Merry winter holidays!

2010 is finishing

Onyx – my black precious stone.

Onyx is my last doll for 2010.

It’s been a wonderful and very productive year. I have achieved many goals and discovered many wonderful things.

Thank you so much, everyone, for being with me whole this year, for your support and precious coments on my photos.

Hugs to all!

Dorote

Dirvolira

Hello my dear friends and patient followers!

I know sometimes I am very slow and I am not updating my blog as often as I should. But here is reason for that – I have finally finished my little ball jointed girl

So here she goes – Dirvolira – the goddess of fields and farmsteads.

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The doll is made from wooden sculpting clay, which has all qualities of wood.

This girl is 29 cm tall.

She has 20 articulation points. Her elbows and knees are double-jointed.

I gave this doll and ancient look. I preserved the rough surface of the modeling clay and its natural color. I wished her to look as an antique drawing, so I used pastels, pencil and eraser to make shades on her body. If you examine her pictures carefully, you will see delicate pencil strokes around her eyes. All her body is decorated with ornaments of flowers, which are also repeated on her costume. After shading and drawings were made, I have sealed the doll with several layers of acrylic warmish which gives a strong and scratch resistant surface.

The hair of this doll is made from natural wool and it is permanently attached to her head. It can be stilled very carefully, but as those of you, who have such a hair, know – stilling curls is not a simple task and they look best left as they are. :)

The doll is wearing flax corset, natural silk bloomers and skirt and medieval stile slippers. The corset has metal hooks on the back and can be laced easily. I have embroidered her clothes and shoes with natural silk and metal beads. The doll will also come with a metal crown which was made by me from materials made for jewelry crafting.

 Littleone is already listed on my Etsy The link is here

A couple more of lovely details which I am adding to this little girl – a special stand to keep her safe while displayed and a wooden box which is hand painted by me and will help her to travel safely.

Joan and Angel

Let me present to you Joan d' Arc and Angel - two new dolls who didn't let me sleep untill I make them :

Joan was inspired by true historical figure. I had to make a research on medieval armor and costumes in general to be able to create her costume. The costume is decorated with metal and glass beads and chains.


Angel was another challenge, as I have never made wings before. I've got an idea of making wings while I was working on Titania (one of my previews dolls). I am very glad that the new technique worked just perfectly, because I was much against using natural feather because of it's ageing, and because I prefer not to harm animals.

And here is a rare picture of my two Ribbon Jointed Dolls together, as I actually never have a chance to take such pictures, because there is usually no more than one RJD at my home.

The two girls are listed on MY ETSY

hugs to all!

your Dorote

Anne

And here we go – my version of Anne is ready! I am absolutely happy with how she came out, and I like her collar. I made her extremely long neck, because I wanted it to show up from the wide collar. I must say also that I am very pleased that she has found new home already. Congratulations Jayne! ;)

Anne Boleyn

I am working right now on Anne, the doll inspired by Anne Bloeyn. Here is my favorite portrait of her...wondering if I will manage to make such an impressive collar...

picture taken from wikipedia.org

Eve

We all have a cliché in our mind when it comes about baroque stile clothes and wigs – the ladies must have pale white skin, pink cheeks and a black mole. There is nothing wrong with that image, but I was always curious how the African woman would look like in all those fancy outfits. I have to admit, that I like a lot the way this doll has come out.

More pictures on my FLICKR

Eve is a unique Art Doll made from air-dry clays, painted with acrylic paint. She is wearing a hand made dress from manually dyed and embroidered fabrics. The fabric is very soft and nice to touch.

news from the studio ;)

yes! two more girls will show up soon ;)

One more lady from the court

Good morning or afternoon, or good night to all my friends who are reading this blog!
I am continuing creating dolls from my “Court series”. Today I am here to present Gabrielle Yolande Claude-Martine de Polastron, duchesse de Polignac.

The real duchesse de Polignac was known for her beauty and communicability. She was in the center of palace intrigues and had complete trust of Marie Antoinette.

more of her pictures on MY FLICK

a report from 3 last weeks :)

You must be thinking that I've got lazy as I do not post any new dollies for some time already...

It’s all because I was busy with teaching on weekends, and planning lessons during the weeks. :)
So here we go:
7 doll makers
a bit of vise guidance
3 busy weekends
some work during a week
and here we have a bunch of absolutely fantastic dollies rocking on my kitchen table!

A picture taken by my dear friend Vilma from http://pavonijadeco.blogspot.com/

This was the last doll making course this year, as from now on I will be working on finishing my long-term and shor-term projects. And a lot of new girlls will show up soon.

with love

Dorote

coming soon

I know I know - I've promissed to make more ribbon jointed dolls, and more BJD dollies and I am not coming with anything... well it s just becouse I am working 12 hours a day on some dolls at once and hopefuly I can show you some results soon :)
Meanwhile here is a sneak-peak from my studio - a new tiny bjd ;)

What is your name?

in my store

Ball jointed girls

Oh it took me for ever, but today I am celebrating as she is officially completed :)
When I was little girl, my grandma had “Bleeding hearts” in her garden. I remember myself never stopping admiring the perfection of the shape of these blossoms. I was imagining that they are small tiny princesses and I loved playing with them…

more of her pictures can be found on my flickr

And here is a sneak peak at my other BJD which will be hopefully finished soon.

Snow

Snow is a white rat. He is very inteligent and hansome :))

the white cat wants to be adopted

Mitsey has made her way to Etsy :)

A LINK IS HERE

while resting

I have desided to have some rest from dolls yesterday evening and... spent my time drawing :))

Busy day

What a busy day - packing goodies for my dear buyers and running to the post office;
relisting a couple of my early dolls and working intensely on 2…no… 3…no.. 4 new ones!
I feel myself like a rabbit from the wonderland – so in hurry and so late!

hugs to everyone!

