So I've been pretty crap about posting lately, and I won't make a bunch of excuses...I think I just needed a bit of a break. I've almost almost finished my thesis. Finally. My adviser approved it and now I just have to correct typos and a few mechanical problems (apparently, my use of the semi-colon borders on egregious). I've also been feeling a bit stuck, doll-wise. A bit uninspired, like I'm treading the same ground over and over while itching to try something new. The challenge is this: anything new and different takes time, time to experiment and make mistakes and try again. That means time away from making dolls that are more quickly finished, posted and put in the shop. So I fear people might start to think, 'Oh, that slovenly Black-eyed Suzie - she never finishes anything!' and lose interest. But fear doesn't produce anything interesting or beautiful - one must be brave. So I'm going to try to be brave, and make something new and thrilling to me and trust that it's the right thing to do even if it might seem impractical.
(photo credit: Ryo Yoshida)
I've blogged before about my interest in ball-jointed dolls, but until now I've always felt like I've had too much going on to commit to the daunting task of actually making one. Now that school is winding down, I've decided to actually start one and I can't wait! I've been pouring over Yoshida Style and some other bjd books sent to me from some lovely readers in Australia (Monika & Jayne - you're the best!!)
(photo credit: Julien Martinez)
While I'm fascinated by the structure of traditional bjds, I do sometimes find their faces to be a little too child-like and saccharine for my liking. Until I came across the work of Ryo Yoshida and Julien Martinez, I hadn't seen faces that really appealed to my aesthetic. My hope is to use the bjd form but impart a darker sensibility to the face and clothing. My ultimate goal is to get a kiln and cast dolls in porcelain. But for now, I must simply begin. From humble paperclay beginnings she will grow...
I think she's already saying she wants to be named Octavia...
(photo credit: Julien Martinez)