Greetings Friends!
It's been awhile since I posted our wonderful ADO challenges, but with SO MANY challenges going on, and such wonderful works being produced, how could I miss out bringing the brilliance of our ADO members?
Right now, ADO has two challenges happening. One is the Mini Monthly Challenge, which happens each month. and the current challenge is
"Mother Goose," which involves the nursery rhymes from the Mother Goose book
The other is our Quarterly Challenge, which happens roughly every three months... the current quarterly challenge is entitled
"Burlesque." .
Sit back and enjoy each artist's presentation and short bio of their doll making process!
First, the
BURLESQUE CHALLENGE:
What inspired you to make your doll? I have always been intrigued by Betty Boop. I don't think there is any character who could be so naughty and Burlesque yet so "sweet and cute" at the same time.
Naturally, I thought this would be a perfect theme for this challenge! Recently I came across a vintage Betty Boop pattern and decided to try it out. I really liked the idea of finding out what materials and techniques the old pattern called for, and seeing how I can improve it. I was also thoroughly intrigued to see how a cloth rendition of a cartoon character would actually come out! This is how I got the idea in the first place.How the doll was made, and with what materials? The original pattern called for using felt and "peach fabric." I used doe suede on the body and coated the surface with the following: • A 1:1 mixture of gel medium and hard modeling paste• 3 layers of gesso
• Acrylic paint
• Varnish
The head called for using yarn for hair. I opted to use paperclay instead, because Betty Boop has these wicked spiky looking curls and I wanted to keep her looking as true to the original as possible.
I'm using pins to support the paperclay. This is turning out to be rather time consuming and will probably be the most challenging part of the doll. I do think it is worth the effort!The iris of the eyes are supposed to be made from black sequins. I will deviate from that and just paint her face- but I will use sequins on her dress, which according to the pattern, is to be made from red satin fabric. I have a vintage sequin purse that used to belong to my grandmother. It is a treasure to me. I like the pattern of sequins and beads and will try to recreate that on Betty's dress. I think it will really bring out her burlesqueness! How you feel the doll came out (were you satisfied, what could be improved, etc).
Aside from these deviations from the pattern, I like the pattern in general except for two things:
•The legs are too fat on the bottom. Betty Boop has tiny petite little feet. I had to ladder stitch the legs from the knee down in order to make them thinner, and I still feel that they could be smaller. I have redrawn the pattern for next time in order to improve it.
•The pattern also gives her "man hands." Betty is supposed to have dainty little hands. I drew a pattern for the improved hand.
This is Can-Can Candy for the Burlesque Challenge. She is a 12" all-cloth doll with a wire armature. She is anchored to a wooden base with one leg. The other leg is in a high kick. Her face is a hand-painted flat face. Her hair is brunette mohair.
For her costume I started with black net stockings and a white cotton combination (corset and drawers), as she is an old-fashioned girl. For her petticoat, skirt and camisole I started with plain white silk (china silk and crepe de chine) and hand-dyed them: The petticoat acid-green, the skirt hot pink, and the camisole pale pink with silk rolled roses. I made the shoes from black silk taffeta and added little silk roses and a crystal bead stamen.
The hat is matching hot pink silk crepe de chine with a flounce at the brim and a silk over buckram crown. I added braided silk ribbon sashes for both the hat and the waist.
I was inspired by some old Moulin Rouge posters I found on the internet as well as by the hot pink/fuschia color on the ADO Burlesque Challenge emblem. This was a really fun doll to make; so fun, I think I might make her a sister.NEXT, The
MOTHER GOOSE CHALLENGE: 
Mother Goose always means baby dolls to me, this pattern is the same one my Mother and I used, to make Rag dolls when I was a little girl. Although I have changed a few things and updated this 1960's doll pattern I used non-toxic products from crayola, so a little four or five year old could play with this doll. A doll like this is similar to a teddy bear, something you might keep forever.
Muffet is made of swiss cotton, her dress is silk chiffon and embroidered cotton natural and strong fabrics the clothing is sewed on, and the ribbon roses are sewn on with beading thread, no small parts.
Her face is painted and sealed with non-toxic supplies
Her dapper Spider is made of cotton knit and felt, all hand sewn with beading thread
I'm very happy with the way she turned out, and plan on putting her my shop,
hoping a Grandmother will adopt her for her granddaughter.
"Queen of Hearts"
The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts all on a summer's day;
The Knave of Hearts he stole the tarts and took them clean away.
The King of Hearts called for the tarts and beat the Knave full sore
The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts and
vowed he'd steal no more.
She is a puresculpt made of air dry clay over a foam core base, painted in acrylic washes and mica powders then sealed with a varnish matte spray.
Embellished with crepe paper, cardstock, glitter, and a glossy medium to accent her eyes and lips. She's approx. 3-1/4 " tall.
I chose to make these two because I have had a mental picture of the wife running around my head for a few weeks and she needed to come out. In retrospect, I wish I had made Jack a little taller. He doesn't look as lean as I had planned. Additional height would have helped. As a child, I always found the wording of the rhyme to be odd, so it stuck out in my mind when I heard about this challenge. Jack Sprat could eat no fat
His wife could eat no lean.
And so, between the both of them
They licked the platter clean.
I remember having my mother try to explain what that meant. I could picture the wife eating fatty meat. Ugh! They are made on wire armatures using polymer clay for the faces and hands. Their features were enhanced with heat set oil paints. (Used a texture medium with the paints for her eyebrows. Love to try new things!) The couple has inset glass bead eyes and needle felted clothing. The wife's hair is Tibetan lambskin and Jack's hair is flocking made from wool roving. (I am going to give him a comb over, I think, when I get the time. He needs more pizazz.)Alrighty folks! Next MONDAY, more brilliant ADO Challenge works in progress continue!
Have a great week, my friends!
