Most of the dolls on this website are directly sculpted in polymer clay; which is a type of clay based on the synthetic polymer polyvinyl chloride. Yeah, me either....well it turns out that's a kind of plastic. Polymer clay is hardened by curing (baking) in average home oven at about 265 °F/135°C for 15-30 minutes. Instructions sometimes vary; always follow manufacturer's directions. Once properly cured it is pretty durable (enough for sanding and drilling) ---although I would never recommend any dolls made from polymer clay as "play" dolls. The most common brands, Fimo and Sculpey, can be purchased at almost any craft store and come in a variety of colors, including "flesh". There is even a transparent liquid version, which makes excellent faerie wings. If you'd like more information on polymer clay, try copying/pasting this link into your browser: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer_clay

I first happened upon the "ooak doll" category on eBay in summer 2004. "Ooak" stands for "one-of-a-kind". There are many self representing artists on eBay and more appearing all the time--and not just in the doll category. I love the internet so much for offering equal opportunity to closet artists. For me, doll making combines many of the hitherto and apparently unrelated skills I have built up for the past 17 years or so into one lovely project. Even 16 years of ballet study, prior to a broken foot, gave me what I hope is a pretty decent understanding of anatomy. I'm always trying to learn new things, but I have come to believe that there is no "right way" to create a doll, and there is just no teacher like trial and error.

There are chat forums available through eBay's Community link and they are another good source of information. There are some lovely people that contribute and I have gleaned valuable tips from reading some of the threads. ("Art Dolls Sculpture", "Ooak Figurative Sculpture Artists", and quite a few more....)

My favorite tools are the ones I've made myself. I purchased a few hardwood dowels and carved them into shapes I thought might work and then sanded them smooth. All done it cost me about $.89, and a knife cut on my thumb. But I also like "Colour/Clay Shapers". Another nice thing to have is the Genesis Heat-Set oil paint set. Its a bit pricey but really wonderful to have because mistakes can be wiped off and they don't air dry, so you can stop at any time to change a diaper or fill a sippy-cup. Very handy. They are made permanent by applying heat, and the set comes with a heat gun.

As for favorite clays? I'm still trying to answer that myself. They do have notable differences in softness, color, translucency, and yes, in strength. Although I have narrowed the field and determined that there are some that I do not like, I still haven't found an absolute favorite. I think personal preference in the firmness of clay plays a role as well. I'd suggest experimenting with Kato, Puppen Fimo, and Prosculpt.

Artbeads - Swarovski Crystal beads and rhinestones, fast shipping and no minimum order

Johnston Art Dolls - tons of doll making supplies, ideas, and help from a really nice guy

Bountiful Baby  - large selection of mohair in different colors and textures

Artist Deb Wood - a steadily increasing list of excellently helpful tutorials by a very generous heart!

Cynthia Howe Miniatures - wonderful miniature millinery tutorials and tiny trims

The Costumer's Manifesto - great source for inspiration and period dress reference

Ebay  - (of course) get supplies, join chat groups, and look at all the other faeries , dolls, and artwork !

Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from you....

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