CHECK MY ETSY

Hands for Kim

Dear Kim, you have asked me about the hands of Empress, so here they go :)
I was trying to make the golden nail jewlery which was weared by empresses in those times.

My Empress

Some weeks ago I was working on an Asian face and was thinking “who could she become”. And what a lucky coincidence – that in that time I also met Linda. We were chatting about dolls, and queens and she told me “if you ever turn your eyes to east, there was such an empress there…” And this is how Wu Zetian was born.

The story of real Wu Zetian is just magnificent – being 14 she became a concubine of an old Emperor and because of her talents and education she has gained his favor fast. After the death of emperor it seamed that she has not hope for better life anymore, but she managed to charm the new emperor and to gain his favor too. Her path to power wasn’t without sin… well let’s say she was forced to remove some obstacles… But when she became the empress – the one and only empress China ever had – she ruled wise and the country lived renaissance.

Mary - just listed

...poor poor Mary...
Since her birth she was a toy in hands of men of power.
No one really loved her, but everyone wanted to use her in purpose to reach power and money.
Her life and her death were used by politicians to reach their goals.
Being born in a royal family became the worst curse for this girl...

more of her pictures you can find ON MY FLICKR
45 cm (23 sitting)
3 different air-dry clays to balance her weight
metal armature to keep her strong
acrylic paint
hand dyed fabrics
hand embroidery
glass beads
hand dyed wool fiber wig

I have put a lot of energy into this dolly, but when I look at her, I feel every minute was worth it :)

P.S. I JUST HAVE LISTED HER ON ETSY

Hot news from the workshop

I was working/playing with my interpretation of Mary and suddenly the sunlight touched her face. I couldn't resist taking a picture :)

Almost whole day I was dyeing fabrics for her costume I am also going to embroider it by hands. Oh I'm so excited to see her finished! :)

Zuri is seeking for home

The news of the day: Elizabeth has left to new home, Zuri is listed on Etsy.  CLICK

I have been making a research of royal families yesterday – my new target is Mary Stuart :)

..The piano keys are black and white, but they sound like a million colors in our mind…

These letters from Katie Melua song are coming to my mind when I am looking and my last two dolls.

Zuri – a beautiful African girl and Elizabeth – the queen of England. Both are beautiful in their own way.

More photos in my flickr

one more creature

Let me introduce Her Highness :)

Marie Antoinette

Good day to everyone!

May sun shines for those who miss it, and the rain rains for those who need it!

I’m presenting one of my last dolls in my blog today. (Some of you may have seen her in other virtual spaces). The dolly is an interpretation of Marie Antoinette, the queen who has never died, who will be always remembered because of her beauty and glamour, of her huge hairdressers and costumes and who will live for ever in works of artists of all times.

At the moment, Marie is listed in my my Etsy store

The times of Unicorns - I'm drawing again

I’ve been always in love with a fantasy world. Nature, magic and all the fantastic creatures living there… I could keep exploring it for ever.

“The times of Unicorns” will be the series of drawings which I’ve started not so long ago. Maybe one day it will turn into a story book, or into dolls or into something else… Meanwhile I have a head full of characters who are desperate to get out from there :-D

Titania

It was realy hot these last days. First of all becouse of the weather, and second - becouse I was finishing a project, which took me a loooong time to make.

Here she goes - Titania, 50 cm, air-dry clay, lots of organza, silk an beads.

Summer inspiration

Good day everyone! Look at this fabulous bouquet I have gathered while walking my dog this morning.
I just never stop getting surprised, how perfectly colors and forms fit with each other in nature. We have this unbelievable wild feel almost in the middle of the city. It is sinking in flowers now and it makes a cosy home for bees and partridges. Oh I hope noone will ever built anything there.

Titania - coming soon

This is one of two dolls, which will be exhibited in Moscow this autumn. The project is called “We are playing Shakespeare”. Oh time is running…I need to hurry!

November Morning

The girl whom I’ve called “November Morning” is finished.

I know I know, it is summer, the trees are green and birds are singing and flowers are blooming… But I just couldn’t resist making this girl. She was living in my head for a while and the doll making classes were a good opportunity to start her.
She is around 55 cm tall. Her head, hands and legs are sculpted from paperclay. Her dress is made from flax and cotton fabrics. I’ve painted her with acrylic and oil paints and she has 5 ravens living on her hair dress :)

I am absolutely happy about how she came out. I’d could keep looking at her and meditating for hours :) How ever I’ve decided to sell her, so I’m starting seeking for loving owners for her.

What’s new in my workshop?

The summer is gaining speed, and I am gaining speed too :)

Today I am working on four different projects and additionally trying to keep the fifth one going on :)

Some of you might have seen some of them in my flickr gallery, while others are completely new ideas coming to live.

The Bird lady is moving forward (still don’t have new pictures from her, so this is the older one. She is fully painted at the moment and I’m working on her hair dress.

The ball jointed doll has got some color, now I am trying to make a fancy costume for her.

I have started a new girl while giving the doll making lessons, and finishing her now.

And another project ( I still have no pictures of it) Titania from “Midsummer Night's Dream” by William Shakespeare. I usualy do not make dolls by already existing characters, but this time it will ba an exeption, as I am participating in a project organized by Russian doll artist and called „playing Shakespeare“.

Summer has arrived!

Hello everyone! We have a wonderful summerish weather, so I thought I will share it with all of you :)
And here is a photo of Elfy and Bruno enjoying the sunny day :)

another busy weekend

3 days of hard but pleasant work, and voila!

Here are 4 dolls made by my pupils – I’m so anxious to see them dressed up.

It was so much fun to give doll-creating lessons. I am very glad, that girls have provoked me to give this curse :)