Tiny Polymer Mixed Media Doll Class...More Milo Files!

This Tuesday,  Our  "Secret" group met and created new "Milo files"......I had the pleasure of teaching the group my TINY Fairy Mixed Media dolls, but in Polymer  (most of my tiny dolls are paperclay).    Heather has sculpted, but never this tiny...and Doreen and Sue have never sculpted with polymer., both of them are new to dolls!    Everyone felt that they would do better in polymer.  I agreed that polymer takes detail easier, but PAPERCLAY CAN ALSO BE EASY IF YOU USE LESS DETAIL IN SCULPTING, AND USE MORE "PAINTERLY" DETAIL.   IN THE END, WHICH EVER MEDIUM YOU ARE WORKING IN.. IT IS EASY  AND FUN TO CREATE  A TINY MIXED MEDIA DOLL!!!!!
 These are the two dolls that I am working on with the class.  The larger one was the first doll created..and it literally "Crackled when I baked it.  I had such a hard time with the first batch of clay...after this happened ..I threw out the clay...maybe it was old!? I never ran into this before...so I started on the second one (to the left) and I like her much better, she is tinier and has nicer detail.  Maybe I will try and crackle that first doll as suggested by Heather! hmmm!  maybe she will work out after all! 

The crown was created for the second tinier doll...I 'll try and incorporate the vintage black and white Diamond design into her outfit. This picture doesnt show the correct color of the diamond design...It is worn out black and pearl white!

 I arrived at Sues with some sample dolls as a guide for size, and also a kit for each Person!  The kit contained the conditioned clay .... (I used Prosculpt with  Bisque Cernit mixed in for a soft yet blendable clay.), pre made foil head/bodice armatures, "SKIN" fabric, Prepared Silky Mohair, Eyelashes and Triple thick for glossing the eyes and lips, shoes...

Of course we had a little bit of "Christmas" first!!   Doreen made beautiful beaded bracelets for everyone...gifts of "Crafting items" were flying around  and Sues daughter Carol even stopped by and gave each of us a beautiful handmade Beaded ring!  What  an "INSPIRING" day!

Anyway,  after much Chattering about Techniques and Products  the class really went great!...and in a few hours everyone was able to bake their fairy head and bodice.  I showed them how, after baking...small changes can be made by carefully smoothing on a little clay and rebaking!  I usually use this technique to change the lips ,nose, or an uneven cheek  without it being visible.

Next Week we will create the arms, legs and soft body, and put the doll together.  Woohoo!  cant wait!

There are also some Pictures of the First part of this class, Tiny hats and crowns.  See the picture of everyones completed creations! WOW!

 

Make and Take a SUCCESS!! haha!!!

So , Here we are at the Shephard valley Creamery doing the BIG  FREE Make and Take!!!  WOW   LOTTA WORK!!!!  I created the two different sheep for kids to create at the shearing festival on Saturday!  All week long I sewed a hundred tiny felt Sheep bodies, got my supplies together..and made my PLAN!!   

My friend Heather said that she would come and help, ..I was doing this on my own, so I welcomed her.  WELL!!!!  THANK GOD!!!!   All the plannung I did, could never have prepared me for the Day!!!

When we arrived, the creamery offered us a wonderful talented helper, she is a  12 year old "Sprouting" artist..we could not have done it with out her!

 " WOW....tons of kids...every kid that walked by wanted to make the "Tiny Lamb dolls"  Oh, and so did their PARENTS!!!   Once the ball got rolling there was no turning back...Heather was on her game...and she Quickly made new rules!!!   I dont remember even seeing faces or bodies after a while..just tiny hands...with glue and sheep hair flocking stuck to them!!!

All in all it was a fantastic experience and it was a thrill to introduce ART to childeren..

Purple Petals...Amber Rose Miniatures...Tweener TECHNIQUES!

Well its been a busy 2 weeks with a lot going on and Nothing getting DONE!!! I guess it was a "TIME OUT" for technique learning!

  Last week I took at class at the PURPLE PETALs STUDIO in Maspeth NY with my friend Heather!  We Took a Minitaure Class with Amber Rose.  Amber is a Minature artist extrordinaire...creating the most beautiful charms from clay and mixed media. We learned a "skinner" blend and how to create beautiful shades of color blending into each other for petals and leaves.  All of the work with clay for dolls...we were the "dummies of the class!!!"...There is a whole "Other" clay world out there!!! So much to explore...not enough time to create it all!!!!   See some of the pictures.....Of course I came up with some vintage Treats and pillows with the tiniest flowers that are my favorite thing that Amber taught me....They will probably adorn my next couple of dolls!!!    The picture of the mixed minies are Ambers beautiful inspirations..... There is a picture of Amber Rose teaching, and also of Dori,  The Fantastic creative Owner of the Purple Petals Studio!

