Making Dolls

Making dolls

made from hot glue

Cold Porcelain Clay

Cold Porcelain Clay is called such because it looks similar to porcelain and although heat is used in the making process the final product is air-dried and so does not need to be fired in a kiln. Once made it can be used like any other clay, but remember that whatever item you make must be left to dry completely and then it must be sealed & protected with a varnish.

You can use either a cooker hob or microwave to make the clay; both heat sources do the same job and do not affect the result.

You will need: 1 cup Cornflour (cornstarch) 1 cup PVA glue

2 tablespoons Baby oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar (my lemon wasn't very juicy so I needed to use 2) Non greasy moisturiser Plastic food bag (to store clay) also: Saucepan or microwavable mixing bowl (although none of the ingredients are toxic, it is recommended that you use a dedicated saucepan/bowl for crafting so as not to risk any cross contamination) Spoon (to use just for making clay) Cooker hob or microwave

What to do 1. Decide how you are going to heat your clay, either on a cooker hob or in a microwave. If you are using a cooker hob you will need a saucepan, if you are using a microwave then you will need a microwavable bowl.

2. Place the measured cornflour (cornstarch) and PVA glue in the pan/bowl and mix together.

3. Stir in the baby oil and lemon juice.

4. Gently heat until it forms a solid ball - It will gradually go lumpy, then clump together to form a ball. The clay will get quite tough to stir as it thickens.

**If heating on the cooker hob then continuously stir over a gentle heat until it has formed a solid ball with no liquid left** Mine took about 8 minutes.

**If heating with a microwave, cook for 30 seconds then stir thoroughly, continue to alternate heating for 30 seconds and stirring until it has formed a solid ball with no liquid left**

5. Spread a small amount of moisturiser on your work surface, tip the clay out and knead until cold (it will be hot to start with so be very careful) - fill your pan/bowl with hot water to soak.

**TOP TIP - I found that even though I had used the moisturiser the clay still stuck to my work surface so I rubbed a little moisturiser on the palms of my hands and pressed & kneaded the clay just between the palms of my hands (it didn't stick). I kneaded it in this way for about 20 minutes until it had gone cold - TOP TIP**

6. Put a little moisturiser in the plastic bag and rub it around so the sides are covered.

7. Place the ball of porcelain clay in the bag, squeeze out all the air from the bag, twist to seal and leave for 24 hours before using.

8. Your clay can now be used for any number of sculpting craft projects.

**TOP TIP 1 - Remember that this clay is air-drying so any clay that you are not using you must keep in the plastic bag so that it doesn't dry out and go hard - TOP TIP**

**TOP TIP 2 - To colour the clay just add a drop of acrylic paint to a small amount of clay and knead thoroughly just before you are about to use it - TOP TIP**

**TOP TIP 3 - A finished item can take anything from several hours to a few days to dry out completely depending on its size and thickness -TOP TIP**

**TOP TIP 4 - To protect a dried finished item you must coat it with a water based sealer such as Mod-Podge or a clear acrylic varnish - TOP TIP**

1. Twist together 2 pipe cleaners, and bend in half. 2. Insert bent pipe cleaner into torso. Cut shorter pieces of double twisted pipe cleaner and put them into the arm openings. Fill body cavity with hot glue. 3. Lay doll on a table with a ruler next to it. (Fig. 1) 4. Measure dolls at 5 1/2″ for women, (add at least 1/2″ more if the doll will be sitting). This will allow for loss of length when bending (posing) the doll. 5. Cut off wire at the height you actually want the doll to be when finished. Use one of these legs as a “guide wire”. 6. Test fit one of the porcelain legs. Using the other as a guide, cut a little at a time until the porcelain leg is the same length as the guide wire. Use Zap-A-Gap Glue and the accelerator to

set the leg. 7. Repeat with the other side, using the leg you just glued as the new guide. 8. Measure the dolls arms in the same manner as the legs by establishing a “guide wire”. I always make my doll’s arms longer than usual to compensate for the loss of length that occurs when posing. You can always make the arms shorter, but it is really hard to lengthen arms that are too short. 9. Carefully unroll (most pure cotton balls are rolled) into a long thin “batting” strip 10. Apply glue to a pipe cleaner on whole length of one arm. 11. Press one end of cotton “batting” into the glue. Start to wrap, keeping the batting flat. Wrap it onto the arms tightly and smoothly. Don’t cut the cotton, just gently pull so you are not left with a bulky edge. Continue wrapping to secure the ends (Fig.2) 12. Mix tacky glue with some water to thin it. Dip your finger(s) in this mixture and rub it on the cotton in the same direction you used to wrap the batting. Use the wet washcloth to wipe your fingers on and keep them clean. 13. Adding the glue is very important. It acts as a sealer. When dry, it will be very durable and poseable. I prefer this method to a cloth body, as it cuts down on the bulk, and when properly done, it gives a neat finished appearance. 14. Don’t add too much padding on the arms. it is better to have them a bit thinner 15. Pad the legs in the same manner. 16. Start at the knee and work you way up. Keep the batting very flat. Continue wrapping until you meet the top of the thigh, or you run out of batting. The object is to build up the thigh, but to keep the knee area tapered. 17. Make a small oval pad from cotton scraps. Cover it all with glue, and put it on the back of the doll for her “rear”. Take some more batting, wrap around the tummy, over the rear, and taper towards the waistline. (You can also use 2 small craft “pom-poms” instead of the cotton oval pad). 18. Seal the legs and hip section with the watered down glue mixture too. 19. Arms & Legs should look like a “plaster” cast, & be fairly smooth with no big lumps of fuzzies. Let Dry!

