Facing My Figural Fear

Usually when I disappear in the middle of a project, I've either gone out of town or I'm stuck on something.

Unfortunately, this time I've been stuck.

Placing human figures in my work has always been challenging.

In fact, many times in the past few days, I wanted to stop working on this piece and start working on a flower garden or something.  But I didn't.

No matter how often I struggle to make faces and figures, they still keep crossing my path and demanding to be included in my work.



Well, I have a habit of listening to these messages from the universe so...here I am back at it.

And since they keep coming up over and over, I'd better practice and improve so that it becomes less onerous.  Enter Adele Sciortino and her online doll classes.

A few years ago Gerry Krueger told me about Adele's newsletter (it's free) which is full of tips for making dolls and doll items.  Thanks to Gerry, I've taken one class on making doll shoes and I'm currently enrolled in the Wigging with Mohair class.

After working with mohair for Audrey's hair, I knew I could use some help with better managing this tricky, flyaway fiber.  Even though I am not making free-standing dolls, I'm already learning some valuable tips.  I've ordered some gray mohair off of Etsy for Mrs. Rose's hair.

Needleworkers have been putting figures into their work forever.  You see figures in goldwork, figures in stumpwork...



And I have found lots of inspiration from current artists such as Salley Mavor.

After my last post, I started reading The Embroidered Portraits book by Jan Messent.  She has tackled this topic thoroughly and gives great tips on how to embroider faces and place ears, eyes, nose etc.  Thank you Jan...I'm finding it very helpful.

I'm also using Barbara Willis' Cloth Doll Artistry book for tips on sculpting the body, arms and legs.

Each time I've had to make a face, I haven't drawn it freehand.  Instead, I find a picture and trace the placement of nose, eyes, ears and mouth.  That way, I'm not depending on drawing skills that I don't have.

For Mrs. Rose, I decided to use that Annie Wahl doll that I have in my collection.  She was kind enough to pose for me, and didn't mind getting shot in her skivvies...



She says she's proud to show off the body that got her this far in life.

I then traced her outline to make a doll pattern for the head and the body.   Once I was satisfied with the pattern, I used my copier to reduce the paper doll to various sizes...



I cut them out to place them on the block.  This helps me choose the correct pattern size.  It looks like a reduction of 55% will work.


I know, I know.  She doesn't look so good bald and pale like that...I suppose I didn't look so hot either when I was first born.

Now onto choosing the materials.  I ordered some Doe Suede (it's a polyester) from Adele's site since I had never seen that before and wanted to try it.  I also have some flesh colored kona cloth.  And I located some old pantyhose to try as well.



Today, I'm off to play around with my pattern and my materials to see what happens.

Thanks for hanging with me.   I hope to get to some "flow" with this piece soon.

Ankles crossed...