Online learning

 

Closed eyed head by artist C Parry

Stage 1.

Welcome to our new online teaching.

Intro…
Stage 1 covers mostly the head part you will learn how to build the head up in stages and the technique I use.

I will highlight the most important things you need or do to make it easier then just saying it in the stage.

Please read through first before starting.

Now lets get started on delivering your new baby.

Equipment needed for making a sculpt head

Pro-sculpt clay or other polymer clay (home oven only)
Polystyrene forms for head and part limbs or aluminium foil
Masking tape (optional)
Baby wipes
Clingfilm (optional)
Kitchen oven
Roller or pasta roller
Grater or food processor (optional)
Glass worktop or clean smooth workspace
Knife
Tape measure/Ruler
Clear acrylic paint (optional)
Paint Brushes
Acrylic paint –make up- watercolour paint
Eyelashes (optional)
Toothpick or barbeque stick
Wig or mohair
Tools
Headstand
Fine sand paper

Here are the tools I mostly use, you can buy dentist metal ones I find them the best around and if you look in your kitchen there are many tool there you can use also a nail manicured kit is also useful.
The most important tool to use is your hands please remember to always keep your tools and hands clean.

Useful Information and tips

Baking the clay~ All kitchen oven’s are different and all clays are baked at different temperatures. It is always best to look at the packaging off your clay for the guide on how to bake the clay your using.
Sometimes it is best to bake the clay for longer at a lower temperature the thinker your clay is the longer it takes to bake if the clay is not cooked it can be rebaked.
In my case I have a fan oven so I normally cook pro-sculpt/super sculpey clay longer and lower temp and seems fine. You can place your doll parts on stands or lay them down on a oven proof tray/glass but be sure to place Fiberfil or cloth down and then lay them onto that as the try/glass makes shiny marks on the doll parts.
Tip~ Always allow the oven to cool before removing the clay parts out as this can prevent cracks in the clay fast changes in temperature from hot to cold can cause cracks.

The clay~ Depending on what type off clay you are using some warm up and soften more then others. You can use a food processor or kitchen grater to help the clay to soften I use my clean hands, unless I am mixing clays. I kneed the clay until it is soft enough to work with always making sure the area am using is clean and I wear light coloured clothes to prevent the clay getting dirty. As you are working with the clay try not to stretch the clay too much as it can cause air bubbles (white spots) in the clay, if they are not removed it can cause moonies and cracks when baked so it is always best to try open the air bubbles with a knife or pin and then smooth the surface off the clay.

Stands ~ Stands are useful for working on and baking. You can make your own stands by using a block off flat wood with a nail in the middle for the heads and the same for limbs but 4 nails in reasonable space between each limb. I don’t use stands for the limbs I place them on a glass (oven proof) plate with cloth and place them in the oven.

Tips ~
You can use wire for the limbs, this is done to help baking and shaping. You get a peace off wire and wrap the foil around the wire to make your leg or arm shape and leave a few inches at the top off the limb. When you have finished sculpting your limb it can be placed in the oven hanging on the wire rack.
*
When placing mohair onto the scalp you can warm the clay with your hands just place your hands onto the scalp and leave for a few seconds until it feels soft then place the mohair loosely and it will stick better. Or you can use pro-sculpt smoothing oil or baby oil try not to use too much. To root the hair you can make your own tool by cutting off half of the eye on a needle and place onto a small Dowling wood and also make sure when rooting the hair to insert the needle the same direction the hair grows otherwise the hair sticks out.

Painting can be done before or after I find it easier for me after it’s baked. For eyebrows use a fine brush and always use soft brushes to paint onto the clay.
Also if you add thin layers first then the build up becomes right for the colour off the babies skin. Stronger colour is mostly for the lips and then you can add the clear acrylic paint there and onto the corner off the eyes if wanted this gives the baby more realistic look.

Eyelashes don’t always have to be used, some off my newborn-prem babies I have made I have left without and open-eyed babies too as some looked better without them.
If you are adding them I find it better to add them before baking as they don’t fall off as much but you can hand apply them with glue.

Don’t be frightened to add more clay when your babies head in almost finished and it looks like it needed more clay say on the eye area, just add small bits at a time and in flat layers then smooth the surface.
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Keeping the clay clean is very hard it can be lots off reasons why it keep getting dirty, Clothes, hands, fluff, dust, dirty tools etc.. You can try a scrape as much dirt off with a flat tool or add more clay. Also wearing white clothing is much better then black clothing.
*
Pasta roller and wooden roller help’s get the smoothness and the same thickness.
I use roller as I find it easier for more space on my workspace.

 

Anatomy

The measurements and diagrams are average size and references for a guide to help you.