Also happening soon is my "Make and Take GIG" at the shepherd Valley creamery on Saturday may 8th.  I will have a set up there, doing a make and take for kids to make tiny sheep dolls....the picture are my samples of what we will do....The little sheep is sculpted from clay ...cover in sheep hair and painted.  The other is a sewn felt body using the same technique.

And One last thing I did this week, was bought a couple of the Tim Holtz Sizzix dies and created a bird cage charm.  Of course it was too big for me...so I cut it out of Shrinky dink...dyed it with some alcohol inks , stamped it..."vintaged" it up with some metallic rub-on colors AND SHRUNK it...Added some  worn findings...! Of Course, My Bird is OUT of her cage!!!   A "Sagg" is always working on "being FREE!!"   Its pretty cool looking and its "just my size"!!!

Mixed Media doll From the Milo Files!

This Sunflower girl is My Flat Doll. She is a mixed media doll made of fabric that was painted with acrylics, I added paperclay to the flat head, I crackled and stained parts of her, she has metal wings that were cut and textured on the sissix, then patina'd, and her arms are jointed with jewlery end caps treated with alchohol inks! Her skirt and bra are made from a piece of vintage lace that was literally "dissentegrating"...but I wanted to preserve its past...so I treated it with "Porcelain petal", then sprayed with a sealer...its delicate...but it is keeping the fabric "ALIVE" forever!!!   Her head has tiny polymer flowers that I cut out from my tiny cutters that i have in my ebay store...they were painted and stained...gems were added!

 So...the Milo files are stories from an"underground" creative group that I have joined...We meet on tuesdays and the creativity in the group lies in the "UNKNOWN"!!!...

You never know if it will be every Tuesday...or once or twice a month!  You dont know what you'll eat there...sometimes a can of soup....sometimes "homade Lasagne and meatballs....(Delicious! MMM!)  

 You dont know what the next project will be, and you NEVER know what you will GET there!!!

Theres creative goodies being passed around from all of the members...its almost like "christmas" on Tuesdays!!! haha!!!

BUT Seriously...a small group have been getting together and "JUST CREATING" at Sue Milo's house!   All Members Share their "specialties" and teach the group....!!!!

The First week, Doreen taught Soldering charms....The second week Sue taught the "flat Doll" that she made from a pattern from cloth, paper, scissors...    The beautiful flat dolls on the board were Sue's Creations that inspired this  class!  

This week was my week to teach "crowns"!!! We had a great day...and I will have pictures of the crown after out next "Secret meeting"! 

There is a shot of Sue's beautiful Studio...every thing is in its place..Really!!! Also, there is a picture of the sugar scrub that she created (PINK!!!) she made the labels too!! ...WOW!

It was a great day, that ended at Michaels finding new  TREASURES by   "Sculpey"  and Lisa Pavelka products!!!!   YEA!!!

Wendy Froud Workshop

I attended a Wendy Froud Worshop in New York, at the Purple Petals Studio,  this past weekend...WOW!!!  It was a 3 day workshop on creating  a "creature"...I wanted to take a class with Wendy...but i was a little "afraid" of the "creature" thing!   I thought about just doing a pixie or fairy...and I was told Wendy would accomodate that...but then I thought about it.  Get into a new mindset,,,TRY  it!!OPEN a NEW DOOR....So I did and I was amazed at all of the fantastic techniques that I learned from Wendy and Toby!  They are both amazing and giving artists! 

I'm very excited to try again and be a little more "BRAVE"! haha   I worked off of a picture of my child, ugh!! I mean my "cat" moon..  I still have to dress him..The almost completed doll is just "DRAPED" with some fabrics..to try and get an idea for an outfit.

I met so many new friends that are very talented artists..Sherry put the class together and took care of everything, she was great...and I dont think everything would have flowed without her.  

Leapord Girls!

This was a hectic two weeks.  Every time I tried to work on something I had to get out of my shop for rediculous things, like make dinner...or pick up a kid...or SHOP Rite...UGH!

Anyway...I got through my two leapardy dolls.  "GOT THROUH"  means I forced myself.  I loved making their crowns and painting them leapord...they are my favorite crowns to date because I'm so excited about the new painting techniques that I am learning. (I also made Tiny square polymer buttons and painted the "tiniest" leapard print on them...then added a tiny diamond to each one.)  But i sculpted these two faces a couple of months ago...and I think I have changed since then...so I think it was hard to make these two dolls work....They are "nice"  thats about it  Just not WOWed!!! ...haha!  (feeling critical!)

Check out the dolls...Actually, the  little boots i did one step crackle on...I do love how "Vintage Old" they look...I will definately use this technique more.  I guess each new doll...you learn something different!

