Holiday Art Dolls

Fat Cat Singing is Available on Ebay!

2011-04-05T18:55:00.000-07:00

Here Is the link to the Ebay Auction for the Black Cat Singing:

http://shop.ebay.com/grannywolf/m.html?_trksid=p4340.l2562

Thanks for peeking!

Fat Cat Singing

2011-04-03T18:04:00.000-07:00

This Tom Cat is baby doll sized, and sitting at about 14 inches tall including the top hat (his standing height is 21 inches). He is inspired by a New Orleans street performer. His face, paws and claws are hand sculpted in polymer clay and hand painted. The Miniature hat, clothes, and guitar are also handmade by the artist. I used Balsa wood to build the guitar and thin wire for the strings. I used flat black with vibrant orange lining on the top hat and red, orange, and speckled feathers to match.

He has a jazzy vintage-style diamond shirt with snap buttons and black slacks. His vest is smokey grey with white trimming and an orange hanky in his pocket to match the lining on his hat. All clothes are also handmade to fit him specifically.

FREE GIVEAWAY!

2011-03-22T17:57:00.000-07:00

Check out our free giveaway for Easter-Ween.

Click the link above!

Here's what I'll be giving away... for free!

Sneak Peek- Fat Cat Singing

2011-03-13T20:35:00.000-07:00

Here is a preview of the project I am currently working on. This is a work in progress picture of the head. It is my "Fat Cat Singing". This head is polymer and rubber with air brushing, hand painted details and jet black tibetan lamb hair. This piece is much bigger than my typical pieces. The face without the fur is about 3 inches wide.

How I Make My Dolls

2011-03-04T21:41:00.000-08:00

I have had a few people asking how I make my dolls so I thought I'd post about the process that I go through.

I learned a lot of these tricks through Jack Johnston's Art Doll book, his site is : http://www.artdolls.com/ and he is a seasoned pro! I think the book was $20 about 5 years ago.

The first thing I do is build anarmature of the doll. I have been pretty comfortable with 8-10 inch dolls that vary by body type rather than scale. The armature has arms, a spine, hips, legs and a long neck rod. I found some alluminum rods and brass tubes at the Hobby Lobby that are working out great to transition from the armature into the foot mounts. This works by sculpting the feet/shoes and partial legs over the brass tubes. Then clipping the armature rods at the shin, I slide the brass tube over the armature rod, and the bottom half of the tube will fit over the base mounts.

I then pad out and soft sculpt the body. I use alluminum as the inner core, a constrictive paper tape to bind it, gause to add belly bulge and other features, seal edges with Fabri-Tac so the gause cant shift or roll, and finally finish with a custom body sock. The soft sculpted body includes the pelvis, torso, shoulders, 1/2 to 3/4 of the arms and 1/2 to 3/4 of the legs. The polymer pieces are specifically sculpted to butt

up to the soft sculpture partial limbs so that there are no gaps.

The first thing I sculpt is the head. I start with a ball of alluminum sheeting and compress it into the size of the skull. I then deside where the eye sockets should be and add those in. I also create a hole up through the neck area where the armature will fit in. I prefer to make my skulls rather than buying pre fabricated because I can make the features more unique. I then insert glass eyes and some thin layers of polymer to hold them in. I always use ProSculpt Polymer Clay -Light fairy color is my favorite because its softer than the darker pigments. I add the clay around the head and sculpt the features. I often create a sketch of the doll before hand to help fine tune the features. I add the neck and ears and then cure the polymer.

Next I sculpt the hands/arms and feet/legs. The legs are sculpted with the brass rod cores and then a compressed alluminum sheeting, and finally the polymer. The arms/hands have no inner core but they have a hollow center-like a tube-where the armature will slide into. All of these solid core techniques make it so that I never sculpt the polymer more than 1/4 thick. That ensures that curing times are always accurate and fully effective. This keeps the doll more durable against falls or other accidents.

Next I paint the polymer pieces, seal them, and slide them onto the armature to make sure they are all just right. I then make the dolls' clothes and assemble the doll. The last thing I do before attaching the head to the armature is hand-apply the hair. I like to use Tibetan Lamb hair because it is so realistic on the dolls- I buy mine from the Morezemore shop on Ebay. Then I wet and style the hair, perminantly affix all pieces and slide the doll over his/her foot mounts on the base.

Alfred Hitchcock

2011-03-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

I just started working on an Alfred Hitchcock tribute piece. I plan to have him holding props from some of his most popular films. Here are some photos of his head being sculpted and painted

Update... working on the limbs and pose...

Wicked Witch of the Wild West!

2011-02-21T20:57:00.000-08:00

Here is the Wicked Witch of the Wild West! She is pulling up her sleeves, getting ready for a stand off. This is a slide show of how I made her. Her head, hands, and feet are hand-sculpted and painted. Her body is a soft-sculpted cloth body. She has a solid core and wire armature. All of her guns, holsters and her hat are also hand sculpted and painted. Her icy blue eyes are hand-painted and her hair is pitch black, hand-applied Tibetan lamb's hair.