Making A Miniature Doll Plaster Mold “Molding Melissa”

Basic Instructions For Making A Plaster Mold This should help to clarify some of the “Mysteries of Mold Making!”

Have fun!

  

 

Supplies Finished Sculpture Pencil Plaster – Potters # 1 (Preferred) (or plaster of Paris) Mold Release Baby powder

   

  

Spoon Oil based modeling clay Dark Marker Small sheets of acrylic plastic (or pieces of mat board) Water Soft flat paint brush Disposable Plastic Container Be sure to have all supplies on hand before you begin. Lay the finished sculpture. (in this case, Melissa’s head) on a hard surface.

Secure the sculpture with a small ball of oil based clay on the back of the head. Be sure the sculpture is at a 90 degree angle to the table surface. This will insure the best mold lines when tracing around the sculpture. Use a razor blade to remove the wood around the bottom few inches of the pencil, or you can use an actual pencil lead for this process.

“Molding Melissa” Basic Instructions For Making A Plaster Mold

Lay the finished sculpture. (in this case, Melissa’s head) on a hard surface. Secure the sculpture with a small ball of oil based clay on the back of the head.

Hold pencil vertical to the sculpture. (You can see this in the photo above). Press pencil lead gently against sculpture and carefully run it

around the sculpture. Check to see that pencil lines show up all around the sculpture. I have used a back permanent marker to define and darken the lines.

A nice size slab of oil base clay has been scooped out where the back of the head will rest. Again, it is of utmost importance to keep the sculpture at a 90 degree angle to the base of clay.

Here is an overhead view of the head with the ear areas scooped out. I find it easier to scoop out the clay rather than try to mold it around the head.

Here is a side view of the head in the clay. By scooping out of the clay it will save time trying to add so much clay

to the mold. Notice the right angle of the sculpture.

The Clay has now been added around the remaining areas of the head, coming up to the dark marker lines all around the sculpture.

Here is another angle of the clay base we have created around the sculpture.

Now is the time to carefully smooth the clay around the head and be sure it comes up to the lines.

“Molding Melissa” Basic Instructions For Making A Plaster Mold

A clay “spare” Has been added to the neck to form half of the pour hole. It follows the dark line under her chin and tapers out to form a nice large pour hole.

Okay! We are ready for the final smoothing of the mold. Use baby powder and a soft brush to smooth the clay. Your finger is also a great tool for smoothing.

Smoothing is critical if you want a good, smooth, quality mold with fine seam lines. Melissa is a test mold to shrink her down so

smoothness will not be as critical for me.

The clay bed has been smoothed out and the clay has been trimmed & squared out to fit the acrylic boards around the sculpture evenly, and to insure a nice looking mold. Carefully measure and cut four pieces of acrylic or mat board to fit around the clay. They should be just more than twice the height of the clay bed.

Carefully add the pieces of board around the

clay bed. Try to keep them as even as possible. Be sure they are vertically straight and that they all rest on the work surface evenly.

Here you can see how much taller the walls of the casing are than the clay bed. The fourth wall will be added and the sculpture will then be “boxed up”.

The sculpture has been “boxed up” and secured tightly with masking tape. Notice that there are no big gaps between the boards and clay bed.

“Molding Melissa” Basic Instructions For Making A Plaster Mold

Pouring the Plaster

Melissa has now been “boxed up”. A roll of clay has been added around the base of the box to insure that no plaster will leak out and make a mess.

A thin layer of Mold Release has been brushed/sprayed on ! DON’T FORGET THIS STEP!!!or your sculpture will get stuck in the plaster. As a last resort you can use WD-40 as a release It may cause discoloration to the plaster but works fine for a test mold.

Fill a disposable container about 1/3 full with cold water. Add plaster gradually to the water. Keep adding the plaster to the water until it no longer sinks below the water but mounds up on top. Tap it a bit to get the water to absorb the last bit of plaster. With a spoon GENTLY fold the plaster together until it is somewhat smooth. Do not stir it. It should be thick like a heavy whipped cream , similar to Sour Cream that has been stirred.

