A Rather Fine Elven Friend

So, some of you know that I have been working thru the process of creating figures/art dolls for some time now. Definitely one of the most difficult skill sets I have ever tried to gather and gain some semblance of mastery over and I think I am still just in the beginning stages in so many ways!

Sculpting expressive character faces is just one thing. . . I mean, gargoyles are one thing but more human-like expression. . . yikes! Learning to create little hands and feet is another skill set altogether. Constructing armatures, painting eyes, coloring of skin, making clothes etc etc etc. It has been a real journey! And, then, on top of it all, trying to find my own "voice" with the characters I am making.  I started with the well-known artists for inspiration and direction. Wendy Froud, Jodi Creager, Dawn Schiller . . . learning more and more with each new tutorial as I went.

It seems an endless and meandering oath to follow. Working with fur or mohair for the hair, grinding pastels and blending them for face and skin coloring. . . oh it seemed so daunting and yet, SO exciting!Learning often that less is truly more.

And in the last year I discovered some art-doll makers who were using beautiful handmade papers and decoupage techniques to make the clothing.

Now, I have to say that THIS is where it all really clicked for me. I instantly found my comfort zone with sculpting bodies that would fit the clothing instead of going the soft. posable body/wrapping and fabric clothes. Also, truth be told, I was instantly taken with the idea of being able to find a use for my admittedly hoarder-like collection of lovely handmade papers for the clothing. . . for anything really since, some of which, I have had for 8 or 9 years!

OK, now I just had to put it all together and see what happenes.

Well, I am happy to show you my very first complete, paper-clothed, figure. And while I still have a ways to go with finding a truly unique "voice" for the figures I will be making, this is as close as I have come to really putting it all together in one doll! (and finishing it!)

Making this really takes me back to my childhood-action-figure days. I made a lot of clothes and accessories for those folk back in the day too. Of course, given my 10 or 11 year old skills back then, I ended up with a lot of post apocalyptic torn outfits, wrapped shirts and long capes. . . but they made do. :)

It was a little sunny when I took these so there is a bit more warmth to the overall images than there should be.

Still no name for this guy but my Lunar Hare seems to find him appealing just the same!

He is holding a fairy reliquary like the ones I made a year or more ago. That story still to come. . . 

The suspenders are tiny, vintage silk ribbons and the "buttons" and hat are polymer clay.

Three different kinds of paper make the clothes and shoes, Indian Lokta/Rag, Nepalese Lokta with inclusions and Marbled Nepalese Lokta. The hair is faux fox fur.

Well, as you can plainly see, he needs some friends. . .  so back to the work table I go. The next one, I think,  I will try to post in-progress images from the start so you can see how they come to life!