Now that I completed them...I am excited for the next new faces..that I already have in my head.!  They will be my "SWEETS" dolls...... 

Painting Leopard...being Inspired

Today I had a get together with my friend Lillian Alberti...alias...LILLIANO!  She is a wonderful teacher...now traveling to different places to "do her "LIL BIT of Whimsy"!  So I cherish the time I get to spend with her!  ....I thought I was going to her...but I believe she had "cabin fever" and came by me!!    Then a phone call came in...long story short, my friend Heathie came over too.  We just all worked on our own things.

My "thing" was inspired by Lilliano...who created the most beautiful leapord slippers for her "Princess and the Pea" doll.....I couldnt believe she painted them.  I really wanted to learn that ...because painting is a bit of a struggle for me...and I'm a "Leapord Freak"...I hoard anything Leapord...and now she opened my world up...OK...JUST PAINT IT!!! then , I have FULL CONTROL..I can make anything leapord!  Oh my gosh...THAT IS INSPIRATION!   So I worked hard (taking as many tips from Lilliano as I could)...while we all worked and talked "ART"!! haha   I am very happy with what I accomplished today (i'll keep at it until i get my "perfect" leapord print)...  I have an Idea for a Leapord crown to go with this tiny dolls little leapord pants i made from my painted fabric....so i'll see what happens for this doll!

It was Fantastic to have this "Creative" get together With Lillian...she teaches me that you can " create" anything in your head with what is "on hand"...and I teach her to open the box and find "more stuff" to use!!! haha    

And Heathie is also a BIG inspiration to me...she excells in anything that she tries...she is great with Fabric and needlesculpting...and also with clay..   

Tweener work for the next doll!~

So...I was feeling like I was in the need of trying some already learned and some New techniques. I Want my next doll to incorporate a technique that I have to learn ...and Then I'll apply that technique to the doll.

I Finally got to watch a bunch of DVDs that I ordered!  I really picked up a lot of cool things.  The Four that I really loved were by Beryl Taylor, Ruth Rae,  Tim Holtz, and Angie Scarr.

 

I am only in the beginning stages, right now...I started by creating a bunch of Fabric papers, with muslin, tissue papers, colorful napkins, and some Vintage ephemera that I had.  I coated some old book pages and a part of my handmade papers with 2 part resin...to make this very cool..glass like paper, the book pages actually came out translucent shiny...I want to cut that into  shapes with my sizzix, then add stitches and findings. 

I tried the very cool technique of heating thin pices of polymer with my heat gun...and then using a paper punch to cut designs. I took this a couple steps further...by rolling thin sheets of clay, dusting with perfect pearls,  then texturizing with stamps, some inked ....then baking so that its hard and flexible.  I punched my desings...then used more perfect pearls, rub on colors, paint pens..then glossed them with triple thick...I love the embellishments you can create with this simple cool technique!

I found the best paper punches that also have matching stamps (3 designs)  that snap right onto the punch, so you dont lose them...the stamps really add depth to the clay design...These were Martha Stewart paper punches..WOW!

Tiny Fairy complete....

This tiny fairy is now costumed and complete!  She has organza that was melted into layered flowers on her skirt and pants.  The top part of her skirt was an old shirt of mine that i tea dyed, and her shirt was gold and ivory ..also tea dyed...after I put the outfit together...It  didnt work for me..., so I used a tiny brush and acrylic paint to add the pink to the shirt..., then I made some tiny clay flowers, dusted with perfect pearls...they were glossed and I added pink crystals.  

Her boots were painted that same mauvy pink as the shirt ... adding  ivory polka dots..glossed them and added crystals.   Her tall crown is made of polymer, stamped for design and texture , dusted with perfect pearls ...metal findings and wires for holding gems were added before baking. 

A Tiny Sad Fairy!!

This new fairy is very small...she is a little smaller than the tiny dolls...She turned out kind of sad and she seems to be "longing" for something (hmm ..the accessories may express that)  ...so I'm going with it!!!  I was able to really smooth her parts out nicely sanding with a medium sponge, then sand/smooth with my micro sanding cloths at 400, 600 and 1200 grit (i am now selling them on ebay )!

 Her Hair is natural lama hair ..not Dyed, its very soft and wispy..   

I have put together some vintage Fabrics. and i found this weirdo fur scarf at a flea market last summer...maybe it will be the collar of her dress..... I will costume her over the weekend. 

 I want to paint pink/mauvey boots with tiny polka dots...i'll see what happens!!  I'm thinking the Amber wings are going to go better with this  idea now....
The wings i have with her...are too sparkly for this  sullen fairy

News Board : February, 2010 - Art Is...You - The East Coast Art Retreat

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News Board : February, 2010 - Art Is...You - The East Coast Art Retreat