This is a project I'm currently working on, which is making my own BJD from scratch!
I chose to make a goblin because I thought it would be fun, but also because being a fantasy creature the proportions wouldn't be quite as crucial as attempting something like the beautifully figurative BJD girls and boys for my first attempt.
So, I've been using LaDoll Premix to do the sculpting and following Ryo Yoshida's BJD Making guidebook as well as various websites I've come across on my searches for BJD making info.
Below are photos of progressive stages of the process:
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| Head front |
This is moulded around a polystyrene ball I got from an art shop. I carved it before layering the paperclay over the top of it. This still needs some work in terms of sanding and refining but you can see the idea!
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| Head side |
The ears I made separately and allowed them to dry before fixing them to the side of the head. I marked the positions of the ears on each side of the head and then drilled a small hole all the way through to make sure they would be even. I had pushed a small rod of wood (trimmed down toothpick) into each sculpted ear before they were dry so that this could be 'plugged' into the drilled hole and so give extra support when fixing the ear to the head.
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| Head side |
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| Torso front |
This is the torso which like the head, and in fact all the other pieces is moulded around a polystyrene base I had carved before-hand (using a serrated knife and rasp - very messy!). I gave him a pot belly, which I thought would give him a bit of character.
Again at this stage there is plenty of sanding and refining to do, but you can see the basic shapes and get a rough idea of where it's going.
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| Torso rear |
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| Torso side |
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| Legs front |
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| Legs sides |
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| Legs rear |
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Feet
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| Hands, arms, and legs drying out (toothpicks used to stick into the polystyrene) |
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| Marking out the knee joint |
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| Knee joints cut out |
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| Knne joint cut out |
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| Filing through middle to remove polystyrene and smooth edges |
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| Round ball sculpted into knee joint. Wooden bead moulded around ankle (which will be removed) to create a socket so that it will fit the feet ball joints |
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| Wooden beads moulded into feet for ball joints |
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| Small hole drilled into wooden bead |
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| Small hole drilled into wooden bead |
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| Sawing a slit into the wooden bead |
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| Sanding the slit in the wooden bead |
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| A small piece of straight wire (I used a bit of a paperclip!) placed through the drilled hole |
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| Small piece of wire trimmed down so that it sits neatly inside the wooden bead |
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| Hole filled in to prevent the piece of wire from falling out |
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| Small wire hooks (again - paperclips bent into shape using round-nosed pliers). Hooks made at both ends and then one end hooked onto the wire rod in the bead. |
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| Here's the partly bent paperclip |
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| Here I've marked a line down the knee ball joint and drilled some holes. I will then saw along these then sand to make a smooth slit as this is where the elastic will be fed through. |
And that's as far as I'm up to so far! Got lots of sanding to do so I won't be posting that, heehee not so exciting :p. I will update once I get to the more interesting stuff like threading the elastic etc.
Back soon!
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It's been a long old while since I last posted anything, but you know how it is ;)
But that doesn't mean I haven't been busy!
In fact, I finally finished my little handmade ball jointed goblin. Take a look!
Unfortunately these were taken on my old camera so they're not the most brilliant photos, but I just wanted to get a couple of snaps up. And I was chuffed that I finally finished him!
I followed the Ryo Yoshida method, using LaDoll Premix. Once I'd done a lot of sanding I applied a waterproofing agent to seal the paper clay and then painted in acrylic on top. The body blushing was done using pastels and then all the pieces were sprayed using a Matt Varnish. Then all was strung together using elastic and Voila! - a cheeky, lil green gobbo is born.
Now all he needs is a sweet little outfit.
He is going to be a little friend for my DollZone Kimi.
