Sunday, November 27, 2011

Changing Methods

Well, I've decided to try making one-of-a-kinds. Everything I see on Etsy is a OOAK, and I'm feeling inferior for planning limited editions. I did a lot of work for the first one yesterday. I may have messed up a leg and I DEFINITELY messed up an arm. But this is a learning process! Mistakes will be made!

I made a model for the cloth portion. The cloth portion will have a blank for the head and shoulder plate, and then full size lower torso and upper legs. The head and shoulder plate will be built over the cloth form, like an Izannah Walker doll. The arms and lower legs will be separate. I will sculpt on the shoes, I think, and glue human hair directly to the head, like in that Japanese BJD-making book (can't remember the name of it).

I think the most intimidating part will be the painting. I've never spent much time painting, so that will be my challenge. I'm going to try watercolor paints, maybe some pastels, but I'll experiment and see what I get.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Making progress...

Here is the smocking I finished:


I have been working on my body sculpt. I'm using Apoxie Sculpt. Yesterday I woke up at 12:30 AM and just HAD to work on it! It's my favorite part. I'll need to dremel a bit off, and add a little bit. I hope to be finished in a week or two. I have a chart of child body measurements for patterns that I'm following. I want my collectors (I hope I get some of those!) to be able to take a pattern for a child, reduce it by 33%, and be able to make that for their doll without worrying about fitting. My problem so far is that realistic proportions look big on my doll. Realistic body proportions are very important to me, though, so I will make this work.

Well, it's Thanksgiving holiday, and I will be spending the week with my parents and my spouse's parents. I'm buying a pre-cooked turkey, I guess because I'm lazy and didn't want to do all that cooking myself. I hope it tastes OK. If there is a lot left over, I'll be making turkey pot-pie! Have a great holiday!

Friday, November 18, 2011

First Casting!

This morning the molds were dry and my casting came out almost perfect! I had to add a little clay in places where the clay didn't go in evenly, and somehow her nose came out too short. Maybe it will be dry tomorrow and I can sand a little.

The smocking looks great, too! I'll be finished soon and will post a photo. I'm reading a book called "Blogging Bliss". Hopefully it will teach me how to have a better blog. I want this place to document my process and show my progress.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Perils of the Long Awaited Rain

We've had drought for over a year. It finally rained. On the day I cast my clay. Sheesh. It hasn't dried yet and it's been two days. I'm getting a little nervous, and I'm not at all sure my molds were completely ready. I will pull the clay out tomorrow, I think, regardless.

I've decided to make editions of 12, starting with the head in the first photo below. I'm going to make her in the outfit she's wearing in the photo, which has a ton of pleats. I think I'll do it in some fabric I've died ivory, with white ribbon, and black hat, stockings, and shoes. I'm so excited! If only this clay would dry!

Since I'm basically doing nothing, I decided to do some smocking. It's light blue gingham, which is lovely to smock! Everything lines up perfectly, and in the end, all the darker lines are together. I'm smocking it in a dark blue, and will finish it with white bullion daisies. I have nice ideas for other smocked dresses, too, in fabric that I will dye. I'm having a good time.

Yesterday I ordered tags and a digitized logo! Now I'm just waiting for my armature wire so I can sculpt the body. I just need some hair now. I can't wait to see the first doll! 

Sunday, November 13, 2011

New Direction!

I've officially left sewing for Kish behind and have started making my own dolls! I'm working on making likenesses so that someday I can specialize in portrait dolls. I've been working on these two heads for a couple weeks.



The eyes will get cleaned up in the sanding phase. Today I made plaster molds for these two plus another (I added ears first!) Tomorrow I'll make paperclay impressions and start refining by sanding. I'll do that for as long as I can stand it (!) and then make another set of molds to use for the dolls. I hope to do nine heads by this time next year, but we'll just see how it goes.