Cornstarch clay doll head

by Noreen on April 24th, 2008

When I was making the little cornstarch clay worry doll,

I just had to sculpt this doll head FIRST, before I could clear my thoughts about the tiny doll:

I’ve been looking at the doll head/mask for a few weeks now, wondering how to paint it.

Well, I have decided to weave a doll on my Journey Loom

and this is the perfect face for her. I had a feeling that I wanted her face to look like it was carved from turquoise.

So, I got out my paints yesterday and started painting.

I had already painted a few coats of gesso on her, so I painted a few coats of various shades of blues and turquoises on her:

and then a few coats of greys and blacks:

and then some coppers and golds

and then layers of varnish:

The expression shifts with the angle and the light. I really like her, but Jim gets the shudders. He finds her just too fretful looking.

I am pleased with her. She speaks to me. I have a sense of where I want to go with weaving her body, but that will probably go in unexpected places.

These things always do.

I spun some yarn to weave her. The pics are in my next posting.

Tags: carving doll heads, cornstarch clay Worry Doll, designing dolls, dollmaking, dolls, handspun yarn, how to make worry dolls, how to make a cornstarch clay worry doll, Journey Loom, mask, spool knitting, spool knitting tutorial, worry, worry dolls

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Journey Loom-1
Apr 24, 2008 at 9:51 pm

[…] posted pics of the doll head […]
Spinning yarn to weave a doll
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:14 pm

[…] I’ve finished sculpting the head: […]
Artsy blogging round-up
Apr 25, 2008 at 7:09 am

[…] Cornstarch clay- can it look like turquoise? Noreen Crone-Findlay is working on a new doll. She’s spun the yarn to weave the body, and sculpted the head from cornstarch clay. She painted it to look like carved turquoise. […]
Artsy bloggers roundup April 25-2008
Apr 25, 2008 at 9:53 am

[…] Cornstarch clay- can it look like turquoise? Noreen Crone-Findlay is working on a new doll. She’s spun the yarn to weave the body, and sculpted the head from cornstarch clay. She painted it to look like carved turquoise. […]
Eileen
Apr 25, 2008 at 1:57 pm

Wow! About midway through it looks just like turquoise; but by the end it looks like ages copper with a beautiful patina.

She does look very fretful by the end. The shadowing really intensifies the effect.

Cornstarch clay - who would have thought?
Noreen
Apr 25, 2008 at 2:44 pm

Hi Eileen
I can feel another one of these dolls calling! LOL! I have some of the clay still in the fridge…. may have to listen to it beckoning to me…..
:o)
The Arts Bloggers Share Again at Quilting & Patchwork & More
Apr 25, 2008 at 2:46 pm

[…] as well as on other blogs. Check out their offerings, find some news ideas and inspiration. Cornstarch clay- can it look like turquoise? Noreen Crone-Findlay, of Hankering for Yarn, ask this question as she works on a new doll. […]
Art Blog Explorations
Apr 25, 2008 at 3:29 pm

[…] Cornstarch clay- can it look like turquoise? Noreen Crone-Findlay is working on a new doll. She’s spun the yarn to weave the body, and sculpted the head from cornstarch clay. She painted it to look like carved turquoise. […]
Peggy
Apr 25, 2008 at 3:37 pm

If I keep reading this blog, you’ll have me trying to make worry dolls. : )
Noreen
Apr 25, 2008 at 3:43 pm

ROTFLOL!
Then I will have done my job! :o)
Thanks, Peggy!
Artsy Bloggers Round-up #9
Apr 26, 2008 at 2:16 am

[…] Noreen asks Cornstarch clay- can it look like turquoise? […]
So-Artsy Links from Lifestyles Channel and Beyond
Apr 26, 2008 at 8:03 am

[…] Cornstarch clay- can it look like turquoise? Noreen Crone-Findlay is working on a new doll. She’s spun the yarn to weave the body, and sculpted the head from cornstarch clay. She painted it to look like carved turquoise. […]
Artsy bloggers roundup
Apr 26, 2008 at 9:48 am

[…] Cornstarch clay- can it look like turquoise? Noreen Crone-Findlay is working on a new doll. She’s spun the yarn to weave the body, and sculpted the head from cornstarch clay. She painted it to look like carved turquoise. […]
Woven “Earth Listener” Angel Doll
Apr 30, 2008 at 3:33 pm

[…] I blogged about spinning the yarn for her, and making her head […]

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