Hatching an Idea

While vacationing in Ireland this summer, I found a lovely reproduction Tucks Paperdoll. I thought , wouldn't this be a great doll . I wonder if I could do a painted cloth doll to look like her ? As I mentioned in my last post, I have been working on painted cloth dolls done in a trompe d'oil style . Susan Fosnot, Hellen Pringle, and others have developed this style to a high art form. I am just trying to learn the basics. However I like this little dolly here, inspired by the paper doll. I decided I wanted a younger girl, still with a little chubbiness. I designed the doll head/body myself, since I wanted some room to paint hair. I may soften the edge a little of the basic shape, since this version of the design has a quite a ledge for her hairline, and if you are not careful with the sewing and stuffing, it can distort like the unpainted stuffed doll ( or I guess I could paint her turning her head!),

Anyway I had a terrible time trying to paint her, and repainted her at least 4 times . At the suggestion of someone in my doll club, I tried painting the basic face in acrylics. At that stage the face was almost cartoon like - just the basic eyes mouth and hair. Then I added shading in oils to get the trompe d'oil 3D look and some of the fine details. I think she looks pretty nice. So I will move forward and work on arms/legs and clothes and finish the design. I admit I have ambitions of creating a pattern here, but first thing first.