I'm gearing up to try dollmaking one more time. I need to organize my thoughts, and I guess that's why I'm posting. I don't think anyone is as interested in this process as I am, so there's really no one to talk to about it.
I've thought a lot about my strengths and weaknesses when it comes to dollmaking techniques, and a few recent discoveries have inspired me. First I was looking in a book of China head dolls and saw a body construction that's not too difficult to replicate and would give me the shape I'm looking for. The whole idea of the body has shut me down many times in the past.
Propelled by that discovery, I decided to look up Susie McMahon's tutorials, and this time they clicked. First the bust construction, and the incorporation of the face mask into a bust. I can make masks, but I never knew how to make a doll from one. I'm uncomfortable direct sculpting a doll face in air drying clay. The whole idea stresses me out, and that's bad because of my fragile mental health. I can make the face from oil clay, make a mold and press a mask, then make it into a bust. Perfect.
I don't want to jump completely in, so I'm going to just buy a few supplies at a time. Next paycheck, I will get some oil clay, plaster, and air dry clay. Then we'll see what I can do with them.
I have so many ideas. I have too many ideas. I need some peace with all this.
