Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Current Project: Fairies

Just wanted to give a sneak peek of my current project at doll class:



These are some very small fairy heads! I was going to make them ornaments for the annual Christmas ornament swap we do with friends, but then I decided they're too fragile/costly, so I think I'm going to keep them, and not even put them on a tree.

So anyhow, this is what I'm working on just now. . . I think I will finish painting in the next class, and then it will be time to assemble bodies. . . All porcelain, no sewing, which is great since these things are so ridiculously small!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Random doll-making thoughts. . .

I had a pretty awesome doll-making class last night! Up until now, I'd really been struggling with making fine lines. In fact, the brows on my French Fashion head? I just sort of accepted that they would be clunky and ugly, because I didn't think I could get finer lines with my brush. Well, last night, I was faced with painting lashes on a doll head which can not be more than an inch tall (finished doll height will be something like 6", I think!) and so I was messing around with the brush, and found a way to get finer lines. I made the most delicate little lashes!

However, now? I need to make another French Fashion head, using my new fine-line-making-skills! Also, I've been studying extant doll heads and seeing other things I could have done differently to give her a more authentic-to-the-period look. I think the doll I made is pretty, but very modern, so for my next doll, I want to aim at getting a look that is closer to that of the originals.

But for now. . . How about making a body for this poor floating head? I thought that might be nice! ;) I'd already looked at a TON of French Fashion dolls, but now, I've gone back and really scrutinized the body constructions, styles, and shapes. My primary concern was the knock-knee issue, because my dolls have severe knock knees and they look ridiculous. What I found is that I had a really, really hard time finding even one French Fashion doll which had this issue, and when I did, it was very slight. So, I've come to the conclusion that the pattern I'm using is wonky somehow, and I feel confidant that I'll be able to fix this is my own body pattern.

The other issue I have is that poor Fanny can not stand up/lay down. She is stuck in the sitting position. I found this issue was consistant with quite a few surviving French Fashion dolls, so I think this issue will be a bit harder to tackle. It's a little less of an issue than the knock-knee issue, but still, if the doll is deeply into the sitting position, it's going to mean the dress isn't going to sit right, and she'll have to be basically hung on a stand, and you will not be able to see her feet at the base of her dress, which will be a bit weird. So I'm going to see what I can do about it.

Anyhow. I'm going to get a start at patterning the body today, but I'm not sure how far I will get since this seems to be a day of distractions. . . We'll see!