Francesca: Art Doll 2

Meet Francesca! She is what I have been working on the last few days. I just finished her up (for the most part) tonight. She started out as a mold of the music box face I got at the flea market last week (3rd photo). I painted her face up a little differently and gave her a more exaggerated eye. I LOVE glitter gel pens and used purple for her eyeshadow. I am just playing around with facial features until I get used to working on this air dry clay. It's a strange texture to paint and draw on. But the good thing is you can erase! And there are no marks! ;) Her hair is some knitting yarn (another flea market find) that I just knitted/purled for a few rows.

She is definitely NOT a typical clay doll. I don't have the expertise for the beautiful masterpieces I see out in blogland. There are definitely some top-notch doll artists and sculptors out there. I would love one day to have just a little of their talent. I used pipe cleaners for her arms and legs and covered them in paperclay. Her body would shock you. Let's just say that the majority of it is wrapped in quilt batting.

She's holding her heart in her hand (don't we all sometimes?) and is offering it up unconditionally. I had a lot of fun making her and have some more in progress. I'm also experimenting with different sizes. I have a feeling that my really small ones are going to be a challenge to dress! We'll see how that goes.

I wasn't going for exact body proportions, as you can see. I'm just experimenting with different media to make a doll that I like -- my style! I did check out about 10 books on dollmaking from the library and have been looking through those. I need to get reacquainted with my sewing machine real fast. I got a head start on that today when I improvised her gown and wrap. I had some other fabric all laid out ready to cut for her clothing, but she insisted on wearing the plum color; nothing else would do. So, I dressed her in some remnants from a recent JoAnn's sale and she was satisfied with that. Must have been that purple eyeshadow...

They say you learn by doing. Well, I am learning a lot the more I dive in and start experimenting with things that I've always wanted to try. I decided to quit using the excuse that "I don't know how to do that" and just get a few books and see what I can throw together. The pressure is off when I give myself permission to make mistakes and make bad art. It's OK! So, all that's left is the adventure and the experiment! I think it was the Mixed Media Monday blog that urged everyone to try something new this past week. So, I did.

I'm off for a mini-vacation to Madison, WI until Friday. I may not have a chance to post before my trip, but I'll have more to show when I return. Have a great week and try something new!