HalloweenGhost Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 How many of you make your own figures for your houses? I am working on making the figures for mine, as my houses are slowly and surely bringing Halloweentown to life for me. My figures are all monsters of some sort, and it would be impossible to find elsewhere what I am looking for. I have only made 3 figures, and I am learning as I go. I am not entirely new to polymer clay sculpting as I have gotten pretty comfortable making doll food. I just haven't done it long enough to know a lot of techniques. I am starting out with wire armatures, sculpting the head hands and feet, wrapping the wire with fabric stripes, and will then make the clothing for them. I have started making the wig for Matilda Magpie, by crocheting the wig cap out of embroidery floss. I'll then make wefts out of the floss and sew it on. I picked up some beads yesterday for her jewelry and to sew onto her dress when I have sewn. (Still milling over what style I am going for her.) Here's the link to my album in case any one would like to see them: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=gallery&album=6437 What sort of clay do you use for yours? Do you have any suggestions and tips? Also, I would love to see pics of what you guys have made! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 How many of you make your own figures for your houses? I am working on making the figures for mine, as my houses are slowly and surely bringing Halloweentown to life for me. My figures are all monsters of some sort, and it would be impossible to find elsewhere what I am looking for. I have only made 3 figures, and I am learning as I go. I am not entirely new to polymer clay sculpting as I have gotten pretty comfortable making doll food. I just haven't done it long enough to know a lot of techniques. I am starting out with wire armatures, sculpting the head hands and feet, wrapping the wire with fabric stripes, and will then make the clothing for them. I have started making the wig for Matilda Magpie, by crocheting the wig cap out of embroidery floss. I'll then make wefts out of the floss and sew it on. I picked up some beads yesterday for her jewelry and to sew onto her dress when I have sewn. (Still milling over what style I am going for her.) Here's the link to my album in case any one would like to see them: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=gallery&album=6437 What sort of clay do you use for yours? Do you have any suggestions and tips? Also, I would love to see pics of what you guys have made! I make everything that goes into my dollhouses, more or less, including the people. I do full-body sculpts and use chenille stem wire to joint the parts I make poseable. The dolls in my avatar are the only ones I used molds for the basic face and went back and tweaked before baking. I use a combination of Sculpey III translucent and "flesh" color for a base and add trace amounts of acrylic color from the tube for ethnic/ racial skin colors; I use white and sculpt eyeballs separately after deciding my former method of making eyes were difficult/ impossible to paint. I once made a set of ghost dolls on commission and a vampiress(I don't do comissions any more; I figure anyone who wants dolls that look like mine can make their own...). Trying to copy some of the people I see on the street gives me a lot of fum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Another member, Casey, of Casey's Minis, makes dolls quite a bit. I went to her blog and pulled up her doll section. If you scroll down thru it you'll see some of her advice. BTW, her blog is wonderful for tons of other things too. she's quite a multi-talented crafter and artist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Selkie,you beat me to this suggestion! Casey's wealth of talent and work is amazing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacey6163 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Another member, Casey, of Casey's Minis, makes dolls quite a bit. I went to her blog and pulled up her doll section. If you scroll down thru it you'll see some of her advice. BTW, her blog is wonderful for tons of other things too. she's quite a multi-talented crafter and artist. Those are absolutely gorgeous ! Another project to try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HalloweenGhost Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 I make everything that goes into my dollhouses, more or less, including the people. I do full-body sculpts and use chenille stem wire to joint the parts I make poseable. The dolls in my avatar are the only ones I used molds for the basic face and went back and tweaked before baking. I use a combination of Sculpey III translucent and "flesh" color for a base and add trace amounts of acrylic color from the tube for ethnic/ racial skin colors; I use white and sculpt eyeballs separately after deciding my former method of making eyes were difficult/ impossible to paint. I once made a set of ghost dolls on commission and a vampiress(I don't do comissions any more; I figure anyone who wants dolls that look like mine can make their own...). Trying to copy some of the people I see on the street gives me a lot of fum. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to follow the link. So you use Sculpey III too. I haven't tinted clay before with acrylic - I'll have to remember that one! I've tried both the eyes sculpted separately baked and unbaked. So far I prefer not to pre-cook the eyeballs. Maybe I am short cutting, so I will try it the other way next time. I was wondering about trying out a firmer clay to see how that went. I have a lot more monsters to make for my town, so I will have plenty of time to get better at it. I might re-sculpt Matilda Magpie one of these days. I have another witch to make first though, so I'll see how that goes. Another member, Casey, of Casey's Minis, makes dolls quite a bit. I went to her blog and pulled up her doll section. If you scroll down thru it you'll see some of her advice. BTW, her blog is wonderful for tons of other things too. she's quite a multi-talented crafter and artist. Thank you for the link! I perused that section, and did find it very helpful. I like her blog, and will go back to get more tips! