Art Dolls | Cloth Dolls | Making Cloth Dolls| Art Doll Ideas and More

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Making Art Dolls

This lens will help you if you are new doll maker, a learner or a bit more advanced at making cloth dolls.

I am going to help you here with tips on the best books to buy, the best places to find information and shortcuts so you will become a better Art doll maker sooner:-)

If would like to, please visit my Art Blog

Astarte Arts and Crafts Zine 

Here is the latest issue of this fun zine
Issue #6 "Interior Journey"

This issue offers 21 articles from international artists, coaches and experts such as Dan Goodwin, Laurie Mika, Robyn Steel-Stickland, Rachel Greig, Lee Silber and Mary Sullivan Holdgrafer.

Bonus: Quote cards and a Clare Goodwin mandala to color.

YOURS for only $9.95
If you would like more information about the zine please clickArts and Crafts

Fabulous Online Classes from Di McDonald 

Click The Pictures For More information and Full Size Pictures

Ella Online Class

When You Start To Make Dolls... 

When you first start Cloth Doll making its a good idea to give yourself permission to make lots of mistakes. It's like anything you are learning to do, it takes practice and the more time you have to "play" the better dolls you will make.

Luckily there is a huge cloth doll community on the internet so its easy to make friends who will help guide you along the way and you will have great fun as well.

My website click here to go look, has lots of resources for you to use. I have some FREE online classes, where you can see all the photos of step by step lessons. These are the Best learning tools if you are a Visual learner.

For Extensive Information about Making Money For Artists & Craftspeople At All Levels please visit here

Feel free to vist Sell YourArtwork.info for more information

Cloth Dolls News 

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More Information About Making Cloth Dolls 

As You Progress.... 

As you progress you may decide to pay for some wonderful online doll classes, you will find them back just before the picture of Ella on this page.

Most doll designers publish cloth doll patterns. One tip I will give you here is to make sure that the pattern has a rating on it.ie to show if it is suitable for beginners, intermediate or advanced doll makers.

I have downloadable patterns on my site so that you don't have to wait around till you can get to a shop to start

Ok, so that should get you started. Check out all the doll websites and have great fun.

If you have questions about your doll making you can email me at di@dyzee.com and I will try to help you.

For Extensive Information about Making Money For Artists & Craftspeople At All Levels please visit here

Feel free to vist Sell YourArtwork.info for more information

What Fabric Should I Use? 

Here are some of the most asked questions that doll makers send into me about cloth doll making. I hope they will help you.

QUESTION: What fabric should I use to make the body of the doll with?

ANSWER: You can buy all sorts of good quality cotton fabric in flesh colours at quilt shops. If you experiment you will find the ones that you like the best. I tried many and finally decided that I liked using plain old Muslin ( Calico in Australia & NZ). I always tea and coffee dye it before using it. The stronger the mix the darker the shade. As an alternative instead of dying the fabric you can brush on the tea and coffee mixture straight onto the doll. Dont forget to dry it completely though.

Cloth Dolls, I Have a Doll in this Book 

Creative Cloth Doll Making: New Approaches for Using Fibers, Beads, Dyes, and Other Exciting Techniques

Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 11/10/2009)Buy Now
List Price: $24.99

This book is part of a series of 3 cloth doll making books. All three are wonderful and this is probably the best because it is the most general. It reviews making the doll and gives good detail on the formula for placing facial features (there is a book in the series devoted to doll faces but this is enough to get started). The dolls are not all women or even all people, some are characters and are magical. The clothes are colorful, the variety of dolls is large and everything is unusual and fun. There are lots of pictures for inspiration and patterns to do the work. I recommend this book first but I also recommend the entire series (Creative Cloth Doll Faces and Creative Cloth Doll Couture).

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

What Are The BEST Colored Pencils To Use ON the Doll Face? 

QUESTION: What sorts of coloured pencils are best for drawing the cloth dolls face?

ANSWER: Prismacolor berol pencilsColored Pencil Gift Sets
are the best by far.They come in hundreds of colours and are especially oily so they work great on fabric. These are available at Hobby Lobby and Quilt shops in Australia & NZ.

