The Making of a Papier Mache Shoulderhead

I love old papier mache dolls. They are magical to me.
So I've set out to make a papier mache inspired doll.

I used the free template pattern that I've offered before to begin this doll. I made the basic doll shape, and then added paperclay over the head and shoulders in stages. She was supposed to be an Izzy, but I decided to do a doll inspired by an early papier mache doll instead. I have given her molded hair which was made using a serrated Halloween pumpkin carving tool.

After I did 5 layers of clay additions
to her the head it seemed
way out of proportion to the body.

And her body got a little toasted
on the bottom while it was in the oven
hardening the paperclay. What to do?

I had the bright idea to cut the clay part off the body so that you would get a shoulder head. I took the stuffing from the inside and it is very much like a an old mache shoulderhead. :-)

Now I can make an appropriately sized and shaped body for her.