DeGaray Dolls

For Head #2 I wanted to try something a little different. So I decided to base this head on a cat-like humanoid. This is inspired by a race called the "Cathar" in the massively multiplayer online game "Star Wars - The Old Republic" (or SWTOR) which I had been playing recently. I thought they looked cool and quite fierce, and I wanted to achieve that look on this head with tiger-like stripes and colours. She's not yet finished as I have some more blushing to do and the eyes need to be properly painted.  But once I have done that some better pictures will follow! Also, I've replaced the Citadel Purity Seal I was using with Humbrol Acrylic Varnish, and I instantly loved it. The finish is more matt, the spray button much easier to press and because the can is smaller, you have much better control.  I think the consistency is less sticky too, so it's a thumbs up from me for Humbrol Acrylic Varnish! (Especially when you can...

Head sculpt #1 is complete, only 49 to go!  She's turned out reasonably well for a first proper attempt with these materials and this scale.  But onwards and upwards, after all practice makes perfect! Head #2 WIP photos will follow...

It's been a rather long time since my last post! A variety of life events swinging like a pendulum between good, bad, ugly and good again pulled me away from my creativity for a while and I even fell out of love with dolls for a time. For some reason I judged them, or rather myself, as being childish, 'not proper art' - whatever that means. But I've come back, and I feel more at home and content in myself for having done so. So without further waffle, here's what I'm currently working on. I've set myself a challenge to work only on heads until I reach about 50 heads. The point is that practice makes perfect as everyone knows, so I'm working on that. I found that when I tried to make a whole ball-jointed doll from scratch, it was quite challenging! Although I’d done a bit of sculpting on my degree, I’d never done anything jointed, where parts are so dependent on each other. I found myself spending so much time sanding or shaving down, the...

Hi there! Here's what I'm currently working on -  my first human ball-jointed doll! Ok, it's a work in progress so I know the proportions look a little off at the moment, but hopefully that'll improve as I work on her... And I can say as a novice - it's tricky work and is requiring a lot of patience! But great fun and a good learning curve ;-) The photo isn't brilliant as my camera has a somewhat over-powered flash, so unfortunately you can see every flaw... but I'm getting somewhere slowly but surely.  As you can see I've yet to do the hands and I intend to make double-jointed knees and a torso-joint under the rib cage. I was considering a hip joint too, but I think with this being my first attempt at making a human figure I'll skip that this time. That, and I'm getting impatient! ;-)  I also still need to do the ankle joints of course.  I'm using Apoxie Sculpt clay which I love, as you can sand it, carve it, p...

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! On my Doll Making page you can see the beginnings of the process, which 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 new BJD - DollZone Kimi - who I got fo...