Gently spoon small amounts of this thick plaster mixture around the sculpture. When you get to the face, use a soft brush to brush some of the plaster over the face. This will help with air bubbles that may get caught on the face. Continue spooning plaster into the box until it is almost full. Tap the box several times to help release the air bubbles trapped under the surface. You can

also use a vibration table or device if you have one. Keep doing this and blowing on the surface.

You can also spray a light mist of WD_40 or water on the surface to break the air bubbles. Once you are satisfied with the bubbles being out, do NOT shake any more.

Leave the plaster to sit for a good amount of time. Plaster will go through a chemical change. It is really quite amazing! It will get very hot as it sets up. This is a critical time for the plaster. If it is not fresh plaster, it may not heat up enough to properly set up hard. Be sure to let it cool completely. This can take more than 1 hour or so. When the plaster is ready, use an exacto knife to cut one corner of the taped edge. Remove the boards. Carefully pull on the clay bed to separate it from the plaster mold.

If you have done well, the mold should release easily from the sculpture and the sculpture should remain in the clay bed!

SUCCESS!

“Molding Melissa” Basic Instructions For Making A Plaster Mold

Pouring the Second Half

Put sculpture back into plaster mold, face down. Add a “spare” of oil based clay to create the other half of the pour hole. This is important, or you will lose the pour hole and ruin your sculpture. A tiny bit of oil clay has been added to the back of the head as I felt it needed a little rounding out. Remember, this is only a test mold to shrink Melissa down in size.

The sculpture is once again “boxed up” with the boards. Be sure to secure them very tightly around the plaster sides. At this step, I take NO chances. I brush on a light coat of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly on

the plaster surface. Then, add a light coat of mold release. This has always been foolproof for me, and the mold will separate very easily!

Mix and Pour the plaster the same way as before. Fill it up again almost to the top! Grab lunch or something while you wait for the plaster to set up. It is even more important that you let this half cure a long time. Go ahead andremove the boards! Cross Your Fingers! This is the moment we have all been waiting for!

Ta Da !!!!!! The mold separated Effortlessly! This is one of the most rewarding moments of sculpting! Finally seeing a useable mold of your work.

It won’t be long now! Melissa is well on her way to becoming a 1/12th scale miniature figure!

Now the mold halves are cleaned up with a sharp razor blade or knife. The edges are angled to keep them from chipping and to make the mold easier to separate when pouring, and because, well…it just looks so pretty that way!

Band the molds tightly together until they are dry!

Let them dry out slowly. Don’t rush them! I can hardly wait to pour Melissa! SUCCESS!

Thank you so much for joining me in making a mold of Melissa Check back on my tutorials pages often as I try to add new classes. Next: Melissa will be shrunken down and another test mold will be made. From there she will be poured, fired, painted, assembled, costumed & wigged, and perhaps down the line, be made into a commercial mold.

W E D N E S D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 1

Working with air dry clay – make it most enjoyable possible. Ok this is not quite a tutorial as here will not be photos (sorry for that, but they are just taking to much time). How ever I would like to share some tips on working with air dry clays.

1. Armature – this is where you start the doll, and I know you are anxious to start sculpting, how ever you must take your time to make a proper armature. Before even starting you must plan:

a) Will you sculpt the whole complete doll or will you make her partially sculpted with soft body?

b) If you are going to make her partially sculpted – which parts you will sculpt (head with neck and shoulders or just head; arms till elbows or just palms and etc.)

After you have imagined how your doll will will be made, it is time to make an armature. The parts of armature which are going to be covered with clay must be strong and not flexible. It is essential for avoiding possibility of cracks while the air dry clay is getting dry.

2. When armature is ready I usually paint it with PVA glue to make the clay stick better to it.

3. Sanding is something most of us really hate – your nose, eyes and whole room get full of dust, and it seems there will never be end for it, as the surfaces still has hundreds of small scratches which you want to disappear.

There is a way to avoid the biggest part of it. All you need is some water, a tiny brush and a peace of natural fabrics (old piece of bed sheet suits perfectly). Now you make the fabric wet and stroke gently over the surface. The hard to reach parts – like eyes, nose ears and etc can be stroked with a wet painting brush. NOTE this method is best for thechalky clays, it can be used for paper clays too, but the humidity must be very moderate.

After your master piece is dry, you may still need a bit of sanding, but it will be much less than before.

4. Use primer* – it will make the surface harder, less water absorbing and the paint will stick better. I usually use 1 layer of primer, and then I sand the doll with finest sanding sponge, and use the 2nd layer of primer. I let it get dry for a couple of hours and just after that I start painting. Thanks to this, the surface is not absorbing paint to much, and it helps to avoid deep brushstrokes.

