Little Boots is so anxious to come "alive" that he started his story before I even have him finished sculpted.

His adventure was the free Halloween story that was sent out in my email newsletter last week.

​ This spun cotton technique has been interesting to play with though it is very time consuming.   It is a lot of cotton wool and glue being added layer-by-layer and a lot of time letting those layers dry before moving on.  

I want Nutmegg’s toe to be sticking out his travel worn shoes by the time I am done.  Even that is taking layering of paint as I apply the first layer on his toe.

Then it is moving on to the shoes and hopefully getting a natural look still for the toe.  But it is all part of the process that goes into the creation of a one-of-a-kind special unique character *smiling*. 

​Testing, testing, testing. As an artist I like to challenge myself with new techniques. But if you think they'll turn out right the first time...😂😂😂 I have a bridge I can sell you.

I am trying out my new technique for making some shoes/feet for Nutmegg. So far it has been alot of work, but if I get the results I want, it will be worth it. 😉

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​While Nutmegg is in the kiln getting vitrified, I am working on another project. This month's challenge with the International Art Doll Registry doll group was to sculpt a pouty face.

This is what happens when a doll head is stuck in a mold.  It means that when I clayed up the head there were some undercuts that I hadn’t seen. 

​Undercuts are indentations in a piece of clay that can be deep grooves as they were in this face.  They then make the mold have a bulge that then wants to hold on to the head for example.  If I can’t wiggle the head around the bulge, it breaks.  

​My solution is then I have to carve the bulge away in the plaster without destroying what I sculpted.  In this case it took four times of pouring and finding out where he was sticking to finally get Nutmegg delivered into the world *smiling. 

Al has been patiently waiting for me to return to him after finishing up on a competition piece.  You know the Chippendales dancers (yes, dating myself) *lol  and no there will be no shedding of clothes but I am looking on have some fun with my Spicey characters. 
 
Al (short for Allspice) which will be my first character and he will be shortly revealing more about himself once get past drying out of the mold stage.  What an interesting life my characters have *lol.