Author Topic: Dolls (Read 49863 times)

Mylochka · « **Reply #315 on:** April 03, 2015, 05:15:28 PM »

Next I start working on the shape of the iris of the eyes and the general outlines of the lips...

Mylochka · « **Reply #316 on:** April 03, 2015, 05:18:28 PM »

More detail to the eyes. I have to carefully scrape away excess paint with the point of a straight pin.

Geo · « **Reply #317 on:** April 03, 2015, 06:41:47 PM »

Still a bit in the uncanny zone though...

Mylochka · « **Reply #318 on:** April 04, 2015, 03:04:40 PM »

Yeah, the effect is kind of intensified by how big the head looks in these photos. In actuality, it's less than 2 inches wide.

Here's a shot of continued work on the makeup...

Mylochka · « **Reply #319 on:** April 04, 2015, 03:10:15 PM »

Although I continued to work on the face painting for a little longer, I'm going to move on to re-rooting the hair. The character I'm trying to recreate is a blonde. I'm using three different shades of saran hair to give the doll's tresses a more dimensional, realistic look.

I bought these packets of saran hair at a doll show in Houston around 10 years ago. The seller did not say where he got the material, but it was rumored that the hair came from a Mattel factory in Northern Mexico. At any rate, it's high quality doll hair. Easy to work with. I wish I'd bought even more of it than I did...

Geo · « **Reply #320 on:** April 04, 2015, 03:12:22 PM »

$3/tress.

The head is only 2 inches wide? Why, that was indeed a fragile neck you talked about earlier.

Mylochka · « **Reply #321 on:** April 04, 2015, 03:17:18 PM »

To re-root the hair, I use a long "doll sculpture" needle. I thread about 6 inches of saran hair on the the needle, enter one of the existing holes in the doll's head, tie a knot in the bottom of the thread of hair, then pull it up securely against the inside of the dolly's skull.

Since re-rooting is very repetitive work, I usually watch TV or listen to music while I'm re-rooting. It's kind of relaxing. Nice way to keep feeling productive while you're stuck in a waiting room or on a long plane ride... Although I do usually get lots of puzzled stares from people near me...

Mylochka · « **Reply #322 on:** April 04, 2015, 03:18:36 PM »

Quote from: Geo on April 04, 2015, 03:12:22 PM

$3/tress.

The head is only 2 inches wide? Why, that was indeed a fragile neck you talked about earlier.

Yes! The little neck on this doll was smaller than my little finger and made of a hard plastic that's easy to crack if you put too much stress on it.

Mylochka · « **Reply #323 on:** April 07, 2015, 03:00:03 PM »

More re-rooting... I tried to get a more realistic look by putting in more strands of the lighter hair color in the front of the head and more of the darkest color in the back.

Blonde hair is such an ubiquitous choice for dolls, though, really painstaking blonde hair seems just as bland as plain blonde hair...

Mylochka · « **Reply #324 on:** April 07, 2015, 03:08:49 PM »

If you want hair with a part, you have to root two rows of hair where you want the part, then weave them together. It's kind of aggravating work. I decided not to put a part in this time..

Re-rooting the head of a Barbie-sized doll usually takes 3-5 hours... But I rarely re-root a head at one marathon sitting. I usually work on them while I'm winding down in the evening or if I find myself stuck in a waiting room.