Guide to Aging Characters

Here's another great reference chart from Joumana Medlej, majnouna.com.   The "Artists Guide to Aging Characters" was created for those drawing human anatomy but it is also useful information for those sculpting figures and creating dolls, especially for the facial features.  It shows the changes in proportion and other changes that happen as a person ages from a baby to a senior citizen. See more charts at majnouna.com

Note: The actual size of the image is a lot larger than the way it displays in Blogger.  Chart is much easier to read if you download a copy.

Guide to Body Proportions

This "Guide to Drawing the Body" is a great reference chart from Joumana Medlej, majnouna.com.   It was created for those drawing human anatomy but it is also useful information for those sculpting figures and creating dolls.   See more charts at majnouna.com

Note: The actual size of the image is about 2400x3500 pixels, which Blogger isn't displaying full size.  Chart is much easier to read if you download a copy.

Taking Photos of Your Clay Creations

These violets are less than an inch tall and photo was taken with  a lightbox and average camera.

Taking photos of your clay creations and other small items, especially miniatures, can be challenging.  Here's some tips for improving your photos with better lighting and uncluttered backgrounds.   First we have a tutorial from SmallCreations and then, from CandidAnn, a video showing how to make your own lightbox at home.

Meet a New Clay: Fimo Air

You're probably familiar with Fimo polymer clay, but did you know Fimo also makes a line of air-dry clays? It's called FimoAir and is available in 5 different formulas.   I haven't yet had the opportunity to try them all but I did  order some FimoAir a while back.  That was before I knew there was a "basic" and a "light" version and I ordered the 'basic'.   What got shipped to me was Efaplast, also made by Fimo.  Efaplast basic and FimoAir basic are one and the same thing in different packaging and with a new name!

Embedding Clay Flowers in Epoxy Resin

This tutorial from MinaevaJA, which is translated from Russian, shows us how to embed air-dry clay flowers in epoxy to create earrings like those shown above and below.   At the beginning of the tutorial it says "Part 3"....ignore that.   The full tutorial is on this one page.    First she shows us how to make a tiny flower with Deco Clay and then, after flower has dried and cured, it is lowered into a mold of epoxy resin and left to set.

The computerized translation to English is full of flaws but the accompanying step-by-step photos should give you enough information to try this unique technique with some of your own mini clay flowers!

 

Doll Shoe Week: Ballerina Flats

We'll end our week of creating doll shoes with a simple pair of flats.    The ballerina shoes shown above were created with lined silk.   Use a different fabric and you'll create an entirely different shoe!

See Ballerina Shoe tutorial at Fashion Doll Shoes..

Doll Shoe Week: Bunny Slippers

I made these bunny slippers a couple years ago for a cloth doll.   They're glued on.   But there's no reason they can't be made for a clay doll or made as removable slippers.    Here's how I made this pair.

Materials:
White felt
Pink felt or fabric or paint
Small piece of white lightweight sheepskin fabric or something fuzzy
Pink embroidery floss
2 tiny black beads
Small piece of cardboard (cereal box will do)

Doll Shoe Week: High Heel Strappy Pumps

Another shoe idea from By Tarja Simpanen at Fashion Doll Shoes.  In this tutorial she demonstrates making a high heel pump with ankle strap using a fabric ribbon.

Notice in the first step, when fitting the sole of shoe to dolls foot, that she is creating a "fake" toe area that  will be left empty for this particular doll.   She adds a leather insert to toe of the shoe to help it keep it's shape but doll's foot doesn't reach into that part of shoe.   You won't have to do that if the shape of your own

Doll Shoe Week: Summer Boots

Stylish summer boots for your doll. This step-by-step photo tutorial from a Russian website creates these shoes with denim (or other fabric), yarn, cardboard, scissors, dress hooks, thread, satin ribbon, glue and rhinestones. Author says: "I think that nobody needs to explain what shoes mean to women."  ;-)

Shoe Week: High Heel Platform Shoe for Dolls

Make these platform sandals from foamcore, cardstock, air-dry clay, metal pipe, fabric and 'buckle'.  The shoes shown in photo were designed to fit fashion dolls by Tarja Simpanen .   Using the tips from yesterday's tutorial for designing your own shoes, you can adjust design to fit the foot of your own doll.   You might also choose a platform that's not quite so high!  ;-)

Shoe Week: How to Make a Custom Doll Shoe

There's a large percentage of air-dry clay fans who like to create dolls...human figures and fantasy figures.  Some of these are fixed in position and some are poseable.   Some are simple sculpts, some are cloth dolls with clay limbs and some are sophisticated BJDs.  There's many ways you can model a figure but what they all have in common is the need for shoes!   You can always sculpt any kind of shoe with your favorite clay, but sometimes we like to have a fabric or leather shoe!    All tutorials featured this week will be devoted to crafting shoes for dolls of all sizes and shapes, removable and non-removable!   Let's start with some Mary Jane's and basic shoe-making skills.

Meet a New Clay Artist: Oksana Dyachenko

Summer Flowers, closeup

Oksana Dyachenko is an artist from the Ukraine who creates dolls and toys.  In her profile she says she has enjoyed creating bears and dolls for a long time. She calls them her "kids" and, roughly translated, says:  "My kids are very different, funny, sweet, thoughtful, loved. They are all alive, warm and genuine. I have put into their creation a piece of each one's soul.  I work with ease, love and inspiration and I'd like to have my work pleased you with warm and uplifting feeling."

Creating Armature & Body for Art Doll

These are instructions for creating a sturdy wire frame doll armature that is also padded and wrapped to complete the body of an art doll.   This type of art doll body is designed to have a clay head, arms/hands and legs/feet attached and to be permanently covered with clothing.   This body form is bendable and positionable, but, once placed in desired position, it's not usually re-positioned again and again like a jointed doll would be.

Meet a New Clay: Craft Porcelain

Craft Porcelain by AMACO is a non-toxic, air-dry modeling material that some say is similar to cold porcelain.  According to the manufacturer's description,  Craft Porcelain is ideal for creating flowers, floral decorations, figurines, and other sculptures; dries in 24 hours and has a porcelain-like finish that can be further decorated with oil or acrylic based paints.   Craft Porcelain is currently available in white* plus 6 colors, however, I've heard the colors are being discontinued.

Make And Cast Your Own Latex Molds

Dog Gargoyle by Tamara Dozier

Tamara Dozier shows us, step by step, how to create a latex mold and a "'mother' mold, which is the rigid outer shell that holds everything together.  The oil base clay she is using to create her original is also known as plasticine or modeling clay.  It's a non-hardening clay often used by animators to create their