Doll making, part 1
I am inspired by Francisca Mark, Dabida board member and secretary since 2011, also to make a doll. During the exhibition Art4You she was my neighbor. From her I bought the book “The finest dolls of the world PART III, Dutch and Belgian Institute of Doll Artists DABIDA DAY 10 “. With major consequences, I am now making an Art Doll. It’s good to occasionally make a digression next to my painting. It refreshes you. First two tryouts created by 22 year old Fimo clay, to my amazement is still usable. Here I show you the hands I made.
Tuesday, December 13, 2016, I’m going to put them on the iron body frame. I speaking about the doll made from wood pulp, which I put now in the waiting room because I’m fascinated by the “bjd doll.” That is a doll with movable joints everywhere, known as ball joints. Fortunately, there are many YouTube videos of enthusiastic doll makers who want to share their knowledge. I make good use of it. It is a whole study, by trying, correcting, shaping and sanding. Such a doll you do not make 1-2-3, there goes a lot of time in it. The ORIGIN of this doll lies in Asia, especially Japan. From there it went to other continents. I am particularly impressed by the Russian dolls. See below my report until now.
Together with a friend, who was inspired by my enthusiasm, I agreed every Tuesday morning to come together and to work each other on a doll. At that time I was ignorant. So I started with a wire frame and wood pulp clay on a water base. 12 December 2016 I made at home a doll head (2.5 cm) with 22 year old polymer clay. Miraculously it was still useable. The same goes for the hands. Now I’m going to continue with the rest of the wood pulp doll. It is a trial, but I really like doing it. My preference appears to be given to polymer clay (such as Fimo, Cernit, and Sculpey doll clay). The doll clay I have now purchased from FormX (a shop where they take the time for you and they sell all about clay modelling, including on the Internet) and I am working now at home with this material.
Now the challenge. I immediately started with a bjd doll. The head and the hands that I made as trial gave me the courage to begin. First I did a lot of resaerch, because it is quite technical. It will succeed because I have planned to do so and thus it will happen. The head is ready. The upper and lower body not yet. The holes for the arms must still be applied. Hip I’m expanding because there is otherwise too little room for the joints. After this, I need to make arms, legs and hands, with the associated joints. I’ll keep you informed.
It is progressing steadily. I did sit mulling how to finish the bottom of the body to turn on the legs. First I made rolls of envelopes and put the clay over them. Then it was no longer a problem. Now I have to form the arms and legs. Then the ball joints, hands and feet. It’s going well so far. However, it is quite a fumbling to get the support filling out. Until the next stage! Then I show you the new progress.
Now I’m puzzling how to make the ball joints and also to fit everything together well. Once I have more to report about this, again I extend this blog with new photos and info.
