With the advent of polymer clay in stores, making a cute doll became available to any person. This material is very malleable and flexible; it is not difficult to mold the desired product from it. Of course, certain skills and abilities are required here. But if you take into account all the nuances and practice a little, your doll will turn out almost like that of professional craftsmen.
It is necessary
- • self-hardening polymer clay
- • sewing needles
- • wooden toothpicks
- • sharp thin knife
- • sculpting tray
- • wire
- • pliers
- • brushes
- • primer
- • sandpaper
- • acrylic paint
- • PVA glue
- • fabric for doll clothes
- • mohair or wool for felting
Instructions
Step 1
First, select the model from which you will create your clay doll. A photo of the sample you like will do, or make your own drawing. The ideal size is about the size of your average Barbie doll. When developing a model, you can give free rein to imagination, but for beginners it is better not to tackle something too complicated. Draw a drawing on paper as detailed as possible. It is better to immediately set the proportions of your doll, so that when sculpting there is something to check with. Give the doll a specific pose. Draw the face, think about the hairstyle and clothes. Your doll can be as realistic or totally fantastic as you like.
Step 2
We proceed directly to the creation of the model. The first step is making the frame. Remove fluff from the pipe cleaner. Cut the wire that will become the base of the doll's body, making each part one centimeter longer than the corresponding part of the doll's body. You will need a wire base for your arms, legs, palms, head, chest and thighs. The parts for the head, chest and thighs should be circular, but with straight parts for later joining. For the neck, you need a long piece of wire (at least 2 cm). Make from copper wire, try not to use thin wire so that the parts of your doll are strong enough. Make and bend the doll skeleton in the pose that you depicted in the sketch. Add volume to the doll's body with foil. Build up the head and body with crumpled foil before using polymer clay.
Step 3
We proceed to the overlays on the frame. As materials for the frame, papier-mâché, aluminum foil, adhesive tape are suitable. The material needs to be wrapped around the frame, as if forming the "muscles" of the doll. Secure it so that the ends of the wire remain uncovered.
Step 4
Add clay to our base. All overlay areas should be covered with clay. Do not try to do it carefully, at this stage it will be enough to outline the main details of the figure. Small parts will be worked out later. If you are using self-hardening clay, work with only one part so as not to lose the softness of the material.
If you want to create a realistic doll, study how different muscle groups work. For the first experiment, at least an approximate likelihood will be sufficient.
Step 5
Now we start processing the details. To do this, apply more clay to the corresponding part of the doll and cut out parts of the body: eyes, nose, mouth, fingers. You can cut with toothpicks, stationery knives, empty pens, and any other items. Hole-shaped areas (such as the mouth) must first be cut out. The protruding parts (nose, etc.) are initially created as a separate part and then added to our creation. Use your finger or a special tool to smooth all joints and transitions to make them look natural.
Step 6
If you need to change the relief (for example, mark the cheekbones), most often it is enough just to move the existing material, but sometimes you need to add a new one. Make sure the transitions remain smooth and fluid.
Fix the clay. Most often, how to properly fix the clay is written on the box. It is best to follow the manufacturer's instructions strictly. Clay can be dried by baking (firing), drying in the open air or by another method. If drying occurs naturally, this process will take two or more hours. If the clay is set by firing, the temperature can be set lower than the manufacturer's recommendation. This will reduce the likelihood of burning. To dry traditional, ordinary clay, you will need a special oven.
When the clay has dried, we proceed to the design of the doll. You can use acrylic paints, enamel paints or nail polish to paint parts. Paint the doll's details in the desired colors: mouth, eyes, etc. Wait until the paint is completely dry before proceeding, otherwise you may smear the drawing. In order not to suffer with drawing the eyes, you can use ready-made doll eyes, fixing them in clay and making a clay eyelid over them (for a more realistic look). If you wish, you can make the doll "make-up".
Step 7
Now we are making hair. They can be created from pieces of sheepskin with a long pile or any piece of fur with a leather base. Cut out four pieces that will follow the shape of the head. Most often, a square is required for the top of the head, and a rectangle for the back of the head. For the sides, you need C-shaped pieces. When the pieces are cut, sew them together to form a wig, and then fix them to the doll's head with glue.
Step 8
We connect all parts of the doll together. To do this, you first need to wrap the bare ends of the wire so that you connect the pieces together. If the seams are visible, wrap an elastic band around them.
Step 9
Clothes for the doll can be bought at the store or sewn by hand. Finding the right size in the store can be difficult, and you yourself will not only sew clothes suitable for your doll, but also create a unique design. For inspiration, browse doll drawings, leaf through magazines. It will not be difficult to make a pattern and sew a beautiful dress.
