Expert: Nanetta Bananto - 9/22/2002

Question
Hi,

I am just starting out, about 6 months crafting. Painting, decoupage, and have some clay but have not worked with it yet. I purchased a pasta machine as well for this. I am interested in making beads, which I think I can do, but would love to make some of the dolls. I have molds for the santa and things, but how do you make other dolls like old people? or exotic faces? Do I need a mold, or do I try just to do it myself, pinching, and molding it with my hands? I hope you understand what I am asking.

Thanks,
Joanne

Answer
Dear Joanne - I am largely self-taught and make one of a kind dolls, so my answer is: start pinching.  Molds can be fun for pins or quick projects such as ornaments, but if you are wanting to express yourself, by all means do.  First of all, what kind of clay did you purchase?  I have worked with alot of different brands and my personal favorite for dolls is Premo and Flex Clay by Sculpey.  Here's why:  It is easy to knead, easy to mix and when cured, has a flexibility to it, making it less likely to break.  I use a mixture of white premo with flesh flex, but I like a little opacity in my dolls.  I have experimented with many combinations-even using just white.  Dolls are a wonderful expression as there are no rules.  Look at faces.  Look at the relationships of features in the face.  Observe different face, eye, mouth shapes.  Or create a being all your own.  You can make little marbles of white clay and bake them.  Then embed them in the face for eyes.  I use Patio Paint clear for the gloss of the eye, because it is a bakable paint.  For most of my dolls, I begin with an oval ball of tightly packed foil.  I take heavy gauge wire or floral wire, bent in half and twisted and drive it into the center of the head, where the neck will be. Then wrap the neck area with foil. I cover it with clay, embedd the eyes and then start sculpting.  You can smooth out the skin with a wet finger.  If you are making a bust to be sewn onto a body, be sure to poke holes in the breastplate with a skewer.  You can also make a flange head (arms and legs) by adding a coil of clay, smoothing it into the arm and rolling a skewer around to form a small trough where you will attach fabric for the arms.  The smoothing is most important, as every piece of clay will show otherwise.  The Glass Attic is an excellent source for Polymer clay in general.  I use it all the time.  Try these links below.  Good Luck!  Most of all, remember that you are just begining, so have fun with it.  Please yourself.  Express yourself.  Let your inner feelings work the clay and allow your fingers to follow.  Nanetta

http://www.glassattic.com/

http://www.creativity-portal.com/specfeatures/joshclay/

http://www.angelfire.com/co/dollmakerinflorida/books.html

http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/cyclopedia/contents.html

http://www.sculpey.com/projects.htm  - check out my Asian Tassled Necklace and Asian Proverb Accordian Book while you are there.