Monday 27 December 2010

Red Headed Wire Gourd Doll

I found the photo of the redheaded doll. The face is a gourd, the body is wire, the hair is wool roving I dyed, and the headdress is a crocheted star. I haven't seen this doll in several years. I never sold it, so it's around here hidden in a bin somewhere. She's a one of a kind doll. I had her listed on Etsy for awhile, but then I lost track of her and had to take the listing down.
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Gourd Art Doll with Green Cape

I made this gourd art doll a few years ago. Her hair is natural colored wool roving. Her body is made of wire. I crocheted her cloak.  Each gourd doll is one of a kind. Some day someone will fall in love with this doll and buy it. In the meantime she just hangs around with me.
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Bottle Gourds

When my boyfriend asked if I wanted to go to the gourd farm today of course I said yes.  I soon realized I'd get to buy more bottle gourds to make dolls out of, since the bottle gourds are the perfect shape.  I like the ones that aren't symmetrical, because the bends and leans make the dolls look more animated.  Since a lot of gourd artists look for the perfect symmetrical shape, that leaves everything else for me! And when bottle gourds are 70% off, that's a great savings. I got tiny, medium, large and extra large bottle gourds so I can make doll families. I just bought my self a whole lot of work.  In the heavy rains the gourds are quite muddy and will have to be scrubbed.

Sunday 26 December 2010

Fairy Doll Dioramas

I'm gathering together some of my older photos of dolls I've made in the past. I keep finding things that I've forgotten existed. When I do I have to post them here right away before I forget again.

Two Fairy Art Dolls by Fayme Harper


Fairy Doll With A Basket

Fairy With Pear











































Fairy With Basket
I believe I gave these all away as gifts. I wonder if anyone still has them. As I recall the dolls were removable so you could pose them in different ways. Click on the photos for bigger views.

Saturday 25 December 2010

Nesting Doll Blanks





I got these nesting dolls to paint. I've always wanted some. I think I will paint them like belly dancers. I've never seen anything done that way and it will be a fun challenge. I think I should sand them a bit and then prime them with gesso. If anyone is reading this and has already made some of these I'd love to see what you did with them.

Thursday 23 December 2010

First Post

I can't believe I've never started an Art Doll blog. I made the first one about the time I was in Jr. High School probably. I didn't get far. As I recall I found her years later and she never did have any arms.

I guess I haven't needed a whole blog just for art dolls because the apple head dolls and the gourd dolls and the beaded dolls have their own blogs respectively.

But now I want to share spirit dolls, prim dolls and other art dolls. I've been collecting doll making books for years, but because dolls are so labor intensive, and sometimes confusing to figure out, many of my dolls never got finished.  Sometimes the doll is done but not the clothes, or the clothes are done and don't quite fit right.

At any rate, I thought it was high time the dolls got their own realm.

Here is  link to an article I wrote on art dolls. http://hubpages.com/hub/Make_an_art_doll