*when I say primer, I mean a simple primer used for walls before painting them. You can find it in building supply stores, just ask for the one which is absorbed deeply and doesn’t make pellicle.

5. Do not throw air dry clay to the bin. You can collect all small peaces of dry clay and the powder which you’ve got while sanding and etc. Just put everything to the bowl, add a bit of water and leave it for the night – you will be able to use it again. If the mass is to liquid – let it dry for a couple of days.

6. The liquefied air dry clay is very useful for correcting small scratches, and for making tiny *fingers.

*make a hand armature, cover it with PVA glue, let it get dry, paint it with liquefied clay for several layers until you will get the thickness you want. You can use hair dryer to make them dry faster.

Good luck with your creative work!

Tool Tip for Paper Clay and Art Doll BJD Crafting

Hello again my dear crafty friends! Today I wanted to share a few of my favorite tools in my studio.

And I found one of them in the cake making isle.

Yes my friends I do love my Wilton® 9" Foundant Rolling Pin.

I so easy to roll out my Creative Paperclay evenly, at the perfect thickness for easy cutting and shaping. Roll the perfect 4mm (1/8in) height great to used in many sculpting projects. I like the slide-on adjustable rubber rings. It help to create the perfect clay sheet.

The beauty of this tool is that it can be easy found at many stores like Michael's JoAnn's and Hobby Lobby's

The best way to be used is by rolling the clay between 2 sheets of Saran Wrap plastic sheets.I don't like to roll the clay too wet so it doesn't stick to the plastic when I'm peeling it.

It will give you nice and even clay sheet all the time.

Once you have your clay sheet rolled is ready to be add to any surface your working on. Here is an example i love to used for.

I love to make ball jointed dolls (BJD). These dolls are sculpted in pieces and later string with elastic. And for that reason they have to be strong and hollow. So I always like to create all my pieces with a core and cover it on Saran wrap.

Is so easy to now be cover with the clay sheet i created with my roller.

This allow me to have an even sheet all over the core. It makes it easier to cut it out and once the center is out i get a even hollow piece for me to work with .

I found the easier and most secured way to cut the Creative Paperclay is Using my second favorite tool I own.

My X-ACTO saw blade. I purchase these after a very bad cut using the regular X-ACTO blades. These blades will give you more control were you want your cuts because it is so precised.

After the precised cut is made I like to used a Elmer's Glue to bond the 2 pieces back together. It works great with The Creative Paperclay.

With the hollow core I'm now able to create my OOAK pieces. The possibilities are endless.

Eleanor 2013 byglori.com

I hope your enjoys my little tips and please stay tune for more to come.

STEP 1: Roll an oval shaped ball of clay. This will be the basis of the face you will sculpt. The smoother you get this step, the easier your job will be. So take your time and make it right. Divide the face with your rubber-tipped tool into sections. A vertical line down the middle of the face is your line of symmetry. A long horizontal line half way down the face is where the eyes will be. The second line down is the bottom of the nose and the third line down is where the opening of the mouth will be.

M00129 MOREZMORE Fine Point Rubber OOAK Doll Polymer Clay Sculpting Shaper Tool $5.81

M00221 MOREZMORE Fine Point Rubber OOAK Doll Polymer Clay Sculpting Tool + 3 Tip $8.56

Brand New Limited Edition Mountain Dew Baja Blast Socks $10.00

< >

STEP 2: Using your spoon tool or rounded tool slowly work in hollows where the eye-sockets should be. Be careful with this step. You should be working slowly and very gently in small circling movements. DO NOT push the tool down in one motion or you will end up with a dent in the head the shape of your tool. Using the rounded side of the tool will help with this matter. Keep the tool fairly flat on the face to ensure the tools point does not gouge the clay.

STEP 3: Note that the sockets are fairly deep. This will allow you to bring in the bridge of the nose later, and still keep the eyes further back. If you do not do this step deep enough, the eyes will stick out further than the nose. If you are unsure as to what depth to do the sockets, please read ahead before attempting it. Future pictures will help you decide what you will need to make way for later. Be sure that the sockets sit under the guide line you drew in step 1.

STEP 4: When you a practicing how to sculpt a face, be sure to keep smoothing your work as you go. Smoothing the clay will help you to spot mistakes as they occur, and not when you have completely finished a piece. Smoothing can be as simple as gently brushing the clay with your thumb. Be sure not to press too hard or you will squash the clay. With the spoon tool, gently rub a ridge down where the bridge of the nose meets the brown line. Refer to the next picture for depth.

STEP 5: You need to study how the face works. A face is not flat, it has draft. This is precisely why we can see the eyes on a profile view. If the face was flat, we would not be able to see the eyes. Notice in this profile shot that the bridge of the nose comes in, but not as far as the eye sockets. This is creating draft. Compare your results so far with a photo reference to ensure the draft of the face is not too flat or too pronounced.

