Doll Artist and Teacher: Preserving the art of making dolls and Artist Member of the Original Doll Artist Council of America (ODACA).
ODACA Day 2024
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Hello Reader, It's down to the wire now, as ODACA Day is fast approaching. I've selected the dolls traveling to Kansas City, and have begun tagging and carefully wrapping them in tissue paper and bubble wrap. I'm more fortunate than some of my fellow doll makers, as my dolls are primarily cloth. Those who make porcelains or sculpt in the polymer clays have a more precarious job of it. ODACA Day is under the umbrella of the annual UFDC Conference. ODACA's theme this year is "All That Glitters." I'm not much of a glitter person, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what the others have created. The luncheon has sold out, but the ODACA Sales Room is open to the public before and after the luncheon. Stop by and say hello! I thought I'd be able to make a few more dolls in the past year (having retired last summer), but I find that I'll only be taking a dozen. I'm hesitant to include one of two cloth-covered polymer clay faced dolls (the witch on the left, and Claire on the far right), as I was thinking about developing another digital course and wanted to retain a sample doll. But I think I'll let her go. She might not even sell, so it may be a non-issue. This year's ODACA Day will feature two new displays. One is the "Caps & Corks" challenge (make a doll using at least one cap and one cork), and the second will display dolls we have created for our personal collections. You can see a sneak peak of my cork/cap doll on my Blog ~ I'll post a photo of the finished doll after the convention. Post convention, my focus will turn to souvenir dolls for a future UFDC conference. This is top secret, so you won't be seeing any previews!
*Have you missed any Tips or Tutorials?* Tip #1: Sewing with Freezer Paper
Tip #3: Sewing Stripes Tip #4: Realistic Fingernails
Tip #6: Drafting a Clothing Pattern Tip #7: Pleater Board Tutorial
Deanna Hogan
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Deanna Hogan, Blue Heron Dolls
Doll Artist and Teacher: Preserving the art of making dolls and Artist Member of the Original Doll Artist Council of America (ODACA).
Hello Reader, This summer went by very quickly, my calendar full nearly every day. And because I'd invested in an air conditioner, I was able to spend more time in my (hot) studio upstairs, creating my luncheon centerpiece and other dolls for ODACA Day. I called my centerpiece "Isolde Steamrider." She started out as a steampunk pirate, but ultimately became a "daring adventuress who sails the ocean currents and uncharted waters where reality bends and machines hum." You can see more photos...
Hello Reader, I finished my Alabama Baby-inspired doll yesterday and took her official photo. She'll be going to New Orleans with me this summer for the ODACA Day luncheon and sales room. Viola Ruth stands about 16 inches tall. Her clothing is removable. I chose to use a one-step crackle product and antique wash on her painted surfaces to give her an aged look. I'm always nervous about crackling because you never know how it will turn out. Viola Ruth, upright with the use of a doll stand (she...
Hello Reader, It's been a week since my last newsletter - I'm on a roll! I've been budgeting my time, working in the studio a couple hours per day. It's been a nice change to work on one doll at a time, as opposed to an assembly line workflow. My current project is from one of my earlier patterns - one I haven't made in a LONG time (2017)! I'd forgotten how many steps this doll requires, including baking and drying times. This is Viola Ruth, my interpretation of an Alabama Baby, using modern...