Clay Over Cloth Doll Progress

Start with a cloth body and
put a layer of clay
all over the head and shoulders...

Sculpting is a personal thing. I'm not sure if sculpting can be taught, but it can be learned. Most artistic techniques are learned by doing. Sure, sometimes there's a formula involved. But it only works when the "forumula" becomes a tool you use to express what you want. In developing the Izannah pattern, I am trying to figure out how to teach sculpting a head into a pattern. So I've been making lots of heads and bodies, and adding clay to some, trying to figure out how I do the clay over cloth. So I've been trying to take pictures at different points during the sculpting process, like when I add a big ol' lump to the back of the head. Now I see why people sell press molds or clay faces to add onto cloth dolls.



Now at this point there are things that need to be sanded down, and places clay needs to be added. In order to see these things, pictures are very helpful. Take one from the chin looking over the face....

And from the forehead looking down the face....
I see that the whole face is a bit off to one side.

And the profile of each side...

I got too detailed too soon and didn't check this enough, I think. If I am using this picture as an inspiration the nose/cheek area needs to be built up quite a bit. Actually the whole face could use another 1/4" to 1/2" of clay. So far I am into one small package of paperclay. Time to open another. :-)

original antique
Izannah Walker doll

My doll in progress...