It's been a long hot summer in Chicago.  I'm ready for Fall and some cooler weather.  I spent a lot of time working in the yard this summer, adding new landscaping and keeping up with the weeds in the garden, but I neglected my sculpting. 

Also, putting in a new studio in the lower level of the house, can't wait until it's finished.  My current space has become so cramped I can't find anything.

EJ  Taylor Class

I'm looking forward to the NIADA conference in Stamford, CT at the end of the month.  I'm taking a class with EJ Taylor. It's a 3-day workshop to sculpt, paint and wig a 2 1/2 inch paperclay doll head, using a variety of techniques that EJ has perfected.  Should be a lot of fun.

CHICAGO MINIATURES SHOW
It's that time again...the biggest miniature show in the Chicago area.  I decided to take a miniature flower class this year.  I love miniature paper flowers and I think they'd be great to incorporate with your dolls.  I took a class with Sandra Wall Rubin, a fantastic teacher.  Talk about organized, she provided the most complete supply kit I've ever seen.  Kemper tools, Swiss tweezers, two types of scissors, wire cutters, 3 different full size glues, Japanese silk papers, punched petals, sculpey, ink and chalk pads, applicators, fine point paint brushes, palette pads and on and on.  She even made these great stem and flower holders from little wooden spools glued to a thin strip of wood. Take a look at the photo.  You didn't need to bring a thing to class....and you got to keep ALL the supplies.

Class supplies

We learned to make irises, daisies, Calla lilies, roses, Snowbrush, and a variety of twigs and leaves.  Sandra showed us methods for curling and shaping the paper, and painting and tinting the flowers, using acrylics, inks and chalks.  She gave us a full set of printed instructions and photos to take home as well.
Sandra also provided a beautiful handmade pot and showed us how to artfully arrange the flowers we had made.  Take a look at my completed arrangement, I saw similar designs selling for $295 at the show!

My finished arrangement

I'm declaring this one finished

Bad Hair Day

OK....I'm not very fond of wigging, it's messy, time consuming, and I often make two wigs before I get one I like.  I used kid mohair for this doll, which I dyed a deep auburn.  It's extremely soft and fine, but can be a challenge to work with.  I made a small wig cap, applied the hair with Fabric Tac and then gave it a gentle wash. As you can see from the first photo, looks like a bad hair day.

With a good comb out and some Paul Mitchell styling spray I was able to get the hair to behave.  I took two sections from the front, just above the ears, twisted them under and joined them to a pony tail in the back.  I made delicate little flowers with gold vellum and  micro beads to decorate the hair style.  I used some great paper punches for teenie tiny flowers that I got at Hanky Panky, look how small they are!

I'm insane about miniature details, so let me show you the gold fabric paint and micro beads I added to the silk netting.  I also embellished the floral belt with tiny seed beads and gold micro beads.  In her lap is a tiny crocheted mouse I got from Christine at Dandelion Fair, http://www.etsy.com/shop/DandelionFair.

Like my other ballerina, I tried to duplicate real ballet slippers.  For the soles, I used Hearty clay, which I tinted with acrylic paint and rolled very thin.  It looks and feels like real suede.

When she was finished, it was time for a photo shoot.  Her dog Jiffy, had to get in the picture of course.

Assembling

 A few notes on assembly:

The arms and legs were assembled using 2mm silk ribbon which I dyed to match the arm/leg color. Sandy's Lace and Trims is a great source for silk ribbon and trims of every size.  The arms are a very light fleshtone.  For the legs, I wanted the appearance of stockings, so I based them in Deco Parchment, rubbed in Pearl Ex Pink Gold and Aztec Gold powders, then sealed with Matte.  I think it adds a little depth to the surface with just a hint of sparkle, not sure if it will show up in a photo.  I used 6mm round peach quartz for the arms and 8mm peach quartz for the legs.
I like the silk ribbon for the elbow and knee but wanted a firmer joint for the shoulder and hip.  So for those connections I used 1mm stretch magic, a clear elastic cord.   I ran it up through the elbow, through the shoulders and down through the other upper arm.  If you pull it tight, make a knot, add a drop of Super glue, it makes a nice tight connection for the arms and legs.  It's much stronger than the ribbon, so the joints are poseable.  For example, you can raise her arms or legs and they stay in place.  As soon as I finish wigging this little girl I'll post some more photos, so you can see what I mean.

Ready for wigging

It's taken me awhile to decide on costuming for this new sculpt.  I ended up using an apricot/gold tissue taffeta for the shoes and tutu and dying some silk netting for the skirt.  I love Lumiere metallic paints for silk fabric, they provide great coverage, yet the silk stays soft and flexible.  I used several different colors to get the skirt to compliment the taffeta,  and the same paints for the silk flowers on the belt.  I thought she looked rather exotic with no hair...but I'll get to that next.