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 ...Unfortunately, I wasn't able to follow the link. ... The link worked for me, it takes you to my "Dolls" album. I did make one witch, my version of Jadis, the white witch of Narnia, for one of Deb's gorgeous houses: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caseymini Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Hey! Thanks for the compliments! I am blushing! I am glad that I could help. I had to go look to see if Jodi Creager's sculpting videos were still on u tube. They are. If you want to watch someone that really knows what she is doing, go put in "Jodi Creager sculpture" in the u tube search. There about 8 sculpting lessons and a couple of videos showing her dolls. A lot of them are incredible 1/12 scale. She does wonderful witches and other fantasy characters in our scale. I have been doing figures for many years, but mine will never be as good as hers. Can you tell that I'm a huge fan? I would give you a URL, but I am on the silly I pad. It doesn't want to do that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Don't I remember Jodi being a member here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HalloweenGhost Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 Holly, the link when I clicked on it told me I had no right to access the page, so something went weird with it! I very much want to see more of your dolls, so maybe I can just find it in your gallery section? The doll you posted a pic of is very nice - did you make the outfit too? I think in some ways that I what I am most excited to work on. I got Bartevious wrapped in fabric, so he is ready to be measured and dressed. Thanks, Caseymini for the youtube suggestion. No worries about not posting the URL - I'll be able to find it just fine! I am going to watch her stuff for sure. Any tips I can learn would be fantastic! You really do a wonderful job on your dolls - and they have such personality too! One can tell how much you love them, which makes it really neat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 I sent you a PM about dressing the doll. In my gallery there is an album entitled "Dolls". I also have dolls I made in some other albums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacey6163 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Holly , I got the same message when I used the link , and again when I tried to find your doll's album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Oh, now that's just wierd! Well here are Porter and Emma L Stout from my avatar, close up; don't say you weren't warned! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacey6163 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 They are adorable !! I have clay and pipe cleaners in my craft stash so I am going to give it a try . So much inspiration here ! And HalloweenGhost , yours are neat , look forward to seeing more of your little monsters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caseymini Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Holly, I don't think that Jodi Creager is a member here. As far as I know, she doesn't do any minis besides the dolls. Most of those are custom orders. I have to make tim to go watch her videos again. I seem to learn something new every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicroJivvy Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 http://www.creagers.com/ I'm a huge fan of the Creagers -- I've sculpted a couple of small pieces (not dolls, though) and watching their instructional VHS tapes (yep, I've had them for awhile, lol) were what made the faces look like faces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Holly, I don't think that Jodi Creager is a member here. As far as I know, she doesn't do any minis besides the dolls. Most of those are custom orders. I have to make tim to go watch her videos again. I seem to learn something new every time. Her new member intro is here: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11887&hl=%2Bjodi+%2Bcreager and it has been five years plus, maybe this thread will bring her out of lurkdom... I'm a HUGE fan; but I know I'll never achieve her realism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 She hasn't been active for 3 years and has no album here I could see,which is a shame cuz I'd love to see which dolls she was showing to the members of the Forum in her member intro back then. Fantastic artist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 She hasn't been active for 3 years and has no album here I could see,which is a shame cuz I'd love to see which dolls she was showing to the members of the Forum in her member intro back then. Fantastic artist! She has this link: http://www.creagers.com/ in the signature line of her post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 thanks for remembering Jodi's introduction, Holly. clicked the link in her signature and just spent several happy minutes looking at every single photo on the Creager's website. Aside from the realistic features and skin tones on their little people, I was taken in by their use of paperclay. It's making me think about sculpting with the paperclay and using it for more than just a stone or adobe finish on structures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Holly,I thought what I wrote earlier was pretty clear-maybe not? I certainly do see the link to her site away from the GL forum and to those dolls on it. I already went there and enjoyed realizing I've seen some of this lady's wonderful work in dollhouse magazines over the years. I was just simply lamenting that I'd love to have seen the photos that match to the dolls mentioned 'back when' in that old GL intro post...you mention a nun,I believe and some other character dolls were mentioned by other members. I don't know which dolls they were describing,as those photos are no longer showing up Here on the forum site,(As far as I could see,anyway) as happens so many times in the old GL posts...I guess I'm just late to the party again,by several years!LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HalloweenGhost Posted October 6, 2013 Author Share Posted October 6, 2013 They are adorable !! I have clay and pipe cleaners in my craft stash so I am going to give it a try . So much inspiration here ! And HalloweenGhost , yours are neat , look forward to seeing more of your little monsters. Thank you! You have to try it yourself - and then show us what you've created! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caseymini Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Jodi seldom writes on her blog anymore either. I am on her followers list. She wrot about a zombie a month ago. It was 7 months before that, that she did the princess and the pea. If you want to see more of her work or follow the blog, the addy is http://creagerstudios.blogspot.com/. With that, you can keep going back to older posts and see a lot of her other stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacey6163 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Thank you! You have to try it yourself - and then show us what you've created! I will , another work in progress - creating Crazy Maizey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Also, I'm sure that the Creagers' dolls sell they no longer appear on the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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