No more... for a while

I just finished my fifth Emmaline doll since August (or whenever I started them). I feel like I need to switch gears for now. I'm not sure what doll I'll make next. I guess a Santa might be in order - Christmas will be here before long. And there's always those art journal pages I need to catch up on (just got a package from Dick Blick yesterday).

Stoked!

I just got my complimentary issue of Art Doll Quarterly (Winter issue) because I've got a couple dolls in there - part of an ODACA Behind the Scenes series:

 

One more Emmaline?

Today I'm working on another Emmaline doll, started earlier this week. I wanted talk about how great Tombow pens work for sketching a face onto a painted surface (no affiliation, btw). By picking a color that's just a little darker than the skin tone, I can tweak the features with no visible marks later. In the past I've tried using air or water-soluble pens intended for fabric/sewing, but those marks often disappear before I can begin painting. Colored pencils work, too, but can leave marks sometimes.

Tombow pens are water-soluble, so I can wet the marks with a little water and they essentially disappear. I've rarely had to add a touch of the skin-color paint.

I've got her dress mostly done. All it needs is a snap at the waistband and hem, which I can do while the eventual crackle is drying. I've already made her bloomers, too.

Next doll will be something different. My goal: an adequate number of dolls to take to Washington DC next summer.

Emmaline #4 done

This morning I finished the fourth of a series of four dolls, experimenting with the stretch direction of the fabric used to make the doll. I also wanted to give the crackle/antique wash another try.

 

This doll is about 17 inches tall. I'm pleased that I stuck to my guns and finished all four of these dolls without flitting off to another project.

 

Now I'm in the mood to make something Halloweenish.

Crackle...the bane of my existence

I just finished another vintage-inspired doll, and wanted to try the one-step crackle again. I can't say I'm completely pleased with the way this one turned out. I'm talking about the forehead/nose area. It turned out darker than I'd intended (in a blotchy sort of way), and messing with it just made it worse - so I stopped. See what I mean? I think part of the problem was not thinning the brown paint wash sufficiently.

 

This is the third of the four dolls I've been doing assembly line style. This one has a vertical stretch direction (fabric) for both the head and the body, so she's about 17 inches tall. I like the general shape of the head, but notice a better chin area when the fabric stretch direction is horizontal.

 

 

Today I sewed the dress for doll number four. I may be too pooped to start painting the facial features.

Life Book 2015 September Lessons

http://www.creativedreamincubator.com/


http://jillberrydesign.com/


http://www.robenmarie.com/alittleaboutme

http://creativejuicesarts.com/

More Art Journaling Explorations HERE

"Emmaline" number 2 of 4 done

Today I completed a couple finishing touches on my prototype doll "Emmaline." I took a chance and tried crackling and antiquing my doll's face and arms, using DecoArt One Step Crackle and a wash of diluted raw umber paint. It turned out ok. I had some concerns because the product was so shiny, but the application of the antiquing was knocked down some.

Before the wash, waiting for the crackle to dry completely.

 

After the wash:

 

Emmaline stands about 16 1/2 inches tall.  

Dolls in progress

I've been working on a series of four dolls, and I'm nearly done with number two. She just needs her face and hair, and hopefully I can get those done today. I use acrylic paint, so things dry pretty quickly.

 

Her clothing is already done, except for the little felt shoes. I just love those reproduction fabrics!

 

Making sure her dress fits.

A Doll Done

Or should I say a prototype. This is doll 1 of 4, finished last night. She's made of inexpensive muslin (she is a prototype, after all), and I like the subtle give of the fabric. Her face, bust, and arms have about six coats of Messy Mix, then a couple coats of gesso, then skin tone acrylic paint. I wish I were more skilled at painting hair.

Tweaking a new doll design...

I've been working on creating a vintage inspired doll, with the added benefit of honing a design that can be produced for the ODACA Day sales room next summer. While I've got four doll bodies sewn and stuffed (with heads and busts painted with 5-6 coats of "Messy Mix), I'm working on completing just this one for now. Assembly line work may be efficient, but it's kind of boring.

 

Those zigzag lines on the heads and bodies below indicate the stretch direction (cross grain) of the fabric. 

 

I did, however, sew four sets of bloomers last night - that way I didn't have to change thread color repeatedly, and I can put that fabric and lace away... like that's going to make my studio any less cluttered!

 

Next step: painting the face and hair