Rusty metal things

My last post was about Pretty Little SHINY Things. This post is about old, rusty, metal things...another love of mine. Really, they are polymer clay. After baking them I 'aged' them using Gilders Paste, mica and acrylic paints. I love Gilders Paste- it's a product that comes in an old fashioned metal shoe-polish-like container in all kinds of metal colors, bronze, gold, copper and many more. My favs are Patina and Rust. BEAUTIFUL!!!

My friend Sue Milo (hurry up and get a blog so I can link it!!) is the master mold maker, and I am learning from her. She has also given me some really terrific molds. My friend Colleen turned me onto Gilders Paste and I will be forever indebted to her for this find!

I am making these little pretties for a steampunk altered book/journal/what-ever-you-want-to-call-it book. I'll use the graphic 45 black ring book as the base and go from there. These will be add-ons to the book. I also want to make a steampunk doll, but that's another post. I guess this is a form of scrap booking. I've never been much of a scrapper, but I do love altered books and collage and assemblage.

paper clay doll # 3

I've had a horrible cold for the last 10 days and so I've been home bound trying to get over it, giving me lots of time to finish my latest doll. Actually she is a mixed media doll: her head, chest and lower legs are paper clay, her arms are polymer clay and her body is stuffed cloth. She does not have a name yet, but her "Title" is "Keeper of my Dreams".

She stands 7.5" tall. And amazingly, she actually stands on her own! I am learning a lot about doll making. I know her face and arms are 'rough' but I am pleased with my progress. Each time is an improvement.

I am thinking that I may make her a little bird cage to hold. Inside the cage I will put a corked bottle that holds my dreams: a physical way she keeps my dreams.

why do we love things in miniature?

How stinkin' cute are these?? My friend Sue Milo and I spent yesterday at her house exploring paper clay and polymer clay. We each made a few of these little cuties. All the paper clay stuff is drying and then we need to paint/decorate. Polymer clay is an amazing product. And it is pretty "instant gratification" for those of us who are impatient.

I had the perfect color polymer clay for pumpkins called "Sweet Potato". So now I'll be on a hunt to find it again. My local Michaels doesn't have that color. I was able to mix up a matching batch, but it's so much easier to have the color mixed.

well, she's not pretty, but she is my first!

My first painted doll head...not pretty and her face looks dirty. I learned a lot from her.

I tried painting her face with a few coats of Golden's acrylics and then after 3 coats, I then blushed her with chalk pastels and a brush. Then I painted her eyes and lips. I finished her with triple thick gloss on eyes and lips, for a shiny look. I need to put some protective coating on the rest of her- not sure what to use...mat medium?? If anyone has answers, I'd love to hear them!

Primo Sculpey

I am not a big fan of Primo Sculpey for doll heads. That much I have learned. After using this product for 10 or so heads, I find it too elastic. The heads do not stay round. They look pretty bad at this point!

I've not fired a single doll head- just make, smoosh and remake. Practice, practice, practice. Next, I am trying Super Sculpey Living Doll clay. I bought a small sample to try it. I think that is my first goal- to find a polymer clay that works for me. Each is different. I'll use Primo clay for non-doll projects. Onto my next attempts with this new clay!

Each day is an adventure in learning and I am a bit obsessed at the moment.

I have to be willing to be a bad doll maker...

in order to become a good doll maker...

I've been messing around with polymer clay and doll head sculpting. It's not pretty. I have no idea what I am doing...but I want to learn! I also want to try paper clay. I started with paper clay- made two lower legs with feet. Not terrible, but beginner level for sure. And isn't that appropriate??? I AM A BEGINNER. But you see, I want to wake up and be an EXPERT. Sadly, it doesn't work that way, at least, not for me...

I was with two doll artists last week and saw their BEAUTIFUL dolls...man, was I inspired...I decided right then that I want to make a doll- from start to finish- the sculpting, the painting, the costume...all of it...that is what is so appealing to me about dolls...it's all in one- designing, sculpting, painting, sewing...all-in-one.

so, over this weekend I have sculpted no less than 10 heads. The beauty of polymer clay...just squish it up and start over. That's one reason I like polymer clay better than paper clay. Paper clay is a one shot deal and it's a little pricey. But I like the look of paper clay...what's a doll maker to do? I'll practice on the polymer clay and then try both. My doll heads are pathetic at this stage...but I'll keep going. That's how we do this, no?

One decision- eyes or no eyes? Do I add glass eyes, make my own eyes or sculpt eyes? The bigger questions in life...

One cool thing- You Tube- I just put in searches and can watch how other doll artists make their heads.

little things

paper flowers

polymer clay flowers polymer clay birds with resin

What is it about tiny? I love tiny. Mini-anything and you've got me...

I got together with my art friends on Monday and Heather showed us how to make these cute paper flowers. We then moved onto polymer clay flowers. The birds I made finished off with UV resin and super tiny silver beads.

I'll eventually use these charms in my assemblage dolls or in a collage. I love making 'parts'. I will make a bunch and put them in a jar and then some day they will be the *perfect* thing I need for a piece.

more teeny tiny...

can you say OCD? Not really.

I am making teeny tiny flowers for my altered dolls. I'll use them in the crowns most likely. I am enchanted with the tininess of these! I can see why people spend massive amounts of time making tiny model train villages, mini doll houses and the like. There is just something very wonderful with teeny tiny objects!