Head
There are all different size heads for babies as some babies are bigger then others.
The length off a baby head from the topside to the bottom side off the chin is about 5-6 inches depending on size head you are making, if the baby is crying with the mouth open it will be a bit longer.

Lets make the head

First you will need your Polystyrene form head and the head stand you can make you own head stand by a heavy flat peace off wood and a nail in the middle off the wood.

1. Getting head ready for the clay

Draw around the eye area like in the photo, this will give the head a better shape. Please note you don’t have to cut around the area if you don’t want to it will still work without doing this.

Place some foil over the head.

Or you can make your own foil head up by making a egg shape and placing layers over layer to build the head to the size you want.

Now where ready for the clay!

2. Placing the clay on the head
I have tried to make the step-by-step easy and less words so you don’t have to go reading through as you are making the baby so I will try to show as much in the photos as I can.

Buildings up the face

Using the clay cut some clay off from the end off block and start to kneed the clay so it becomes warm and a little softer.

You may add some more small layers at the bottom on the cheeks nexed to the side of the lips.

Place holes on the nose and shape around the sides to give them a real look.

 

Place a small amount of clay on the nose like above and smooth off.

Now for the back of the head

Smooth all the lines lightly and using your palm of your hands smooth all over the back of the head.

For the neck roll out some more clay. Use your knife tool and cut along the bottom then place around the neck smooth onto the face/back of head and then dont forget to place aline around the neck for the tie on the cloth body.

Making the ears

Ears are really hard to do the reason why is you have 2 of them to make and it is getting them to look the same and measure the same level on the head.

Now placing them onto the head by measuring from the top off ear level with the top off eyes/eyebrows, then measuring from the bottom off ear to the top off the lip. Measuring them is important to get them both level either side and looking normal.
At the back of the ear once you have placed them on the head smooth the back of the ear part’s so it attaches to the head.

Finishing off the head

Finishing the head now we need clean hands so wash them first.

Now we need to smooth the head by just using your fingers and hands don’t push into the clay just lightly over the head. It will start to warm up and start to look shiny and smooth.

Now the head is all finished and time for baking

Baking the head

Please follow the instructions on the back off the clay packet, as all home ovens are different. Please remember to keep the head in the oven once you have turned the oven off as the cold air can damage the head, as it is hot. Also you can use the stand to place the head in the oven or a glass ovenproof plate. I recommend you place the head on a stand as it wont fall over then.

Before baking of you are unsure on baking your head place small piece of clay in the oven first to try different temperatures and times.

Note.. Before baking your head please decide on how you would like to apply the hair there are a few options below to help you.

Painting the head

You can paint before or after you have baked your babies head.

We use acrylic paints as I find them good to work with, There are about 2 colours I use most and I normally paint my sculpts after baking and the head has cooled down.

You can paint different ways.
Soft look
Blotchy look

The soft look I use Rose Acrylic paint and water it down a little, then paint around the checks, eyes nose and chin and ears keep adding layers of the paint to make it look different tones.
Then I add a stronger red watered down for the lips apply the lips let it dry and if you want more of a darker colour add again.
You can finish of the lips with a clear acrylic vanish to give a gloss wet look.

The blotchy look I use the rose colour, white and dark red. I apply the white watered down with a sponge, let it dry and add layers if needed. Then using the rose colour watered down, sponge on around the checks, nose, eyes etc then with a paint brush add a little darker rose on the lines such as eyelids inside the ears. The blue is for veins and around the nose as shadows and you don’t have to do this but remember to water it down first as you can add more layer after.

Applying the hair

Below are examples on how you can apply the hair

Baking in the hair is done by warming the scalp up with your hands and adding a little baby oil, not to much, then when the scalp gets sticky you can add layers of hair onto the scalp. Don't press down on the scalp to much when adding the layers of hair, as you can make the scalp lumpy. Then, when finished, pop the head into the oven.
or
You can hand apply the hair after baking the head. You can do this by laying a thin amount of glue that dries clear over the scalp then adding layers to the head. When finished leave it to dry. This way is quite messy as I often get hair stuck to my fingers with using glue.
or
You can make a wig with long mohair and cotton thread, the thread has to be the same colour as the hair. Lay down on the table a star shape with the hair, in the middle of the hair use the thread to tie it all together, then using a dog type brush (spiky), brush the hair but hold the middle where you tied it together. You can then glue the wig on the head, but make sure the hair is spread out before placing the wig onto the head.
or
Rooting the hair in is ok but sometimes you can see the holes in the scalp. You can do this 2 ways; either bake the head first or do the rooting before the head is baked.
Doing it before is a messy job as you have to cover the face first otherwise you get a hairy baby. Alternatively you can do it when the head is baked and cooled, place a layer of clay over the scalp and then root the hair in, then bake again but be careful not to over bake the head.

The end