Learning from Photographs

When I see photos of my work I somehow see the work differently.  Its a fresh perspective that sometimes is helpful.  This happened recently when I had a series of shadow boxes photographed.  I liked the contents but the boxes looked shabby.  So shabby that I cropped away the boxes from the photos. 

 Yesterday I built a new shadowbox to accommodate this work. There are a lot of decisions left about how to finish the piece.  But my gut tells me it is much improved. 

The most challenging thing about making this box was becoming reacquired with using a router.  There were  several routers that I could have worked with but I choose the one that was most familiar to me.  It's been over a decade since I used a router.  It was scarey.  I had to finish building the router table.  I had to remember how to use the jigs.  I had to change a bit that hadn't been changed in years.  But I did all that and it feels good.  Now I'm ready to try the other routers. 

In other parts of the shop Beth Rogers oiled the pieces of her lovingly made trestle table.

Elaine Fuller painted some details on the tale that I made a few weeks ago.  

Portfolio

Tom Henkel took photos of the dolls I am currently making.  It took a while to get the images from him but they have finally arrived. The first two characters are from a series of busts made from lamp parts and traditional doll making techniques. 

The girl on the scooter is the same scale and is about three feet tall.

Assemblage Doll

I have finally finished the assemblage doll I began at the AFIC doll making conference in April.  The project began with the discovery of an old tool box in my attic.  It was signed by my great grandfather George Eckel. He survived a harrowing ocean crossing and shipwreck during his first year of life (1832).  He was a tin smith in the family tradition.  I wanted to do something to honor him and the Eckel history of making objects. 

Tool box after the clean up.

Sketch for the project

Torso in progress

I liked the instructor Susie McMahon.  She taught techniques for using paper clay & let us follow our muses.

Finished project.

Saturday at AFIC

Yesterday was busy with doll making and evening activities.  I was trying to max creative time and didn't get everything else done.   Here are photos from the doll exhibit.    If you can identify any of the artists that are unnamed I will update to give credit where it is due. 

Making the mannequin in Stephen Rausch's class.

Jody Miller's doll: I Have All the Time in the World.

Beautifully beaded doll on an interesting shape.  Dayton Doll Club?

This artist did a terrific job of giving context to her doll. 

Susie McMahon's doll.

Linda Apple won first place in original design with this doll.  She does a great job of presenting a strong profile and interesting details.  Note the position of the foot on the base.  This adds to the sense of action.

Nancy Forsythe's "Look Ma No Doll stand.

Jody Miller's doll flying a kite.

This is the best I can do with dial up quality internet service.  Edited May 3, 2011 to add captions.

Getting Ready for a Doll Makers Conference

On Thursday Joyce Compton & I are driving to Columbus, Ohio to attend the Artistic Figures in Cloth conference.  It's a well organized opportunity to spend time with kindred spirits.  Chris Fondi was going to go with us but she will be staying home to greet a new grandson.

Cyndy Sieving is the driving force behind this biennial event.  http://www.cyndysdolls.com/redirector.htm

I'm taking a class with Susie McMahon, who is an excellent doll maker from Tasmania.  http://www.susiemcmahondolls.blogspot.com/ I chose her class because it is primarily an open studio.  These days I'm not interested in making dolls from patterns.  Susie will be teaching a sculpting technique using paper clay. That will be fun.

Susie asked us to come to class with a concept of what we want to make. My concept is to make this old tool box into a small wall hung cabinet. 

This metal chest was made by my great, great grandfather George Eckel.  He emigrated from Alsace in 1832. 

She asked us to do some sketches.  I rarely do this for dolls, but did this time.  It will be interesting to see if the finished product resembles the sketches.

2 sketches of my "concept".

There is also a doll making challenge at this conference.  The challenge is to make a free standing doll that is at least 50% cloth.  The only dimensional restriction is that the base must fit in an 8"X8" square.  Leafkicker's almost done and I had time to take a few photos today.  I like the personality that emerged!  He doesn't need a doll stand because he has heavy feet. 

The ax heads give him a very low center of gravity.

Leafkicker gets some Personality

Leafkicker has a past.  He began as a challenge from two friends to make a doll from a couple axes.  (Not sure why I had axes laying around in my basement.)  It's taken a while to figure him out.  His trunk armature is made from 2x4s.  The trunk surface is basket woven cloth.  The arms are aluminum armature wire with very long tubes of fabric scrunched onto them.  Leafkicker has had proportion problems.  This is his third head and second set of hands.  Enough already, I want to get on to sculpting the head and putting some hair on that head!  I'm really enjoying the emerging "know it all" personality.  I will force him to wash his feet before he goes out into public.

New Assemblage Doll

The Temperature Clown is the first in a series of clowns made from objects that measure things.  

Dark Elf Doll

This doll is a submission to Doll Streets Project Runway.  The challenge was to make a evil dark elf in the court of the dark queen.  Faeries and elves are not my thing so I turned to the Dungeons and Dragon kids in my life for advice.  The rules of the challenge prohibit faces.  That's why the face is blank.  I'll add a face when the contest is over.

The doll has several found objects incorporated into the design.  The hair is made from Japanese toothpicks and sewing pins.  The staff that the elf is holding is an old lace bobbin.