Free Clipart from Clipartheaven
If you think you don't know how to make dolls, well, I'm telling you right here and now, you do.
Aside from there being countless numbers of books and other excellent resources for you to turn to for step-by-step instructions, you also have the best intuitive teacher out there.
YOU.
That two and three year old baby inside of you. You knew how to draw then. You didn't know any different. You followed your own process, giving freely of yourself...exploring the blank pages and walls and...in my case, the washing machine with your crayons. Within those baby scribbles are images into other worlds just waiting to be brought out into 3-dimensional form.
Get back to your roots and try this method again. This is my all time favorite method I use regulary and "developed" myself years ago to break out of blocks and self-imposed blocks I ridiculously placed on myself.
I use the biggest sketch pad I can find in the art and craft store. The really HUUUGGGGE ones and place it on the floor.
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Free clipart from Findfreegraphics
I get down and with my eyes closed, I start scribbling all over the page in wide circles and lines...all over, to the very edges. Work that arm. Sweeeep across the page. Circles and turns and dives with whatever writing instrument I feel like using. I stop when it FEELS right. This process usually takes a couple of minutes. No sharpies at this point. DON'T PEEK NOW while you're doing this!
When you're done, open your eyes. Stand up straight and look down. Do you see any images that pop out at you?
Walk to the other side. Look down at what you did. Do you see anything popping out at you from this side?
Do the same for the next 2 sides.
Take the images that pop out at you the strongest and with a really big black thick Sharpie marker, outline the images that call to you.
More than one image will most likely overlap with others. When this happens, I get a piece of copy paper and trace over it. Sometimes, I may have to tape several sheets together if the image is large.
You may also want to use different colored thick Sharpie makers to trace out the different images to keep them separated so you can distinguish between them.
Then, cut everything out.
Now the fun begins. Yes, the fun!
Free Clipart from clker
Take a big black button. Use this as an eye. Place it on different parts of the images you cut out to see where you want the face is. You'd be surprised at where a face can show up. I once put an eye where I thought the butt to be but it worked great as a face instead!
Once you have your head or heady/body, start playing with the other pieces to see what could be arms and legs, or just a big hand or oddly shaped foot.
Don't forget to label the sections what they are so you won't forget afterwards, Believe me, they won't look like anything when you first trace and cut them out. But its the placement of the eye and playing with the pieces when everything comes together.
Okay, now you have your pattern pieces. Get your fabric. Any kind and sew your doll together. If you don't like the fabric, don't worry about it. Use gesso to cover it up and repaint it whatever color you like.
You can use a glue gun (if gessoed) or fabric glue to add other pieces of fabric to it. Wrap trim and fibers and colorful yarn around it, adhering it along the way. Add beads, faux flowers, leaves, anything you want etc.
Voila! You have your very own designed art doll. And it WILL be grand! Trust me. Trust the process. Keep going until it is finished, even if you think it looks like a mess. Its what you do with it once its sewn together, the embellishing that pulls it together!
If you try this, share you photos with us!
