Doll'in Up Next!

At a gathering last year, I was introduced to a porcelain doll teacher. What did you think? I know I wouldn't pass up the chance to making my own doll! Finally I could start in late November, and got to casting my doll parts. I was going to make a portrait doll from a mold by renowned doll artist Dianna Effner. A portrait doll is a doll which is made to the likeness of a real person. The process was fascinating.

First, porcelain slip was poured into a plaster mold, and a layer of clay sets to form the doll parts.

Once the parts are leather hard, they are soft-fired in a kiln.

Then it's time to sand away the parting mold lines, and cut the eyes. The key is to ensure that
the windows to the soul are symmetrically shaped.

A refined set of doll parts are now ready to be bisque-fired.

Here are some of the brushes and painting tools used to paint the doll, starting with the face.

The painting of the features, such as the eyebrows, eyelashes, lips and even the rouge, had to done in layers,
and fired a few rounds to achieve the desired effects. Similarly, the other parts of the body,
like the limbs and shoulder had to be painted to give the parts depth, and a 3D feel.

This doll has a soft fabric body, which would be sewn and attached to the different body parts.

I will have more pictures and the fully made-up porcelain doll to show in the next posts.

Till then. Have a great week!