Another version

I'm trying another version of this little ballerina, a more mature thinner body and face, and more jointed parts.  I imagine it's a lot of work to do a full ball jointed doll, because even this simpler bead jointed version requires some measuring and fitting.  I wired all the parts together temporarily, made adjustments, added back, sanded off, just to make sure everything fits together properly before I seal the paper clay with several coats of gesso.  I've taken a few photos to show you where I drilled small holes with a micro bit and sanded curves with a half round bit between the joints where the beads will go. Interesting effect posing the body parts on a black velvet background....looks a little spooky.

Tiny sculpts

My friend Colleen, (A Dollmaking Journey) asked me about the size of this doll. She is about 7" from the tip of her toes to the top of her head.  I love tiny dolls, but staying small and getting detail  with paper clay can be a bit of a challenge.  I use a mix of La Doll (very firm) and Premier (much softer) for the basic sculpt.  I then remove excess by sanding, and/or a scalpel.  Then I build areas using straight La Doll because it's very stiff and holds its shape. For example, for the lips, I add back a very tiny snake shaped piece of Premier and work it into place with a small,damp, filbert paintbrush.
You need to keep the hands small and delicate. I found the perfect tools for tiny fingernails.  I've tried quite a few kinds, but this miniature set from AMC creatures, available on Etsy are fantastic, http://www.etsy.com/shop/AMCreatures.  The set includes 3 sizes that work great for the thumb through the pinky.

Tiny Dancer

Ballet Studio back drop:

I took a  piece of black foam board, cut only half way through and folded it in half like a book for the walls of my ballet studio prop.  I bought inexpensive 12 x 12 mirror tiles from the hardware store taped them together and put them inside the foam board.  I found a beautiful wooden slat floor at Hobby Lobby in the miniature section...on sale it was only $6!  A wooden dowel and some scrap booking embellishments were used for the ballet rail and hardware.

It's fun making  props for picture taking, and it gives you a chance to play with your little creations and the ability to take photos from different angles.

Some details on the doll.

She is sculpted from LaDoll and Premier paper clay.  Her legs are bead jointed with mother-of-pearl beads.  The ballet slippers were made with paper clay, but embellished with silk ribbon.  I had to go on U-tube to find the correct way to tie a ballet slipper....there is a correct way to wrap and tie the ribbon.

The shoes were painted with this great pink pearl paint.  I just discovered it...I had looked all over for the right paint.  Michael's now carries Martha Stewart paint and there is a great selection of soft colors called Pearls...pinks, greens, blues, purples..I've never seen these colors before in a metallic/pearlescent acrylic paint.  I used the same color for her tutu and gathered some fine silk tulle which I dyed light pink for the skirt and bow.  Her hair is English Viscose, pale blonde, and I made tiny chop sticks from sculpey which I painted and embellished with a teenie tiny rhinestones. I wrapped her hair up with silk ribbon which I curled on tiny metal knitting needles.  Take a look at the close up.

Tiny dancer

Wow...where has the time gone.  I had a little set back with the holidays and recent chaos at work,  but I am finally putting the finishing touches on my bead jointed ballerina.  I even made a ballet studio prop to take some pictures.  I'll give you some details on how she was made in my next post, but wanted to give you a sneak peek.  She's very poseable, and so much fun to play with. 

Simple jointed doll

I wanted to make a few dolls for Christmas gifts, I thought I'd try a short cut and use some molds for the bodies. I ordered some plaster molds that are made to be used with Hearty Clay.  I must be doing something wrong because it was a mess.  I printed out the on-line directions and called the site for some extra guidance.  In addition to the on-line tips, they recommended applying several coats of Mop & Glow to the outer edges of the molds, which I did. Despite all my efforts, the Hearty Clay kept sticking to the molds.  When I tried to remove it with a little water, I lost the details, and you can't use anything abrasive, because the molds get scratched very easily.

In the end, I realized it was much quicker to just use the molds as guides and sculpt my own body parts.  I've used flexible molds with Hearty clay for miniature foods with great success, but the plaster ones don't work for me.  Another experiment gone wrong......  Has anyone tried them?

I had a lot of fun making a bead jointed wood/clay rabbit that I used for my Alice doll.  I'm going to try a simpler variation to make a little jointed ballerina doll.   I've been experimenting with a couple faces.  Now everything is sanded and ready to prime and paint.

Finishing Touches Fall Fairy

After all the flesh areas were based in and the paper clay vest and shoes were thoroughly dry, I applied 4 coats of Gesso before painting.  I have learned from experience, Gesso first, and don't use a lot of water when you start to base in the clothing....you can actually melt details like buttons and buckles if you use too much water.
I used several shades of green for the vest, metallic gold for the buttons and buckle; and then a touch of green metallic pearl powder over the completed vest.  The shoes were stippled in shades of brown and then covered with Tim Holz Copper alcohol ink.  I made soles from tan Hearty clay and glued them to the bottom of the shoe.

