Art Dolls - Funky, Fun, Artsy but Easy

Art Dolls – Funky, Fun, Artsy but Easy!
Design by Barbara McGuire

Materials and Tools:

Premo! Sculpey in color of choice (we frequently use Pearl 5101 or Translucent 5310; Black 5042 works great with Interference colors of Pearl-Ex.)
Excel Craft Knife
Pearl-Ex Powders
Pearl-Ex Stamp Pads (use as a paint with dry brush or sponge applicator)
Lumiere acrylic paints (use with dry brush)
Sculpey Texture Sheets (Available May 1, 2004; You may also use Colorbox Mini Molding Mats)
APM34 Art Doll Faces Pushmold
PE4061 Art Doll Template
ATLS02 Translucent Liquid Sculpey

Directions:

Roll clay (with brayer or pasta machine) into sheets of roughly 1/8” thickness.
Fold Sheet in half, smoothing so there is no air trapped in between.
Lay template piece on top of clay as a cutting guide. Using minimal pressure, follow the outline of the shape and cut completely out.

(Note: You may also cut around the negative within the body of the template if you prefer. )
Select a texture sheet. Spritz sheet with a mist of water and lay on top of art doll. Press with fingers firmly.

Holding the bottom of the rubber to keep strip in place, peel back strip to be certain you have created sufficient texture. Re-apply pressure if necessary.
To avoid sharp edges, bevel borders of art doll with fingers, distorting if desired. You may also “thump” with a bone folder or an acrylic brayer to create a pleasing look.
Using the Art Doll Faces Push Mold, mold a face of the size and style you desire. (Note: For this class, we have pre-baked the faces for you. In order to bond baked clay to raw clay, brush the back of the face with a little Translucent Liquid Sculpey.

This product acts as a superior glue when baked. Press face onto art doll body.
Using a soft brush dipped lightly into Pearl-Ex powder, brush color(s) of choice onto body. Please note that your first color of Pearl-Ex will act as a “resist” to additional colors, so don’t cover the entire body initially if you want more than one color.

Note also that the Pearl-Ex won’t bond to the baked face. (Note: We will show you additional treatments while the projects are baking.)
Bake dolls in a calibrated oven (use an oven thermometer to determine actual temperature as opposed to the reading on the dial) at 275 degrees F for 30 minutes. Bake on index cards. Cards may be stacked several high as long as they do not get too close to the heating elements.
Finished dolls may be further embellished with fiber, used in mixed media art pieces, and as jewelry. If a pendant look is desired, there are several methods to create a necklace slide on the back, or a jewelry finding may be inserted prior to baking. To create a lasting bond for a metal finding, remove it after baking, coat with Super Glue Gel, and re-insert into the pierced hole.