YivArtDolls

About

As far back as I can remember, I have always loved to create. As a teen, I would spend the entire night drawing, painting or brainstorming a new idea. I have tried various art forms, but none of them completely satisfied my creative streak. In the summer of 2011, I discovered OOAK baby dolls. Creating a tiny, realistic doll from start to finish combines all of my beloved art forms into one. Doll making encompasses design, drawing, painting, sculpting, sewing, photography and much more. Most of my creations are quite small ranging in size from 1" up to 16".

 

Each of my OOAK dolls is handsculpted from a block of polymer clay. I don't use molds, making each of my creations unique. Below is a basic summary of the process as it can vary from doll to doll: I usually begin with an aluminum foil and wire armature. If I am using glass eyes, I will glue them to the head armature. I mainly use Prosculpt polymer clay to sculpt the miniatures and Cernit for the larger dolls. My favorite sculpting tools are small silicone color shapers and Jack Jonson’s 3 in 1 sculpting tool. I also use needles and pins to sculpt tiny details. I usually sculpt in stages, it really depends on the doll’s pose and scale. After the sculpt is finished and baked, I carefully scrape any rough areas with a scalpel. I sand the sculpture using a very wet 3M Auto 600-2000 grit sandpaper. For painting, I use Genesis Heat Set Oil paints and the smallest paintbrushes I can find. I paint the doll in layers, baking in between each layer to set the paint. This method ensures that the paint will not be too thick and unnatural. Once painted, I cover the entire doll with Genesis Matte Varnish and bake again. For poseable dolls, I sew a fabric body and fill it with poly pellets and polyfil. I use either viscose, mohair, or lamb’s wool for the hair. And finally, I sew the clothes and create the accessories.

You can also visit my YouTube channel to see some of the creation process.
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