Social Media for Doll People

Wow, you ladies rock! I put up a blog, and a few days later, it has 250 views! I ask for reviews of my book and get five five-star reviews! And at the same time, I make the first sale of my book on Amazon! This is definitely the way to go for us dollmakers. We work all alone at home for hours, days and weeks, and sometimes don't see another person for ages. So for us, going online to connect is a necessary (dare I say?) evil. I've connected with people who can't leave their homes for one reason or another. Only by reading websites, blogs, facebook, etc. do they get to have any social interaction at all. Well, I have to say, this is a little bit of heaven for me to get such a nice response after just dipping my toes in the water. I have had to work on other things for the past few days. But starting tomorrow I'll be building my website, putting up links (please send me links to websites for dollmakers, doll artists, etc!) and hopefully I'll have something nice to show in response to all your responses! In the meantime, be well, and happy dollmaking! Noni

Getting Started

Let's start at the very beginning...

Some people like to start with a sketch, so they can see what they are working toward. This is a very good idea, especially if you have trouble visualizing. Then you can see what your doll will need. Do you have to alter the pattern to make the doll strike a pose? Do you need to make a prop, or find a pattern for a certain style of dress?

I have to admit that I generally do not like to draw a sketch first. Why? Because it often feels as though I am finished when I get a good sketch. Then I am no longer motivated to make the doll. I feel like I've already done the character, with all the details, and I can stop now, with this beautiful little drawing.

I need to feel motivated, and I enjoy the challenge of working directly in the cloth. I will make an arm over and over and over again to get it to come off the shoulder at the exact right angle that I want. I had piles of discarded limbs from several different dolls to prove it! I would keep them around for years, hoping to reuse them at some point. But it was rarely the case.

When I did "Decisions, Decisions" I remade her arms several times. It was important that they look graceful and natural. And when your arms are raised, they are supported by muscles that come up from the front and back of the torso. You can simply move the arm pattern (the way a Barbi doll's arm moves in its socket) but it doesn't give you the realistic affect I was looking for.

Compare the photos of an earlier doll (Rita) with my later work, and you'll see the difference I'm talking about. (Oops! My links are broken because I'm moving my website. Please stay tuned. I'll repost the missing photos...)

A New Beginning

Hi Everyone!

After a long hiatus from the dollmaking world, (during which I got a divorce, moved clear across the country, and did a lot of soul searching) I have decided to get back to the world of Art Dolls with renewed energy. And I finally realized that one way I can share some of my dollmaking tips is to create a blog. (Gee, I never understood blogging for the longest time, but just like cell phones, I finally get it!)

So, for awhile, I'm going to try to put up something every day (or as often as I can) and see if we can't make something useful out of this cyberspace. Please feel free to post, as much as you like, and let me know how I can be of help.

Thanks so much for reading!
Noni