Let's Face It - July 25, 2022

For me, this is the next most crucial part of doll making. Afterall, nothing else is going to make a doll “come alive” no matter how much time and attention goes into the other makings. No amount of fancy duds is going to make a difference if the face doesn’t ‘connect’ and this comes down to two things – the sculpting and the painting. Even a decent paint job is not going to conceal errors in the sculpting which is why I have learned just how essential it is to refine the sculpt several times and just when I think that I’ve got it – take a break, come back and take another look (there is almost always something that needs tweaking). As tiresome as it may sound, it is all worth it in the long run. I have tossed dolls in the recycle bin or the garbage on account of my impatience with these two processes. So I have learned that patience is not only a virtue, but also a major time saver.

I am painting using artist quality acrylics. I have found them to be ideal for doll making since they dry quickly and allow for opaque and transparent application. The blue base coat has given Calliope’s skin a slightly bluish tone which reflects her marine environment. You can see in the background that I have started painting the humpback whale. I am really excited to work on this part of the doll I have an image in my mind of how I would like it to look, but we shall see!!