For Extensive Information about Making Money For Artists & Craftspeople At All Levels please visit here

Feel free to vist Sell YourArtwork.info for more information

Cloth Doll Books for You 

500 Handmade Dolls: Modern Explorations of the Human Form (500 Series) by Lark Books

500 Handmade Dolls: Modern Explorations of the Human Form (500 Series) by Lark Books

Contemporary and unique, these handmade creations more...0 points

Creative Cloth Doll Faces: Using Paints, Pastels, Fibers, Beading, Collage, and Sculpting Techniques by Patti Medaris Culea

Creative Cloth Doll Faces: Using Paints, Pastels, Fibers, Beading, Collage, and Sculpting Techniques by Patti Medaris Culea

The face is the most important feature of a doll - more...0 points

Designing the Doll: From Concept to Construction by Susanna Oroyan

Designing the Doll: From Concept to Construction by Susanna Oroyan

An in-depth guide to doll making from concept to & more...0 points

Creative Cloth Doll Beading: Designing and Embellishing with Beads by Patti Medaris Culea, Laura McCabe, Anne Hesse

Creative Cloth Doll Beading: Designing and Embellishing with Beads by Patti Medaris Culea, Laura McCabe, Anne Hesse

<b>An illustrated guide to embellishing doll more...0 points

Creative Cloth Doll Making: New Approaches for Using Fibers, Beads, Dyes, and Other Exciting Techniques by Patti Medaris Culea

Creative Cloth Doll Making: New Approaches for Using Fibers, Beads, Dyes, and Other Exciting Techniques by Patti Medaris Culea

Though doll making is one of the oldest forms of a more...0 points

Wonderful Art Doll books 

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What About Stuffing? 

QUESTION: What is the best sort of stuffing to use?

ANSWER: I find the best is a good polyester stuffing. I find mine at Spotlight in Australia. We also have wool stuffing available here and in NZ but I find it a bit too heavy and not as easy to use.

Art Dolls 

SpiritMama Banner by SpiritMama

SpiritMama Banner

Paper clay doll heads...Now what?? by cheekycrows3

Paper clay doll head...

Large doll head profile by cheekycrows3

Large doll head prof...

Maddy by WHSKR

Maddy

Pupa guy by cheekycrows3

Pupa guy

Small paper clay doll head by cheekycrows3

Small paper clay dol...

Small doll head 3/4 view by cheekycrows3

Small doll head 3/4...

Pupa guy's face by cheekycrows3

Pupa guy's face

Leftover paper clay thing by cheekycrows3

Leftover paper clay...

A face I TOTALLY need to rework or I will go nuts by cheekycrows3

A face I TOTALLY nee...

Art Dolls by mamagrrl

Art Dolls

"The Odd Couple" Mounted and finished by peregrine blue

"The Odd Couple...

The two together by peregrine blue

The two together

Pirate by WHSKR

Pirate

Meeoowww by WHSKR

Meeoowww

Floral confection by WHSKR

Floral confection

Kitty by WHSKR

Kitty

Second sample by WHSKR

Second sample

Lining fabric by WHSKR

Lining fabric

Both samples by WHSKR

Both samples

automatically generated by Flickr

How Does An Online Cloth Doll Class Operate? 

What are online Classes?

Most Cloth doll online classes are designed to be read on a website.

Usually the doll designer makes the class into lessons or chapters, this way you can make the doll in your own time instead of having to make it all at once.

I always upload all my Cloth Doll lessons at once so that the fast doll makers don't have to wait for the slow ones.

For Extensive Information about Making Money For Artists & Craftspeople At All Levels please visit here

Feel free to vist Sell YourArtwork.info for more information

More About Online Classes 

My online classes are printable so that if you don't have time to make the doll when you first get the class you can do it months later if you like.

I make sure my classes have step by step instructions and each instruction has at least one photo.

It is the easiest way to make a cloth doll besides being in a real time class with a live teacher. The designer is always available to the students by email and can ask questions.

Once my students have paid for the class, they get sent the URL or website address where they will find the supply list, the actual pattern pieces so they can print them off and the lessons.

Online classes are a fun and very informative process and help you learn the techniques involved in cloth doll making

To have a look at the online classes I am offering right now click hereto go look

For Extensive Information about Making Money For Artists & Craftspeople At All Levels please visit here

Feel free to vist Sell YourArtwork.info for more information

Some More ARTY Mixed Media Art Dolls 

Valley of the Art Dolls Caat ZNE by zJayne aLTeReD aRT

Art Dolls Handmade with Repurposed Jewelry, mismate earrings, watches, pins, brooches, crystals, costume and genuine treasures. Good for the environment and a pleasure to the eye.

