Meet "Natasha"!

This little girl I started to work on about a month ago. Her sweet face came to me very quickly, it was amazing, how smoothly she emerged. I worked with my favorite "Fimo Puppen"

I decided to share a little of the process with you in this post. I still work on her body, and wanted to try a few new ways of building.

"Natasha" is one of the biggest dolls I ever attempted: 27inches (70cm) and she will be rather static sculpture, than posable doll. Here are the first steps:


 Here "Natasha" is nothing more than a head. Her face is sculpted, sanded and polished. I fit her eyes for the first time, so to say, her first glance at the world.

Now, she has neck and hands. Her head will have an ability to turn and adjust.

I also put painted several layers heat set oil paints

 "Natasha" is mounted on strong wire armature.

I use two kinds of fiber fill to make the balk of her body: loose one  that is usually used to fill in soft toys, and one for blankets.

I sew it together and fill. 

Time to put everything together for the first time!

Next step is to make "skin"

Новогодний Зайчик для Юли!

Этот Зайчик был рожден как следствие участия в одном из "Сумасбродных Проектов" от "Теффи Эффи"

Честно скажу, это был первый опыт сделать что то такое уж маленькое как новогодняя елочная игрушка.

Я очень старалась, ведь это подарок для Юли Назаренко, талантливой художницы и просто очень хорошего человека, которая является для меня постоянным источником вдохновения.

"Alice" Is finished at last!

It is wonderful to finally see the results of three mounts' work. "Alice" did not go easy for me. For very long time I could not decide how to finish her off. I lived through  quite an artist block in these few mounts, uncertain how to go on. But now she is finally finished and I am proud of her!
So, here she is!

"Alice" is 23 inches (59 cm) tall. "Alice" is fully posable soft sculpture, mounted on flexible plastic armature. Hands, head and feet are sculpted in "Fimo Puppen" polymer clay.

It is Saturday!

It is Saturday, and I finally finished every house task and all the obligations for the day and  ready to threat myself with a little "me" time. This time I am sharing with sweet "Alice".

I put a lot of thought in her attire: her romantic nature required the dress that is equally light and feminine and romantic. I finally decided that soft lace would be just the thing.  Now, when all the hard decisions are done, it is just a simple matter of putting it all together…

I wish you all a happy Saturday!

Working on "Alice"

"Alice" is sporting beautiful light brown glass eyes

Hello, friends!
It has been a while since I wrote something new. I had to step away from my beloved dolls for a few weeks. However, now I am back and ready to pick up where I left off.

  My little "Alice" has been waiting patiently, until I got a special order from "Mohair & More" for her beautiful silken tresses. Now, as they are finally on her head, I find that the wait was worthwhile. Yes, I finally put the little lady together, although there is still a lot of work.
Alice is 23 inches (59 centimeters)

I need to decide on her dress now and I also started on her shoes, more about it in the next post. Here she is, so far, my little beauty!

I used "Fimo Puppen" polymer clay to sculpt her and painted her with  heat-set oil paints for healthy rose blush 

"Alice's" soft body is mounted on flexible plastic armature
(my favorite of late)
which makes it easily adjustable to
standing or sitting  position

I delight in her beautiful silken "Espresso" hair, however, it is too short and
I am thinking of the way I can add extensions 

Golden Renaissance. Lucretia.

I finished one of the most complex of my works so far. Lucretia was inspired by the Renaissance Era.

I have already wrote about the making in the earlier entries, so I will not say much here.

Here is the link if you would like to find out more about the process.

Instead, I am posting the wonderful pictures, that are made by my talented husband. I hope you enjoy them!

Yet, Another Little Head…

 I have been working hard to finish lovely Lucretia's dress, but I just had to switch to sculpting! All this bead embroidering is sure fun, but it is getting tedious if it takes long.

Honestly, I don't know yet who it is, there is no name…I think she is rather cute! Names are hard, though. Any suggestions?

Lucretia, The Renaissance Doll

I wanted to create something Renaissance themed for a very long time. The Italian Renaissance is one of my favorite time periods for very many reasons. I am sure I am not the only one, who admires this glorious era.






The little Lucretia is my modest tribute to the "Golden" period. Yes, "Golden" is the key word here, because Lucretia is nothing if not "golden". The golden hair and shimmery golden silks are definitely her style.

Since she was nothing but a lump of polymer clay and a pair of glittery green eyes, she completely captivated me and took full charge of herself. She is in such a hurry to be born! So here we are so far!

Polymer of choice is "Fimo Puppen" Face and hands are gently "blushed" with the mix of
 heat set and regular oils,
and delicately touched with
colored pencils and "Fibercastle" permanent markers.
As I said, she took charge…

Shoes are partially cloth and "Sculpy" polymer

Legs and feet are sculpted in "Paperclay"

Lucretia is 23 inches (almost 60 sm.) tall,
she is completely posable, because she is
 mounted on flexible plastic armature.

Right in the middle of the process, I decided to change her hair color from soft blond to golden brown, It changed her character somehow…

 

                                          Here she is, fully assembled. Such a coquette! 

                                            Now I am starting on constructing her costume …

Her hair still needs more work,
but I will leave it alone for now.

Next step: a lot of embroidery and beads! I will show it off next time :)

Lady Marie and Her Wolf

I finally finished this project that took me about four months to complete.

The title is "The Mysteries of Broceliande Forest" This is a composition of two figures.


The work is the tribute to Gillian Bradshaw's novel "The Wolf Hunt". The novel is based on "Lai de Bisckavret" by the12th century poet Marie de France. The story is set in 12th century, therefore I made my best to depict the clothes to reflect the style of the time.

My favorite part of this excellent novel, is the willingness of the main character, likable and brave Lady Marie, to overcome society's stereotypes and be able to face her deepest fears. 

One of such fears for her is the fear of wolves. However, when the incredible turn  of her life brings her face to face with one, she does not back out. It is a very strange wolf: he is wild animal and free spirit of the forest. Yet, he chooses to live among humans. Marie is able to look at the animal without prejudices of her time. As a result, she gains a loyal and loving friend. 

Moreover, Marie applies her  critical and open mind in solving the mystery of a disappearance of a noble knight, who once saved her life. Last time he was seen walking into the Briceliange forest to hunt, at least that what he told his newly wedded wife, and did not come out of it. He is believed to be dead, but Marie has her doubts. So she starts her own investigation.

Will Marie solve the mystery of Broceliande Forest? What will she discover? I can't tell this intriguing story better than Gillian Bradshaw already have. If you want to know more, read "The Wolf Hunt"  You will not regret it!

Summer Time: All Over The Place

Yes, it is wonderful to have more time for my passion for dolls. Summer is the best time for it! Schools are out, which means I have more opportunity to do what I truly love: make more dolls!

This makes me scattered all over the place: I have at least three on-going projects: "Lady Marie" and her "Mysterious Companion" are almost finished, I am just putting last touches on them and will dedicate the whole post to them exclusively, soon.
Here is a little sneak peek:









I am also working on my lovely mobile doll "Sunny" she is completely assembled at last, now working on her dress.

This new project is very exiting! Meet "Lucretia"! She is a "Renaissance Lady" I just started as a challenge for International Art Doll Registry show for July. Hopefully, I will finish her on time to enter!