FAQ
I also make dolls;
where do you get your doll eyes/ hair/ other supplies?
One of the fun things
about what I do is finding different sources for materials, and almost
all have
been found using Google searches, then browsing through dozens of
suppliers
until I find something I like.
Ebay is a great place for vintage glass doll eyes; they often
come in
lots of mismatched sizes, so you have to be a little adventurous. You
also find
some on Etsy (under ‘supplies’). Contemporary doll eye manufacturer’s
also sell
on Ebay, if you’re prepared to wade through their many listings, you can
find
beautiful eyes. Dolls eyes
are pretty expensive, however (often from $10 - $30 per pair) so I often
make
my own, using different techniques I’ve gleaned over time from a lot of
trial
and error. At this time, I’m not
able to offer any tutorials, but I encourage you to experiment with
different
techniques – corny though it might sound, there is no better way to
learn.
What kind of clay do
you use?
These days, I use almost
exclusively Creative Paperclay, which is an air-dry clay. It’s
very time-consuming to work with,
and requires multiple layers, dryings and sandings. Polymer
clays can be direct-sculpted and oven-baked, so is
less time-consuming to work with, but I prefer the finish and texture of
paperclay.
How do you make your
dolls?
This question would
literally require an entire book to answer, as I make dolls of different
sizes,
with varying degrees of detail and complexity and these all require
different
techniques. Even more specific
questions, such as how to attach heads or limbs, are difficult to answer
without lengthy instructions and photos.
I really encourage people who are new to dollmaking (or anything,
really) to do some research, invest in a few good books (see the
following
question) and Google until you think your eyes might cross. It’s
amazing what you can find out
there but entering the simplest search terms (e.g. dollmaking, tutorial,
how to
make a doll, etc.) and I promised that this is how I also learned.
Can you suggest any
good books or online resources?
Oh, yes! I highly
recommend the four bibles of
dollmaking by the master, Susana Oroyan.
While sadly Susana is no longer with us, her books have taught me
the
most about dollmaking. They can be
found online at Powells
and Amazon, among other places. There are many great
books on sewing
and sculpting, some my favourites being The
Complete Guide to Sewing and Making Life-like Figures from
Polymer
Clay.
When it comes to
tutorials, Google is your friend and I really encourage you to explore
in order
to find what’s right for you. But here are a few of my favourites:
How
to sculpt a head —
Hannie Sarris
Doll Designs (links to
a bazillion different tutorials)
Antonette Cely
(Various Tutorials)
Armature Tutorial
(Squidoo)
NIADA (sells how-to
books and dvds)
I’m new to doll-making and would
like to learn more. Will you ever be offering any tutorials or
teaching an online class?
Tutorials are a great
way to learn, and it’s possible that I might be able to offer some in
the
future. At this time, however, I’m
pretty swamped; I’m running my Etsy store, completing a Master’s Degree
and
finishing a novel. There literally
aren’t enough hours in the day for me to get everything I need to done
(never
mind the many more things I’d like to!)
And while I’d never
rule anything out, I have no immediate plans to teach an online class.
But of course, should that change, my
blog remains the best place to keep up to date on such things.
I like your dolls, but
I can’t afford one. Will you ever
consider making less expensive dolls?
While I know my dolls
aren’t affordable for everyone, I have made an effort in the past few
months to
offer a range of prices. I now
make pendants and ornaments, as well as smaller and more simply-jointed
dolls,
so that prices for my handmade items start at $42. I also
offer payment plans, although I ask that you contact
me to arrange the details before purchasing. You can read
more about my layaway policies here.
I also sell prints,
which start at $20, so I hope my shop contains something for everyone!
How can I place a
custom order?
At this time, I’m not
taking any custom orders. For now, I’m making the dolls I want/ am able
to and
selling those. If you’d like to
receive a notice when I list new dolls, you can always sign up for my
newsletter (in the right sidebar, just under my banner).