STEP 6: Next you need to form the brow bone. Make two flat sausages of clay and place on the face, just over-lapping the top of the eye sockets. Notice how the brow line follows fairly straight along the top of the sockets and slightly down the side of the sockets. Be sure that the clay you have added is well kneaded, as the clay needs to be warm so it is easy to blend in the next step.

STEP 7: The next step is to utilize your spoon tool again. Using the curved side of the tool, gently blend the brow. Do not blend it flat; you want to simply grab the edges of the clay you placed and blend it into the forehead. Barely touch the clay, just gently glide from the edge to the forehead. If you start to notice a hollow around where you are blending, you are using too much pressure. You want the forehead to stay intact, merely close the seam between the brow and the forehead.

STEP 8: Now you make way for the eyelids. This is preparing for a doll with large eyes. Place two small cylinders of clay just under the brow. Bring it in so that it's slightly deeper into the face than the brow. This will ensure the eyes appear to sit right into the face. Make sure that the eyelids end before the end of the brow bone.

STEP 9: Using your rubber-tipped tool gently blend the eyelid into the brow bone. Don't blend it too much because you still want to have that crease where the brow meets the eyelid. You are simply smoothing the seam-line so it looks incorporated into the face. Repeat the process with the bottom eyelids. Keep in mind that the bottom eyelid slightly tucks under the top eyelid. Refer to your photo reference and compare carefully.

STEP 10: This step gets very fiddly. Cut yourself a tiny piece of clay, this will be what fills in the eyeball. In the picture, the piece of clay is only a couple millimeters. You want the piece of clay to be so small that it will not damage the doll's eyelids when you pop it in. Hook the small piece of clay with your rubber-tipped tool and carefully place it into the eye socket. Move the clay so it spreads out forming the eyeball. You want it to be as smooth as possible.

STEP 11: Smooth the clay and try to form a slightly rounded surface. This part needs to be perfectly smooth or else it will look rough when you paint the eyes. You can use smoothing agents like Metholated Spirits, or something especially suited to smoothing polymer clay such as "Prosculpt Smoothing Oil". You can even use substances like baby oil. Simply apply the oil onto a soft hair paint brush and paint over the clay you wish to smooth. Whatever oil you use to smooth, be sure to only use small amounts. If you use too much, it can react with acrylics paints. Apply a very small amount of oil, and add more if required. Applying too much can also soften the surrounding clay, smoothing out your detail work.

M00152 MOREZMORE Polyform Sculpey Diluent Polymer Clay Softener Smoothing Oil $4.80

Brand New Limited Edition Mountain Dew Baja Blast Socks $10.00

Vintage Vinyl Pepsi Cooler with Vaughn Chicago Bottle Opener $9.99

< >

STEP 12: Any gaps that are left, be sure to fill in with clay. Also, create a small ball of clay to form the red fleshy part in the inner corner of the eye. This part is extremely small. If you make it too large then the red will take up too much of the eye later. Smooth over any imperfections and ensure that the eyelids are perfect. Leave a small ridge on the bottom of the eyelid as this will be where you attach eyelashes later. Repeat this process with the other eye.

STEP 13: Smooth out the eyes and attempt to make them as symmetrical as possible. This is important. The eyes tend to be the first thing people notice when looking at a doll, so if they are obviously misaligned, it can hurt your chances of a sale.

If you are finding it difficult seeing if the doll's face is symmetrical, try looking at it up-side-down or through a mirror. This tends to change your perspective enough so that you can see the error.

STEP 14: Create a narrow pyramid shape for the nose and blend onto the face. Note that the smaller end is at the top, slightly expanding out to the bottom of the nose. Also, see how the bridge of the nose blends into the brow-line in line with the top eyelids. Be sure not to end the nose too high or low. Constantly refer to your photo reference.

STEP 15: Here is a side view to show how the nose lays on an angle. In this instance I have slightly tilted the base of the nose upwards. When working with the features of the face, you can create many different characters just by tweaking things, especially the nose. If you tilt the nose downwards, you will create a hooked nose. This tends to be used more when sculpting aged men or women or more sinister characters. A slightly upwards nose

tends to depict femininity or innocence in a doll. Play with the features of the face and see how they change the character of the doll.

STEP 16: DO NOT punch in the nostrils yet. This step is done later. Now you can move onto the cheeks. We need to fill out the cheeks now, creating two small pancakes and applying them to where the "apple of the cheek" would be. Note that it's more to the front than the sides. If you add all the bulk to the sides of the face, she winds up looking like she has a flat face and huge cheekbones. Sit the cheeks up under the bottom eyelids.

