Elena Warrior Angel WIP

Work on Elena continues, nearly see her finished. I had not been able to find feathers that work, they were either too big or too fluffy for what I wanted it to look like. I kept thinking of this fabric I have that I've used for hair in the past. I thought once cut and draped properly it would make nice wings so I tried it out.

Sorry the photo is so blurry, but I just wanted to show you want I did. I cut two pieces of fabric for each wing, then draped them and attached them to my wire wing frame. I used GRIIP glue to attach them to the frame. Once set I used Paverpol to stiffen the fabric. When I say stiffen, paverpol makes it hard! I have a clear version that works for all kind of things.

Once dried, I painted and attached them to the doll through holes drilled in her back.  The wing wires are still posable but I'll leave them for now as they will give me more access to her bits.

I decided the blouse I made for her was too much, I still wanted to cover her arms though so I went with a full sleeve in the net fabric and added leather arm guards that will double as weapons holders. Also attached a leather strip around her leg to hold something. Still working on weapons.

So here is Elena now. Her face will need a little more work I think.  The colour is a bit too soft.

Elena Warrior Angel WIP

Elena has some hair today, her boots are painted, the heels in silver... all the better a disguised weapon.  Her eyebrows redone. They were too dark, I thought she was going to have black hair but it was too much black for her. She's a blonde in the story, so I went with tibetan lamb.

I'll glaze her boots to give them a high sheen and will make a blouse before I attempt her wings.

Rainbow Auction Fundraiser - Needle Felted Art Doll by Jolene

I started my first real art doll while working with a friend in Winnipeg. We went to conferences together and tried new doll making techniques together... still do actually... just provinces apart from each other. 

My friend Jolene and I have different  favourite materials. For instance she's a needle felter and has really become so good at it that she now teaches locally.  
I'd love to feature more of her work here if she'll let me, she doesn't blog herself. 

She was teaching a beginner needle felting class at her local wool shop. She says it was a simple project... this little leprechaun.  I don't think there is anything simple about it myself. 

Jolene works at a local museum there and she said that a request game along from the Association of Manitoba Museums for donations for their second annual  ‘Trivia Night’ fundraiser.  

This year it's - March 12th and with St. Patrick’s Day a few days off she decided to offer up this magical little leprechaun as an item for their Rainbow Auction. It was happily accepted. I hope they are as awed as I am with this wonderful piece.  

I hope their event was a huge success and that the lucky winner knows what a lovely piece of art work they have. 


With millions of little stabs at those tiny fibres it takes a lot of patience and more than a little DNA to complete an art doll like this and I really love Jolene's work. 

Here's a picture she sent me earlier... when I saw that mischievous face looking up at me he seemed to be saying "oh, no now missy... don't you be trying to get a look at me lucky charms!"

Elena Warrior Angel WIP

So work progresses with my Angel Warrior female version. I was inspired by  the character Elena in Nalini Singh's book Angel's Consort. I love to read Urban Fantasy on the subway on the way to work. Nalini is one of my favourite authors.
I have done some of the face up work, it's nice to begin to see what she's going to look like. I've done some more work on her costume and have tried once again to put leather on her boots, no luck, it still looks so bulky. Look's like I'll be back to apoxie. I need to work on her fingers too. They've gotten squashed somewhere along the way. I guess I was too impatient and didn't let them set up properly.
Oh well, maybe after lunch. I took off a couple days vacation so I could play in my studio. I find this time of year so depressing and I needed a little boost.

I also got Cayleigh's doll in the mail, so I've got some work to do on my travelling doll project. I also have a couple other projects on my mind. I've ordered some German glass eyes and some more living doll clay and I'm just waiting for them to arrive so I can begin "Red" and another project as yet unnamed. I'll keep you posted!

Traveling Dolls 2010 Featured

Once again The Art Dolls Only Traveling Doll Project for 2010 is featured in a publication.

This time Soft Dolls & Animals March 2011 issue. A whole new doll making audience gets to see the journey.

Thank you to Scott Publications for helping us get the word out there on our wonderful club, its' talented and versatile artists and our wonderful Traveling Doll Project.

The people involved in the project love to see their creations in print!

Angel Warrior Latest Art Doll Continues

I've been working a bit more on my latest art doll this weekend. I think I've decided she's an Angel Warrior, similar to the male doll that's now on it's way to Jade in Edmonton as part of the Travelling Doll Project. I guess I couldn't get the theme out of my head.
I don't usually do female figures, and as this one is more aggressive than delicate, I suppose she's not that far a stretch either. I love the pose, and so far she still stands alone. Or rather crouches on her own, no additional added support or base at this point.
I got her heels on and after working out how the leather would work and finding it still too stiff, I decided to use apoxie for the upper and I think I'll only add the leather for the top part that goes over her knee. Some chain or leather straps should hide the join. I'll have to see what happens.
I've added some black knit leggings and have sculpted some more on her torso, arms and head over the weekend.

I've also started playing with the acrylic washes for her skin colour. I don't sand a lot with the paper clay. I love the texture of it with the acrylic wash and pastel chalks that I'll use to do her face up. Not for me the smooth finished piece for my paper clay work. It's rather like a watercolour with a little tooth. Appeals to me for some reason, not as plasticky... if that could be a word. Kind of old Venetian wall.









And here is my cat Peeper's who loves to watch me work, but gets bored after a while. 

My Travelling Doll For 2011

The Travelling Doll Project that I has so much fun with last year is starting out again. In fact I just shipped him out today.


This year I'm collaborating with two other wonderful Canadian Doll artists with talents as diverse as our wonderful country. Jade Perez and Cayleigh Milne-Keeley are just as excited as I am to see what's in store for our dolls as we begin the 2011 Travelling Doll Project.

Yes, once more it's a male doll. Well, the idea was for a hero, protector, angel and warrior but we'll have to just see how Raphael turns out at the end of his journey.

Raphael is starting out as a polymer/cloth combination over a wire armature and features some amazing Tibetan Lamb Hair and over sized feet to help him stand on his own. His boots are sculpted from apoxie sculpt and are over sized to help him stand on his own. I'm hoping he'll get some great wings that will also balance him but we'll just have to see how he turns out!

Follow his story, as he falls from heaven to protect us on earth.

He was inspired by the many wonderful Urban Fantasy authors that I read on the subway each morning as I commute to my "real" job. (I think of my mother every time I use the quotes on that word!)

Hope you'll enjoy following his journey as much as I will!