjust your kiln sitter by following your manufacturer's instructions, or you may have to use other than a cone 018 in your sitter to achieve the proper melting free-standing cone on your shelf. 

All Signature System China Paints are glossy when fired properly and applied opaquely. When fired as a wash or blush, they should have only a slight glow. 

Yellow, very shiny paint is a sign that your paint has been overfired.