STEP 17: Using the spoon shaped tool, go around the edges of the clay you just added to the cheeks and carefully blend it. You use the rounded end of the tool and GENTLY drag the added polymer clay into the face. You only want to move the edges of the added clay down to meet the face. If you push too hard you will create a recess in the face. Work at it slowly, working in small motions. After you've worked the polymer clay with your tool, do the final smoothing with a finger, just caressing the clay to smooth it, not pushing it, (it helps if you cut your nails short like I do, then you can blend with the tip of your finger giving you more control. More control is always best when you're still learning how to sculpt a face).

STEP 18: Sometimes I leave this step until after I have finished the mouth, but in this instance I'm doing it this way. Using the rubber-tipped tool, I have carefully pushed in the beginning of a nostril. Lean the head in a way that you can see under the nose easily. This will allow you to position the nostril easier. Make sure you compare to a photo referene to get the positioning right. It may look simple but a lot of doll makers struggle when trying to sculpt the nostrils correctly on their dolls.

STEP 19: Create little tear-drop shapes for the nostrils with the pointed ends of the holes slightly pointing to the tip of the nose. Note that the outer nostrils are quite thin compared to the part dividing the two nostrils. A lot of people tend to make the nostrils too small and close together, and ultimately it tends to make it look like a piggy snout. Keep referring to your photo reference. Once you are happy with the size of the nostril holes, carefully tuck the outer nostril around the base of the nose. This will give the nostril some definition. The nose is quite a difficult thing to sculpt, so it would be good to practice on a scrap piece of clay a few times before committing to the doll you're working on.

STEP 20: Try to get the nose to look as symmetrical as you can, but don't waste too much time on it right now. You can keep working on it before you bake the doll. When I teach how to sculpt a face; one of the things I stress the most is that you shouldn't spend too long on a particular facial feature. When you spend too long on something, your eyes tend to glaze over and you stop seeing your mistakes. This can potentially set you back quite a bit. Work on something, then once it's reasonable, work on the next area and come back to it later with a fresh eye. Now you need to make way for the mouth. Using your spoon shaped tool, create a hollow right around the mouth area, but be careful not to make it wider than you want your dolls mouth to be.

STEP 21: Knead some clay until it's warm and malleable. You want to be able to blend this without needing to push too hard later. Create a small sausage of polymer clay and add it to the face where you created that hollow in the previous step. It should sit nicely inside the hollow if you bend it into a horseshoe shape. This will form the entire top lip section right up to under the nose.

STEP 22: Using your spoon shaped tool, work around the top edge of the clay you just added and blend it into the face. Do not blend the bottom edge, you will use this to form the lip. Blend the clay so that it's seamless right up under the nose. Also, blend the sides of the "horseshoe" so the lip is more horizontal. Notice how I've somewhat trimmed off some of the clay I added. Gently smooth out and slightly flatten the clay. You don't want the clay around her mouth to protrude too much.

STEP 23: Using your rubber-tipped tool, gently wipe the under-side of the clay you added. Wipe it on a slight upward angle so it creates a flat section mimicking the lips. You are trying to define the line of the top lip without carving into the clay.

STEP 24: This is what you should be left with. This part that requires a lot of patience and practice. No beginner sculptor gets this step right first time around so don't feel bad if it takes you a couple tries. Just smooth it off with your finger and try again. The trick is to barely touch it. Wipe the clay with the side of the tip, not the point, and touch it very lightly. Use the tool like you're painting a feather.

STEP 25: Now you add the Vermilion (the "cupid's bow"). This is the small spongy bit in the middle of the top lip. If you want to give her small lips, you need to make this bit very small or don't add it at all. If you what her to have large lips- you add more. For this doll I have given her fairly large lips. Note that I have only picked out a tiny ball of clay to add. Using the rubber-tipped tool, you can place the ball accurately in the middle of the top lip.

STEP 26: Using the rubber-tipped tool, carefully blend the clay you have just added into the lips. Use the spoon tool to smooth it out. Be careful not to ruin the detail work you have made. Make way for the bottom lip. Create small hollows just under each corner of the mouth. Look at your reference and notice that the bottom lip slightly tucks under the top lip. Creating these hollows allows you to emulate that effect.

STEP 27: Roll a small ball of clay, slightly larger than you want the bottom lip to appear. You need to allow for a slight loss in size when you blend it in. Tuck it carefully under the top lip. Do not push it too hard against the top lip or the clay will distort. You want the mouth to look relaxed. A very slightly opened mouth can give a nice natural effect.

STEP 28: Now you can blend in the bottom lip. Use your spoon shaped tool and carefully work around the edges, being sure not to squish the whole bottom lip. You want it to retain it's shape; you're simply reducing the "seam line". Blend the left and right sides of the bottom of the lip down towards the jaw-line. You don't want a hard line right around the bottom lip or it will look pasted on, so blending the lip in these areas help to incorporate it into the face. Define the bottom lip harder just above where the chin would be.

