Monday, January 30, 2012

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.

3 comments:

Colleen Colquhoun Athens said...

Susan....omgosh.. she is so very precious..she is different... The face is your face.....she's beautiful! How tiny is she? I love the joints and beads ...and how did you keep her so tiny? For some reason. My dolls get bigger as I sculpt..did you add clay. Or did you sculpti.taking away from ..which is very hard for me.. but it seems to allow the doll to stay tiny. I lpveher ballet shoes and het precious hair style....so glad you are back!@! Love Colleen

Heather Elizabeth Brauner said...

Susan ..what a cute Doll, she has lovely little face .. I like her bead joints ,how did you wire her together? I don't see sny wire in the photo of the un finished doll.thanks for posting her Heather

Susan said...

Thank you Heather,
I used wire for her arms, but stretch magic cording (1.0mm) for her legs. It runs from the lower leg up through the bead, thigh and through the body. You tie a knot and add a dab of gorilla super glue. The legs have holes which I drilled very carefully through the centers, using micro drill bits.

BTW your granddaughter is adorable!