Runtime: 2:37
3390 views
10 Comments:

curated content from YouTube

Interesting Arty Lenses 

Would You Like To Be More Creative????? 

Creativity is actually a state of "being". We are all born creative spirits. As you would know if you have ever observed a child in play, children are extremely creative. What happens then between childhood and adulthood which makes some of us feel we have no creativity and we never did????

I dont think that we are encouraged enough to be different, we are taught to conform, to behave, to not get in a mess or be dirty. We stop experimenting and start to believe it is not good to do those things, which in fact, enhance our creativity. We start to lose touch with it.

What about those who just seem to be able to draw, really draw, not abstracts but real drawings. You know, those kids you envy, the ones you wanted to be like

They practice.

Don't you remember they were always drawing,always.
If you practiced all day every day, you would also be able to draw beautifully.

Doesn't that make sense?? Its like every skill we learn. We learn to ride a bike by practicing, we fall off but we get back on again and again and again.
How often did you practice drawing?For hours? For days?

I know I looked at my pitiful efforts and decided I couldn't draw. I was one of the poor failures who just wasn't given the GIFT
NOT TRUE.

Ok lets get you started on the way to becoming a creative spirit again.

Just to start to convince you that you actually have it in you, I want you to think about every day life. How often have you cooked a meal by intuition. NO recipe, you didn't need it did you? No, because you have practiced cooking in the past and know how to do it.

You CREATE a meal.

OK Have you ever thought about what sort of outfit you would like to wear to a special occasion? Yes I bet. You are creating it in your mind.

You have screaming children who want you to tell them a story. You don't have a book but you Make up a story That is creativity.

See?
You are creative in many many ways all through your life.

For Extensive Information about Making Money For Artists & Craftspeople At All Levels please visit here

Feel free to vist Sell YourArtwork.info for more information

Doll Making 

Aranzi Aronzo Cute Dolls (Let's Make Cute Stuff)

Aranzi Aronzo Cute Dolls (Let's Make Cute Stuff)

This successor to <i>The Cute Book</i> more...0 points

Creative Cloth Doll Faces: Using Paints, Pastels, Fibers, Beading, Collage, and Sculpting Techniques by Patti Medaris Culea

Creative Cloth Doll Faces: Using Paints, Pastels, Fibers, Beading, Collage, and Sculpting Techniques by Patti Medaris Culea

The face is the most important feature of a doll - more...0 points

Aranzi Aronzo Fun Dolls (Let's Make Cute Stuff)

Aranzi Aronzo Fun Dolls (Let's Make Cute Stuff)

From the makers of <i>The Cute Book</i> more...0 points

Knitted Babes: Five Dolls & Their Wardrobes to Knit & Stitch by Clare Garland

Knitted Babes: Five Dolls &amp; Their Wardrobes to Knit &amp; Stitch by Clare Garland

Novice knitters only need to know a few stitches t more...0 points

The Fabulous Book of Paper Dolls (Klutz) by Julie Collings

The Fabulous Book of Paper Dolls (Klutz) by Julie Collings

The Fabulous Book of Paper Dolls from Klutz is the more...0 points

3 Easy Steps To Become More Creative 

Here are three easy steps to become more creative.

1: Find some quiet time to relax EVERY day! No TV, NO radio blaring in the background. Just you and thought
This gives our brains some time to actually bring some creative thoughts to you. You just don't hear this creative part of you when its too noisy.

If you can sit outside by a stream or fountain this will also help you relax. If you have something you would like to create, just muse on it. Think about it in the quiet and you will be AMAZED at what will start happening for you.

2; Let go of Judgement and Fear.
Do not judge anything you do that is creative. Creative endeavours and art are subjective, so what one person likes, another will hate. If you insist on judging your work then only compare it to your own work. That way you can decide if you are getting better and really, your opinion is the only one that matters. Let go of Fear. It is only as we move through the fear that we have a wonderful feeling of achievement and then we gain more and more confidence within us.

