Cooling off. Polymer clay doll form after baking. Image: Su Leslie 2019
When we look at a piece of art, it is easy to forget that in its making, it may have gone through many stages or forms quite different to the end result.
Polymer clay doll-making is an excellent example, often beginning with a wire and aluminium foil armature around which clay is formed — sometimes for the whole body, but in many cases just for heads, hands and feet.
Once the clay is sculpted and baked it must be cooled before the soft materials that will form the body can be attached. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Clay, especially small pieces, are extremely fragile and need to be properly cooled before the next stage can begin. Image: Su Leslie 2019
I have made dolls in the past, but these belong to students at a recent workshop held by an artist friend. I was there solely as the photographer.
I must say though, it did rather inspire me.
Posted to the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge | something different
Very interesting Su.
Leslie
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Fascinating, I’ve never seen that before 😀
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Wow, Su! At first I thought these were some of Frankenstein’s creations, especially when I looked at the first picture. So real …
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In that stage of their creation; I know what you mean. The hands in particular were very realistic on all the dolls I saw.
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So cool! The doll reminds me of the little elf in the Harry Potter stories! Excellent choice for the week Su
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Thanks Tina. I suspect the doll is destined to be an elf of some kind. The “inspiration” books featured a lot of fantasy creatures like elves and fairies.
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That first image is a “little” weird…
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Isn’t it!! I hadn’t realised how much til I was editing them.
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Wow! First seeing the image as a small picture in my Reader, it was a little freaky. Once I clicked through to your site, and I saw it full size, it recognized the image as an elf. Fascinating process. Thank you!
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They really look rather creepy like this, Su. They also look a bit like Dobby from Harry Potter. 🙂
janet
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😀 they do!!
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I have a friend who makes polymer clay figures, creates amazingly decorated cakes, sings like an angel, and now paints. I’m in awe.
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Wow! Cakes and singing are particularly lovely attributes in a friend.
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She’s a lovely person, but we only see each other on FB now. We were once in the same choir. That was a long time ago. 🙂
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I guess one of the few things FB still does well.
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…. and it scared the s..t out of me!
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Think how I felt being surrounded by about 10 of them 😂😂
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Only slightly creepy …… !
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😂😂
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These are definitely creepy photos!!
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The finished dolls are usually lovely — but the process involves a whole lot of ugly.
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LOL! It reminded me of that horror movie (which I never saw) with that creepy doll. Chucky?
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I know the one you mean, but I haven’t see it either. 😀
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Wow such an interesting process. But I love your photos. That first one in particular is just kind of surreal and beautiful.
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Thank you. I’m always in awe of the women who cone into the workshops without a lot of experience, and create such amazing works.
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There are some very talented people out there 😊
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I have an artist friend who does work like this but I’ve really only seen the end result. Doesn’t it look a bit freaky when it’s in bits? Also looks like fun, though. I would have been itching to have a crack.
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I think if I hadn’t already tried it, I’d have found it really hard not to give it a go myself. Bye bye photos 😉
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You are so right!
What an interesting process. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you 🙂
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Tell me about small pieces of clay being fragile! I was transporting something quite delicate yesterday to my workplace where my kiln is and kept holding it like raw eggs all the way! 😂 It was worth the effort though. 😉 Now, I only have to pray that it won’t explode inside the kiln! 😂
Your pictures are awesome, and the clay dolls too – makes me really want to try out polymer clay! And the one in the first pic looks like Dobby who I just adore! 😀
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I’m glad you got it there safely, and I hope it’s ok in the kiln (photos of the fired piece please cos now I’m curious about it). I can imagine you making dolls — and being really good at it. They require lots of different skills; sculpting, painting, textiles, even jewellery-making. You have all of those.
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Aww – thanks! I really want to try this out, it seems a lovely way too to connect it with a story of some sorts, though I wonder what will come first: the story or the doll??
Have a wonderful weekend, Su! Hugs! xxxxx
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Claire started making them as models to sketch from in the books. She found that illustrating a story needed her to be able to draw her characters in lots of different poses. I think for her the story sparks the doll which then takes on a life of its own and influences the story.
Wishing you a wonderful, creative weekend too xxxxx
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That makes total sense to me! Drawing the same character from different perspectives is always tricky. Will definitely have to try this out now!! 😀 Thanks! xxxxxxx
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That’s different!
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