Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Too Many Variables

Well, I just poured my two molds. sigh. There are so many variables involved in this finished head coming out right. I use oil clay, then plaster, then Premier. Last time I tried this size head, the Premier version was too small, presumably because it shrank too much, so I made a new sculpt in a larger size. That head was too big, but didn't seem to shrink at all. So now I'm back to the first size.

The first time, the plaster was not of a high quality, and I bought the Premier, if it was even Premier that I used, at Hobby Lobby. I begin to think that I may have used La Doll for the first one. Maybe even PaperClay. It's all so frustrating. The size of the head is very important to me. The whole proportion of the doll is important to me. It is important to me that these dolls be precisely one third life size. Please don't make this so difficult!

If this one comes out right, and I won't know for a week, I'll do five heads at once so I don't end up mixing too much plaster, like I've done the last three times. Until then, I suppose I have quite a bit of pattern drafting to do, and the ever present lace projects. This week's lace is not so interesting, but I will keep working on it until Thursday, unless I finish the length before then. I will start the drafting process tomorrow. I have four more body patterns to make. I'll try to do one a day, but it will probably take two days. Sure. I have plenty of time anyway. The only deadline I make for myself is for the lace, because I want to finish the book by the end of the year. But I would really like to finish a doll.

This will be an antsy time for me. But on the bright side, you won't have to hear from me three times a day, because I won't have anything to post about!

2 comments:

  1. I understand how you feel about creating a properly proportioned child. Paper clay (I use Premier, because it's so light) is wonderful stuff but it shrinks like a souffle as it dries. Of course, actual real living children aren't perfectly proportioned, if that's any help?

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    1. I know they don't have to be perfect, lol. Too big would be better than too small. I may have to increase my pictures by five percent or so. It's just that the most recent time it didn't shrink at all! I'm so confused!

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