Rooting hair before anything else

[coinoperatedgirl]

It recently came up in another thread that some folks prefer to root hair before doing anything else when they customize, and I understand why.  And having recently finished my custom for the carousel swap and realizing how important doing things in a logical sequence is, I've got to know:

How do you keep the new mane and tail from getting completely screwed up/dirty in the process of painting and sculpting?

[PhyllieBean]

Well, I usually hair last now that I'm airbrushing FBRs.  But when I DID hair first, I always put painters tape around the base of the main, keeping it in it's normal shape.  So like, not wrapped tight like a ponytail or anything, just ran tape along the whole length of the root line, if that makes any sense.  I would usually do 2 or 3 rows of tape running from the roots up, then braid the rest to keep it out of the way.  I tried the method once with an airbrushed FBR and it did ok, but I still had some paint at the very root of the mane.  Tail was no problem though!

[coinoperatedgirl]

I airbrush as well, but with some of the stuff that I'm working on with all the sculpted bits, I'm afraid I'm going to completely wreck things during the hairing process, as my typical sequence of events is usually sculpt > FBR > any other painting > hair.

[PhyllieBean]

I'm actually totally with you on this one!  I keep staring at my Carousel Swap pony and debating what I want to do.  I would love to hair her now before I finish the sculpting on her head, but I would hate to screw it up when I go to airbrush.  UGH!

[maycrestmom]

definitely think with sculpting over a soft surface which usually has some give during rehairing (especially using a tool) it'd be best to hair first = wrap in saran-wrap, plastic bag or something similar and secure witha bit of painter's tape to avoid airbrusing onto hair?  Guess you would also have to be mindful of the style you hope to have at the end, too...

The only thing that would be a pain is that it'd be hard to do a boil perm after a paint job... well, maybe using the hot water ina cup over the hair method - I've dunked  into a pot of boiled water so haven't done ringlets on a painted pony.

But yah, seeing the other thread and knowing how folks complain about cracking FBR and stuff when rehairing last, I'd have to agree hair on first in this instance makes the most sense

can't wait to see the end result!

[kaoskat]

Don't look at me. I hair last.

[DancingPhoenix]

I have done it before (like if I'm sculpting wings and won't be able to reach the plugs after), and all you do is tie the hair with elastics and then hold it in the other hand away from your work. Like I'll hold the pony and the hair is in my left hand against her legs while my right hand is sculpting or something.
But yeah usually I hair last.

[sunnydaze]

I hair last usually too...even when sculpting.  however it has been a pain a few times since i've had to glue pieces back to the pony but that's no big deal.  you can cut away the plastic at neck plugs to make putting it back on to the body a lot easier. I guess it's trial and error.

[Pythia]

Most of my customs involve FBRs so I rehair last.

[enchantress41580]

I usually hair last- if I do a fbr, I make sure it's good and sealed first before hairing, and then I don't have too many problems with it cracking. But I'd suggest maybe covering the hair with a light cloth or saran wrap to protect it if you hair then paint.

[RevRuby]

depends on my mood which one i do first. and it often depends on which one i do first what colors come next! lol. i've fbred by hand once with the hair still in, wasn't bad. but as messy as i get with paint and sculpting i don't know what y'all (aside from airbrushing) are worried about. i've never had an issue that a quick shampoo and condition didn't fix.

[JoshsPonyPrincess]

For me - it just depends on the specific project. Sometimes I hair first -sometimes I hair last. If doing a fbr I usually rehair last - and keep spare paint to touch up any damage. I do try to pick baits that are in the same family color as the fbr though to minimize body color peeking out through the mane. If that makes any sense. LOL. With sculpt work it all just depends for me on what I am sculpting.

[BarbedDragon]

I do it in the begining or middle . After I FBR I rehair, then eyes and symbols. If sculpting I rehair in the middle after the Sculpting and FBR. Then I do eyes and symbols. I don't know what it is about having the hair in, it makes the custom seem more together and I can match colors much easier.

[PandaBerryInSpace]

I always reroot last.

[PrincessOfDarkness]

I generally airbrush the head first, making sure the hairline is done very thoroughly.
Then I rehair Then I tape the hair up, using saran wrap and painters tape. I tape up along the hair line, so it looks kind of like:
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Then I either sculpt or airbrush properly - gradients, lacework, body colours, the works For some pieces, this is the only way I can do it - on both MH pieces I've done, the ears were sculpted and I KNEW they'd get damaged if I tried to rehair afterwards, and sometimes the same applies to zombies (I've cracked off chunks of delicate neck or head wound sculpting by sculpting before rehairing)
I leave the hair taped up and paint the details, seal etc. At the very end, I remove the tape and wrapping, wash the hair really well with shampoo and conditioner , then leave it to dry overnight before I style the hair.

I don't know what it is about having the hair in, it makes the custom seem more together and I can match colors much easier.

Absolutely agree - having the hair there makes it so much easier to colour match.