STEP 29: Now we need to make the chin line up better with the lips. At the moment it looks like she's missing a chin, so we'll build it back up. Knead a small ball of clay until it's soft and place in the chin area. Keep in mind that the female chin doesn't protrude as much as a male chin. Be sure that it doesn't jut out further than the bottom lip.

STEP 30: Because you kneaded the clay first and made it warm before adding it to the face, it should be easy to blend. Blend the polymer clay off with your spoon shaped sculpting tool.

STEP 31: Now you get to make adjustments where needed. This is where you really need to hone in and touch up any anatomy problems. Study the face in head. Turning the face to the side I can see that the back of her head and her skull are not large enough. If you study the shape of the human skull you can see that both areas protrude out a lot more. Here I have simply added more clay to the back of the head. The jawbone should end halfway to the back of the skull.

STEP 32: Now I've added some more clay to the forehead. Note that I've added more to the top of the head than the front. Women don't have a very pronounced brow, so you want to make sure you don't add too much clay to this area. Make sure all this clay is soft and warm by kneading before you add it to the doll. If it's too hard and cold it will require too much pressure to blend it- and you may distort the face.

STEP 33: Blend everything in and check over the doll's face. Anything you can see that you don't like? Looking at the profile of the face I can see that I still don't like the way her brow is looking. I'm happy with the general shape of the head now though.

STEP 34: I've added thin layers of clay over top of the areas I wish to build out. Here I am adding a bit to her brow line and her right cheek. Don't be scared to go over and change things you don't like. Try to keep your patience and work at it until you're happy. You will progress in your skills in leaps and bounds if you do this step. If you keep doing the same mistakes without fixing it up, your skills will stagnate. Try to get it as accurate as your skills will allow. Push the bar.

STEP 35: I'm going in and blending everything I've added and defining the bone ridges and details again. She is starting to look how I envisioned her. I'm still not happy with the eyes though. I need to fill the eyes out to give me a smoother plane to paint the eyeballs onto. I keep fiddling away....

STEP 36: I'm happier with her appearance now. She's smoothed out, her eyes are how I wanted them and her brow looks like what I was trying to achieve. I hit the max of what my abilities would allow that day- I tried my best- and I find her visually pleasing. I think we're ready to move on.

STEP 37: Double check your dolls head from every angle to ensure she looks right. Too often people get their dolls to look perfect from one angle, just to find another angle looks completely wrong. Check the jawline placement, as now we'll be sculpting the ears.

STEP 38: Roll out a small pancake of clay, making sure it's nice and soft so it's easier to blend in the next step. Note that the 'panacke' is slightly tear-drop in shape. The larger side will be the top of the ear, whilst the smaller side will form the earlobe.

rules:

STEP 39: Carefully blend the ear into the side of the face. When trying to place the ears, think of these basic

1. The part where the top of the ear connects to the head should be at the same level as the eyes. 2. The earlobe should finish just above the jawline. 3. The ear is placed halfway back on the head, at the same distance as the jawline.

STEP 40: When you feel that you have the ear placement correct, blend the back of the ear into the

head. Make sure the ears don't stick straight out of the head, nor should they be flat to the head. There should be a subtle angle outwards from the head. Make sure you leave a fair amount of bulk behind the ear. This will help strengthen the ear against snapping off after baking, and will allow room to sculpt the inner ear of the doll.

STEP 41: This is where you can go as realistic or as fantasy as you like. With this example I'm going to go somewhere between the two of them. Using a photo reference, map out the basic shape and lines of the ear.

STEP 42: Start to carve into the clay with the rubbertipped tool.

and smooth it in.

STEP 43: Keep following the lines you made on the ear

STEP 44: Finally , work around the ear defining all the shapes until you are happy with the sculptures appearance. If you're aiming for realism, remember to check over everything with your photo reference.

STEP 45: When you have sculpted both ears and are happy with your doll, smooth the polymer clay with some Prosculpt Smoothing Oil, Baby Oil or Petroleum Jelly. Remember, only ever use the TINIEST amount if you are using anything to smooth the clay. Too much oil added to the polymer clay can be detrimental to the quality of the bake and how well the paint adheres to the clay.

There you have it! After the doll's face has been baked to the clay manufacturers instructions, you can paint and decorate the doll as far as your imagination takes you.

How to Make Molds of Your Polymer Clay Dolls How to make molds of your polymer clay sculptures and use them to cast hydrostone sculptures. WHAT YOU NEED TO BUY: In this "how to make a mold" tutorial I will be showing you how to make molds of a sculpture you have made in polymer clay. We will be usingRebound 25 which is a super flexible brush on silicone rubber that is made from a 2 part compound you mix together. We will then use a strong gypsum plaster called Hydrostone to make the cast. I will also use Stoner- Rapid Release which is a releasing agent in spray form. This prevents prevents your sculpture or the cast from sticking to the mold. This tutorial works best for sculptures that are very contained with no protruding limbs.