3: Play ( practice)
Find time to play! I don't care how you do it, if you want to be more creative you MUST play. Playing is experimentation. Whether you want to make a doll, a piece of art or do some writing or whatever, you need to give yourself permission to play. You are not aiming to complete anything, to make anything or to actually write anything that makes sense. You just spend an hour or however long you have in the quiet with your supplies and just say WHAT IF?
What if I did that, what would happen, do it and see.
You will come to love this special time with yourself and your creativity.
Have fun.
For Extensive Information about Making Money For Artists & Craftspeople At All Levels please visit here

Feel free to vist Sell YourArtwork.info for more information

My Doll Aimee

Susanna Oroyan  

Designing the Doll: From Concept to Construction by Susanna Oroyan

Designing the Doll: From Concept to Construction by Susanna Oroyan

An in-depth guide to doll making from concept to & more...0 points

Finishing the Figure: Doll Costuming, Embellishments, Accessories by Susanna Oroyan

Finishing the Figure: Doll Costuming, Embellishments, Accessories by Susanna Oroyan

8 1/2 x 11 350 color and 300 black-and-white illus more...0 points

Anatomy of a Doll: The Fabric Sculptor's Handbook by Susanna Oroyan

Anatomy of a Doll: The Fabric Sculptor's Handbook by Susanna Oroyan

More than just a dollmaking book, <i>Anatomy more...0 points

Dolls of the Art Deco Era 1910-1940: Collect, Restore, Create and Play by Susanna Oroyan

Dolls of the Art Deco Era 1910-1940: Collect, Restore, Create and Play by Susanna Oroyan

Rediscover old sentimental favorite dolls from the more...0 points

Fantastic Figures: Ideas and Techniques Using the New Clays by Susanna Oroyan

Fantastic Figures: Ideas and Techniques Using the New Clays by Susanna Oroyan

In <i>Anatomy of a Doll</i> master dol more...0 points

Lots More Information About Creativity 

3 Easy Ways To Deal With All Those Unfinished Cloth Doll Or ArtProjects 

Are you one of those Doll Makers or Artists who goes to classes and always comes home with unfinished projects that just sit around? Do you glance at them from time to time only to feel really guilty? Do they clutter up your work space? Are they a constant source of frustration?

Ok I am going to help you. I am a BIG believer that taking action is the way to go with most concerns in life. The longer you do nothing, the more of an energy drain these things become. Even the wrong action is better than none in my opinion. Here's what you need to do.

First answer the following question.

Is this something I want to finish ever?? Be very truthful here.

If the answer is NO! then either throw it out or give it away immediately to someone who might enjoy finishing it.

If the answer is YES! then I can come up with a few very creative ways to deal with it.

Idea 1: If you prefer to finish this project yourself (or a number of projects) but just don't seem to have the time, one way is to bag all the components of the project and instructions into a ziplock bag. Do a separate bag for each project. Get out you diary and choose a day of the week when you can find an hour free. Mark that time as a finish project date with yourself. Even by doing an hour each week you will start to feel like you are really achieving something and you will start to become more motivated.

Idea 2: Another great fun way would be to get a group of arty or doll friends to help. If you each have something unfinished you could round robin them. In other words, say you have 4 friends, each project gets bagged up and sent to the next recipient on your list. Each person has say..3 weeks to work on the project then hand it onto the next person. The last person MUST finish the project and then it arrives back in your hands finished. A good idea then, would be to have an unveiling of all the projects and have a good laugh and a fun time explaining why and how you did each bit of the project.

Idea 3: Another way to deal with these unfinished projects is to put them on ebay and auction them off as "Unfinished Art Mystery Parcels ", what fun this would be! I reckon you would be AMAZED at how many people would actually go for this one.

For Extensive Information about Making Money For Artists & Craftspeople At All Levels please visit here

Feel free to vist Sell YourArtwork.info for more information

Patti Culea Books 

Creative Cloth Doll Faces: Using Paints, Pastels, Fibers, Beading, Collage, and Sculpting Techniques by Patti Medaris Culea

Creative Cloth Doll Faces: Using Paints, Pastels, Fibers, Beading, Collage, and Sculpting Techniques by Patti Medaris Culea

The face is the most important feature of a doll - more...0 points

Creative Cloth Doll Beading: Designing and Embellishing with Beads by Patti Medaris Culea, Laura McCabe, Anne Hesse

