Progress on the Gourd Doll

I finally got going on this gal during a miserable rainy day. As you can see from the pictures, I am just trying to get the rough shape in and have lots of refining to do, but I can see where I am going with this figure. I am sort of disappointed since I had a very specific idea in mind when I started her, but my hands created something else. I am not disappointed, as much as irritated that I spent so much time thinking about how I wanted this doll to look, and now its going in another direction! I count this as evidence that I am still quite a beginner in this doll making adventure since I don't seem to be able to design. My fingers just do what they want to do. I intended for her to have a primitive folk art look, but she's looking a little Victorian to me right now... maybe the painting will help! I want to put put some tiny dolls in the space in her skirt. I have a nice collection of Gail Wilson miniature dolls that would look like nice, but of course I want to try my hand at making my own.

The Surprise doll using a Gourd

This doll has been in my head for a long time, and is coming together at a frustrating slow pace. I know part of the problem is I have been thinking of her for too long, and have too many ideas. The other immediate problem is I have a finger in a splint, and can't even hold a paint brush, let alone sculpt. The original inspiration came from antique and antique reproduction surprise dolls, similar to one Jean Nordquist's describes in her 'Alice' booklet. When I started sculpting with gourds, I knew I wanted to try this using a gourd. So in summary, this is where I am at. I started with a gourd that had a nice shape for a skirt, and cut it. This gave me an estimate of how tall the doll would need to be I next create sort of stick figure armature of the doll, with simple wire legs, arms, and body. I added some polymer clay to the body region, mostly to give the whole unit some substance so that I could stick it into the gourd and judge by eye dimensions. I then cut the opening to the gourd that will contain the inside portion, or surprise area. Constructing the inside piece that will contain the little scene in her skirt was a little fiddly, but I did it with card board, snipping here and there so that it will fit inside the gourd. To give structural support to all of this , I covered the cardboard with apoxie sculpt ( that grey stuff). I did this in stages, in part so that I could keep adjusting the shape by checking if the unit still fit inside the gourd skirt. Its actually a tight fit, and I may need to trim it back carefully. The last element, of course is the the dolls head, and here is where I am going nuts. Originally, I wanted to use the head I sculpted and made a mold of (see last blog entry), but I admit I started sculpting another head before I injured my finger. I am still leaning towards using the head I sculpted and molded, and for the mock up picture have included a painted version. The head seems a little large to be in proportion, but I know I can compensate a little when I sculpt in the torso... so I am not sure. Right now I am off to the drug store to get some latex gloves to put over my splint to see if I can work with the apoxie clay... I just can't stay away from this doll any longer

So what will go into the the little niche in the gourd skirt ? Well this is a problem, since I have come up with way too many ideas. I think I will wait until I have the components sculpt and then choose my direction. I have decided that it will have a fairy tale theme, but I don't know if I will sculpt tiny miniatures, or use my collection of paper ephemera and do some type of shadow box type thing.... or should I paint my scenes? I do have the silk fabric to make the dress and some pretty velvet leaves, tiny silk miniature flowers, etc. This should be fun!

Starting too many new projects

I know I haven't been posting. I also haven't done much doll making since last March and not any sculpting. The black-out was coincident with starting a consulting business (programming, not art!). Ironically, the sculpting bug has come back with a vengeance even though I am really busy right now with work and preparing for my son's wedding. But when Lady Muse talks, I can't help but listen.

On the right is a sculpt I did this past January to take along to a mold-making class at Gail Wilson's New Hampshire workshop (http://www.gailwilsondesigns.com/). I know the picture isn't much... but I figure it was important to post something! I had a semi-private class with two other artists. The idea was to bring a piece, and Gail would teach us how to make plaster molds for casting sculpts in either paper mache (FLUMO) or even porcelain. I did this head, a shoulder plate, hands and feet. She will make an 11 inch doll. I have successfully poured the molds with FLUMO, and papermache slip that Gail sells and am cleaning the parts. I hope to show pictures as I work on her. Cleaning has ended up being a huge job, since I didn't listen to advise and sculpted separated head and shoulderplate so that her head will move. Now I have to sand/refine the shape of the neck and shoulderplate so the head glides easily. Not a big deal, but its painstaking work. I have a new programming assignment ( I work at home) so that I sneak off to sand the parts during my trips to the microwave to zap my coffee or during bathroom breaks..... then feel guilty since I need to be programming. I wish I could justify taking a week off just to play with my art projects, but that would be irresponsible.

The other two projects are still in the gathering stages, so I will post them when I have photographs of something in progress. One is a challenge to a Fantasy Art Guild I recently joined, and it will involve an idea that has been in gestation for over a year. I feel like an overdue mother, just dying to give birth to this doll.. The last project is an online sculpting project with Marilyn Radzat (www.thatcreativeplace.org/). My intention is to post more frequently, and try to regain some focus on my art now that the business side of my life is in stasis.