Doll Artist and Teacher: Preserving the art of making dolls and Artist Member of the Original Doll Artist Council of America (ODACA).
What's Next?
Hello Reader,
I hope you'll excuse my ruminations, but I've got a choice to make: what do I do next? Too many choices can be paralyzing at times, especially when free time is at a premium. I suppose I should look at this with triage in mind. What are the priorities?
- I can begin preparing for ODACA Day in Bellevue later this summer, which includes making dolls for the Sales Room as well as creating a doll for the ODACA Luncheon Raffle:
- Related to ODACA Day (optional), make a doll for this year's theme: A Midsummer Night's Dream
- Start working on my Enigma online course
- Finish Amelia Earhart (currently naked Enigma prototype with daunting costuming)
- Design costuming and finish larger Enigma-style dolls with alternate cloth-over-clay faces (for a future class to be taught later in the year)
- Begin work on two commissioned dolls, due in August
The thing is, there is no "cramming" when it comes to making dolls. Time time management is crucial when deadlines are involved.
I currently have a few more than my usual 10-12 dolls ready to take to the Bellevue, Washington UFDC Convention/ODACA Day. So while more dolls would be ideal, I have a sufficient number of dolls to place on my sales table. On the other hand, since I'll be driving rather than flying to the convention, bringing more dolls would be more feasible this year.
While formalizing my Enigma online course would not result in more dolls for the Sales Table, it might provide a little income (I got a quote from an agent for health insurance post retirement - yikes!). If I choose to video some of the steps, I will need to make at least one additional Enigma doll.
Costuming for Amelia Earhart will be detailed and very time-consuming. If I manage to complete this one-of-a-kind doll, her she can be a part of my ODACA Day display.
Two cloth-over clay prototypes just need their clothing and hair designed. I'll still need to make more of these dolls as I write the class modules and photograph and possibly video record the steps.
The trickiest part is matching the face paint color to the body fabric. |
The two commissioned dolls are for a family member (a secret project).
I've procrastinated enough. Time to send this newsletter and get start on something!
| Find Past Newsletters Here |
| My Patterns are Here |
| Instant Downloads on Etsy |
| ODACA |
Deanna Hogan
www.blueherondolls.com
deanna@blueherondolls.com
| Buy me a Coffee? |
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, I've been thinking about this year's Christmas ornament design/pattern. I have a few ideas, but have decided to make a caroler. Yesterday I took a break from the "Big Project" to get a start on a prototype. I hope to have the caroler holding a music book, dressed in winter attire, and with an open mouth (painted) to mimic singing. Right now I'm working on proportions. If this first draft is too big, I can always reduce it while still maintaining these proportions. Already I can...
Hello Reader, We had no trick-or-treaters yesterday, so now we have a Costco-sized bag of candy to dispose of (one way or the other). It's now November 1st, and it's (again) a dark, dreary, rainy day here on the north Oregon coast - perfect for starting a new project. This time last year I was busy designing a new holiday ornament - Mortimer Moose (http://www.blueherondolls.com/Mortimer%20Moose.html). I had the idea that I might design a new ornie every year, and if that's going to happen I'd...
Hello Reader, Autumn is my favorite time of year. It was sprinkling a little as I let the dog out to do his business, and immediately noted the nostalgically distinct and comforting smell of petrichor. When I informed my husband, he had to look it up (yay, finally a vocabulary he didn't know!) I spent last week sewing the Old World Santa I mentioned in my last newsletter. He's essentially done, though he's holding a temporary lantern (I think the scale is just a little too large for him), so...