Art Doll Medicine Man

I have been so busy working on new dolls that I haven't taken the time to do anything for this blog. So here is a previously written one about one of the dolls I made a few years ago.  I will be sharing more on doll making in the upcoming posts. I realized I could photograph and share how I have been making the dolls.

If you like dolls, especially unique dolls, check out Art Doll Magazine. I saw one for the first time in 2005 while living in New Mexico. That pushed me to make some dolls.

This particular doll was one of the first few that I made. (made in 2005) His head and hands are sculpted in polymer clay. It took over a week to sculpt them before I baked them. I wanted a face that was older, experienced. And the hands had to also show the age.

I started with a ball of foil taped to a piece of wooden dowel. I layered the clay until it was the right shape, then sculpted, and refined. The hands were sculpted over wire.

I used bailing wire, from the hardware store, as the frame for the body. This was glued into the head once it was baked. The hands were wired to the frame as well.

The body was them covered with strips of quilt batting and wrapped with strips of muslin. Each layer was stitched to keep it from shifting once the doll was completed.

His clothes were a problem. I couldn’t find any leather in the fabric shop that was right.

Of course, I lived in Silver City. A town two hours from any kind of real shopping. We had to drive to Las Cruces to go to a book store, or a computer store. (Then we moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. What a difference!!!)

Anyway, I finally went to WalMart, in the auto section. I found the soft leather chamois in the car washing section. It was perfect. But it took two packages to make the clothes. Each piece was hand sewn and beaded.

The cape is made from a rabbit fur. It was beaded and the feathers were sewn or glued in between the beads. The moccasins also have rabbit fur around the tops.

The mohair hair is glued on. I made holes in the polymer clay head before baking so the glue would go in and hold better. The necklace is real turquoise beads with black glass seed beads in between.

He also carries a medicine bags with stones and other special items.

The Medicine Man stands approximately 13 inches tall.

I think I spent over a month making this doll.

I realize this may not be the type of project everyone will want to try. But I do recommend trying things that are outside your comfort zone and new to you. Stretching your abilities is a great way to inspire you in your everyday projects and it’s fun.

This can be messy too. I had fabric, paint, clay and beads everywhere for weeks. My little section of the couch was covered and no one could sit there but me. (by the lamp because I worked every night till bedtime)

I hope you try something new this week. Even something messy. Have fun with it.

Til next time. ☺

Terri