Creative Cloth Doll Beading: Designing and Embellishing with Beads by Patti Medaris Culea, Laura McCabe, Anne Hesse

<b>An illustrated guide to embellishing doll more...0 points

Creative Cloth Doll Making: New Approaches for Using Fibers, Beads, Dyes, and Other Exciting Techniques by Patti Medaris Culea

Creative Cloth Doll Making: New Approaches for Using Fibers, Beads, Dyes, and Other Exciting Techniques by Patti Medaris Culea

Though doll making is one of the oldest forms of a more...0 points

Creative Cloth Doll Couture: New Approaches to Making Beautiful Clothing and Accessories by Patti Medaris Culea

Creative Cloth Doll Couture: New Approaches to Making Beautiful Clothing and Accessories by Patti Medaris Culea

This book is the third installment on making creat more...0 points

Cloth Doll Books On Ebay 

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Now its Your Turn To Squidoo 

Now it's your turn....
Make your own Squidoo lens
Squidoo is a great place to create a web site (called a lens). You can share your thoughts on gadgets, crafting, arts, food or what ever's on your mind and maybe make a little $$ along the way....oh and did I mention it's FREE!
Click here to start your Lens

Whats Been The Most Difficult Thing For You About Making Cloth Dolls? 

nightcats wrote...

This is a remarkable lens. Five stars and I'm linking to it from my altered book lens. I love your points about creativity, and I also love your discussion of the craft projects that have been uncompleted for ages. I certainly have a few of those. LOL

ReplyPosted November 06, 2009

AlmaStoller wrote...

This is a really fantastic lens.

Alma
http://www.almastoller.typepad.com

ReplyPosted October 20, 2009

peter9983 wrote...

Very nice lense, keep it up !

Peter
magic of making up review

ReplyPosted March 25, 2009

wrote...

really lovely! my niece would love this!

ReplyPosted September 27, 2008

Pixie_Patch wrote...

very interesting these cloth dolls are beautiful!

ReplyPosted August 14, 2008

Pamela2Heaven wrote...

How cute they are!

ReplyPosted July 02, 2008

ssnseminars wrote...

great job
http://www.squidoo.com/ssnseminars_short_stories
http://www.squidoo.com/ssnseminars

ReplyPosted May 13, 2008

beachbum_gabby wrote...

I enjoy doing this before for my Barbie dolls. :) Fantastic lens!

ReplyPosted May 08, 2008

ElizabethJeanAllen wrote...

Great Lens! I sew but I haven't made any dolls in years. * * * * *
Liz

ReplyPosted April 07, 2008

amandaquerque wrote...

Excellent information! Great addition to the BIG LENSES Group!

ReplyPosted April 03, 2008

SemperFidelis wrote...

Another good lens DiMcDonald! Keep up the good work. Another blessing by a Squid Angel! 5* :o)

ReplyPosted April 02, 2008

KimGiancaterino wrote...

These dolls are really beautiful and you've put together a nice resource.

ReplyPosted April 01, 2008

bdkz wrote...

This is a really great lens! Very informative. I gave you 5 Stars and a Squid Angel Blessing!

ReplyPosted March 31, 2008

Lensmaster

tinna wrote

i love to make dolls an i am wanting to learn how to sculp faces realy good so if any one can give me some tips please do i need all the help i can get thank you sincerly yours tinna tinnagraham252000@hotmail.com

Reply Posted February 15, 2008

Lensmaster

Jill Maas wrote

Di this site is so much fun to browse and so much info given,well done and thank you Jillxx

Reply Posted January 31, 2008

Lensmaster

Judy wrote

These lens were very helpful. Questions have been answered and I look forward to looing at your web site. Thank you again 5**

Reply Posted January 30, 2008

mnickerson wrote...

love cloth dolls,interesting lens

ReplyPosted November 13, 2007

Aika wrote...

these are awesome, more to learn. Great lens indeed. 5*

ReplyPosted November 11, 2007

Links to Wonderful Arty sites 

Di McDonald
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Di McDonald More Mixed Media Art
Posted on August 28th, 2008 by by Hi again guys,
Today I have a picture of my own work from my own book. For the background I actually used some paper towels that I had used to mop up excess paint when doing another collage.
Th

by DiMcDonald

I am a mixed media artist and teacher.


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