Here I have sculpted a fairly contained sculpture of a mushroom man. Notice that there are no gaps between his arms and his body and there are no thin limbs stretched away from his body.

There are undercuts but it doesn't matter in this instance because the product we are using is very stretchy, so we will still be able to remove the cast from the mold.

You will need some thick, double-walled cardboard, plastic or something else that is strong enough to hold in the silicone whilst your mold sets. You will also need scissors and sticky-tape to assemble it.

Assemble a box (with no lid) just big enough to house your polymer clay sculpture. Be sure that is it fairly solid as you don't want it coming apart when you pour the silicone.

Now you will need to seal the box so that it is water tight for your mold (or silicone tight in this case). A hot glue gun works well but you can also use clear tacky fabric glue if you don't have one. Carefully work the glue into all the edges of the box making sure that every edge has a good seal.

Place your sculpture inside the box to ensure it fits perfectly. Notice that there is at least 1 centimetre of space around the sculpture. Of course you don't want to make the box too much bigger than the sculpture or you will simply waste your silicone.

Mix Part A and Part B of the silicone equally in a disposable container or cup. This stuff is very sticky and doesn't wash off things easily, so be sure not to use anything you want to use again and definitely try not to get it on yourself or clothes. If you get it on yourself, wash with warm water and soap (probably laborers soap works the best).

Mix until the colour is completely even with no streaks.

Spray the polymer clay sculpture with the Stoner- Rapid Release spray and start applying the silicone. It's best to use a cheap paintbrush that you can throw away. Work the silicone into all the japs and recesses. To be sure that there are no air bubbles in the mold, it is best to apply a very thin layer of silicone to the sculpture, wait for it to dry, then add a thicker coat. This can sometimes lead to a bit of wastage, so you need to only mix enough for what you would use for the thin layer. It starts to dry fairly quick. I tempted fate in this tutorial and went straight for the thick layer.

Make sure you spray the inside of the box completely. Anything that is not covered in the releasing agent is likely to stick to your silicone mold.

Place the sculpture back into the box. Carefully pour the silicone into the box (not onto the sculpture, try to pour it straight onto the base of the box). The thinner you can make the stream while you pour, the less likely you are you get bubbles.

After the box is full, gently tap the sides of the box and tap it onto the table. The gentle vibrations cause any bubbles that were trapped to raise to the surface. Don't do it too hard though or you can shift you sculpture or cause more air bubbles.

After the mold has fully set, carefully cut the cardboard away using a blade or an xacto or hobby knife.

In small cuts, cut through to the sculpture in one line down the back of the sculpture

(or whatever part has the least amount of detail). Make sure you think about where this seam is as it may need a bit of sanding in the final cast. If the seam runs down a detailed area, then it will take more time and effort to sand the sculpture. Don't cut the mold in half, you only want to create enough space that you can wriggle your sculpture out.

This is where how flexible the silicone is comes in handy. Because the mold is so stretchy, you can carefully stretch the mold open to remove your sculpture and the mold will still bounce back into place. The less you have to cut your mold, the less seam line you will have to sand away later. Wriggle the sculpture out carefully; you don't want to damage the mold or your original sculpture.

Spray the inside of the mold with some more Rapid Release spray and close it up. Put some pieces of cardboard around the mold and secure it with rubber bands. The cardboard stops the rubber bands from squeezing the mold too tight and distorting it. Of course you still need to make sure you don't have the rubber bands too tight around the cardboard. Also, mix together some Hydrostone in a disposable container (Mix ratio powder to water- 100:32). Take your time to make sure that the mix ratios are correct.

Pour the Hydrostone into the mold in a thin stream like you did with the silicone. Also, tap the mold to release the air bubbles. Allow the cast to set properly before taking off the rubber bands. I like to let it set for a couple of hours before removing it from the mold. When you remove your cast from the mold, wriggle it out slowly so as not to damage the cast. Keep in mind that some parts may not have set completely and may still be a little brittle. Leave the cast sit over-night out of the mold to dry fully before painting.

Once it's dry you can start to paint! I suggest coating the cast in a base coat because the acrylic paints may seep into the plaster. Make sure you seal it with an acrylic paint spray sealer when you're finished. You can create many casts of the same sculpture using this method. It's great for ornaments for Market Stalls and the like. REMEMBER: Although you have constructed it by hand and painted the casts individually, this DOES NOT make them one-of-a-kind (OOAK). Sculptures made with a mold fall under either a Limited or Open Edition collections.

I hope you have enjoyed this "How to Make Molds" Tutorial!