As I mentioned in my last entry, I decided to go with Fall colors to dress my fairy.  I cut pieces from some silk oak leaves and layered them together to make her skirt.  When I added the clay vest I left a gap between the body and the vest, just under the waistline to allow room to glue in the skirt.
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I blushed her body and face with Pan Pastels.  I made a tiny wig cap from silk and attached fine kid mohair which I dyed a deep shade of Strawberry blonde. The curls were made by wrapping small pieces of damp mohair around a fine knitting needle and baking them at 200 degrees in my Deni Oven for about 5 minutes.

I made a little hat from a piece of antique lace, which I painted with Color Hue fabric paint and then sewed on tiny green metallic seed beads....I love adding all the little details.  After sealing with a few coats of Krylon Matte, shes's finished.  What do you think? 

Tiny fairy

I've been trying to decide how to dress this little fairy, I think I'm going to go with the season and use silk leaves in fall colors.  I made a vest of very thin Premier Clay.
I picked up a great tip at NIADA.  Dianne Effner gave a short demo on making shoes from Hearty Clay and she said she uses Matte Dura-Lar between the foot and the sole of the shoe.  I hadn't heard of this product, so I googled it.  It's an archival, polyester mylar film.  It comes in pads or individual sheets and in different thicknesses.  I picked up a couple sheets at Dick Blick.  I have found it has many uses...it's great for making pattern pieces because it's waterproof and doesn't curl up. It's a great surface to roll your clay out on and peel it off, and it's reusable.
I made a pattern for the fairy's vest and shoes from the Dura-Lar, placed it on top of a very thin piece of clay and cut around the pattern.  It left a nice clean edge, and a very smooth surface, take a look at the photo.

I'm finally getting all my craft supplies unpacked, after a move in 2009, I discovered I still had a few bottles of Hannie Sarris paints, made me a little sad to think I had corresponded with her  just a few years back and she had sent me her special paints. She was only 57 when she passed away in 2010, much too young.  I still like to visit her website,http://www.hanniesarris.nl/page.php?lang=en.
I used one of Hannie's favorite colors called "Sun Kissed" to paint the body.  Next I'll paint the vest and make a tiny skirt from my silk leaves.

"Tine" style fairy

Tine Kamerbeek's ballerina

While at NIADA I saw sculpts done by some very talented artists, including Tine Kamerbeek.  I had not seen her work before, but am now a fan.  I love her elongated faces.  I especially like her miniatures.... tiny, chubby, children. She often does ballerinas like the one pictured.

I decided I like to try a similar sculpt, I wanted to practice sculpting the exaggerated features on a fairy.  I'm going to try a miniature 3 1/2" fairy.  The face will have long tear drop eyes, chubby cheeks, and elf ears....a compact little body with over sized feet.

 I made an armature of 16 gauge copper wire and wrapped it with 22 gauge copper wire.  To give the piece some weight I added lead fishing weights to the shoes.  I bought an assortment at Walmart.  I used a cone shaped weight for the ankle area and a rounded ball piece for the toe.  The lead is very soft and can be shaped with a pliers. The cone shaped weights have a hole through the center and the wire armature fits into the top.  I then wrapped the wire with white floral tape.  I sealed the lead with Kilz spray paint.

I used a mix of La Doll and Premier air dry clay to make this fairy. This is a tiny sculpt so I used small paint brushes to refine the features, take a look.  Now she'll need an outfit!

Denver NIADA Conference 2011

Tine Kamerbeek's Gallery Doll

Marlaine

This year, for the first time since I started my new job,  I took a whole week off from work.  I attended the NIADA annual art doll conference, which was held in Westminster, Co., just outside of Denver.  I signed up for three classes and then stayed on for all the planned activities which included free workshops, demos and a flea market.  The final day was the show and sale.  Artists from all over the world attended, including Ankie Daanen, Marlaine Verhelst, Tatiana Baeva, Tanya Marriott, Ima Naroditskaya, Stephanie Blythe, Deborah Pope, Tine Kamerbeek ( I bought one of her small dolls), Dianna Effner and many others.

Leslie Molen

Ankie

Ankie's Chess Set

Veggie Couple

Close up of Ankie's Gallery Doll

Tine Kamerbeek

Marlaine




Marlaine's Gallery Doll

Ankie Daanen

Ankie Doll





I took two classes with Deb Pope; a one-day costuming class and a 2-day needle felted animal head.  The third was a class with Stephanie Blythe called Manipulating and Embellishing Textiles.  Both teachers shared a wealth of information including favorite supplies and techniques.  I finished a needle felted rabbit head, now I have to work on all the details...take a look at Deborah's finished Jack Rabbit.  At the banquet, which was hosted the last night, everyone received a souvenir doll, designed and hand painted by Reina Mia Brill.





Deborah Pope's rabbit



Deborah's Costuming class



Reina's Souvenir Doll