(Right Click below and select play to view slideshow)

Traveling Circus

2011-02-17T19:51:00.000-08:00

This Piece is 18 inches long and about 6 inches wide. The clown is a one of a kind hand sculpted art doll. The face, hands and shoes are polymer sculptures over a solid core and wire armature. The solid core ensures that the sculpted parts are durable and cured properly. The polymer pieces are hand painted and sealed to be water resistant. The clown's shoe laces are hand-applied and he has glass amber colored eyes. The dancing poodle is also hand-sculpted polymer over a solid core. Its fur is made of shaved felt that is hand applied. She is wearing a sheer red tutu and a red felt hat. The circus cart is made from an ostrich egg. It is hand-carved and detailed. The egg is hand-painted in a teal and black diamond pattern. It is adorned with a miniature bucket of tools, a shiny red lantern, a mini shuvel and rake, and vintage style latches. The painted egg-cart is topped with a red and white striped tent to complete the theme of vintage circus.This Piece is available through the American Holiday Artist Marketplace: http://www.ahaartistsstudio.com/

I'll post some more close ups on the Ebay listing!

Here's the clown's traveling act

2011-02-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

Here is his dancing poodle. I still have to add her costume...

Update on the Traveling Circus piece

2011-02-15T18:38:00.000-08:00

Here is my Vintage style clown. This art doll is finished but the whole piece has a few more surprises that I am still wrapping up!

New Vintage Circus Art ...still in progress

2011-02-13T21:37:00.000-08:00

I am almost finished with my latest piece: a Vintage Circus / Easter piece. This piece includes the largest painted egg I've ever made: an ostrich egg! It is a clown pulling a circus cart that I made out of the giant egg. I am so excited to show this work, even though I haven't finished it. Here is a sneak peak of the clown in his underware. He has hand-sculpted and painted polymer hands, feet and face, and a solft sculpted cloth body. He has a solid core and an inner wire armature to be sure that he is strongly built and cured appropriately per the ProSculpt manufacturer instructions. I'll post pictures of him in his costume with my final presentation... hopefully within a day or two!...

Meet the Sugar Plum Fairy!

2010-11-20T17:09:00.000-08:00

The Sugar Plum Fairy

Yet another One of A Kind Art Doll. The Sugar Plum Fairy's hands, feet and face are hand sculpted from polymer clay and painted in acrylics. She is sealed to be water resistant. Her body is a sculpted and wired elderly figure with custom fitted long underwaer. All of the fairy's clothes are hand made and fitted to suit her figure. This unique character has a cupcake head, which is a mixed composition of paperclay and is complete with a sculpted plum gum drop on top! The fairy's wings and wand are also hand crafted.

The Sugar Plum Fairy has foot mounts to stabilize her on the wooden base. The base is painted wood that reades "Sugar Plum Fairy". All painted pieces are sealed to be water resistant.

This piece is about 15 1/2 inches tall and about 15 inces wide from the tip of her wand to her back foot.

As Always, this piece was created in my smoke-free, pet-free studio. Thanks for peeking!

TWISTED Cat in the Hat!!!

2010-09-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

Edgar Allan Poe's Twisted "Cat in the Hat"

One of a Kind Handmade Art Doll

This Mischievous, Edgar Allan Poe character is a One of a Kind Granny Wolf Original Art Doll. His hands, shoes and face are hand sculpted from polymer clay and detailed with acrylic paint. The tuxedo cats are also hand sculpted and detailed with faux fur and acrylic paint. This piece is sealed to be water resistant. Edgar Allan Poe's body is a soft, fabric sculpture over a wire armature. All of his clothes are handmade and fitted to suit his stature. Edgar is wearing a grey, gothic vest with a white shirt collar and silky black bowtie. He has foggy black dress pants, and a midnight black jacket. He has dark black hair made from Tibetan Lamb Hair and cold grey glass eyes. Edgar is artfully painted to look like a black and white photo to contrast the red and white Twisted Dr. Seuss “Cat in the Hat” theme.

Edgar’s hat is removeable and is handmade from strips of worn-out red and dingey white coarse fabric sewn together at the seams. A simple black raven peers down from atop of the hat. Edgar stands on a black stained wooden base. He has foot mounts to add stability but can also be lifted for closer inspection. Edgar is carrying a scrawny disgruntled tuxedo cat in his right hand and has miniature hand-sculpted scissors in his left hand. He also has strips of fabric over his left arm as he is preparing to make another hat out of his newest "pet". Edgar has sculpted retro black and white shoes that have real laces that were hand applied to add to his realism. The laces cannot come untied. Under his foot, Edgar Allan Poe stands on an oversized spool of thread that is wrapped with black thread that loops up and drapes through his open scissors. The spool is about 1 inch tall. This piece stands about 15 1/2 inches tall.

Congratulations to the Blog Giveaway WINNER!!!

2010-09-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

Thank You All For Your Participation in the Give Away!

Flora from Houston, Tx you have won the giveaway for the GrannyWolf Witchy Button!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Blog Giveaway Winners Will Be Chosen ON...

2010-08-26T05:40:00.000-07:00

SeptemBER 12 !!!

How to win: I will be picking a number from a hat, if you were the #nth blogger that is drawn.... YOU WIN!!!

Today's the Day!!!

2010-08-25T15:29:00.000-07:00

American Holiday Artists is celebrating the debut of our new marketplace

http://www.ahaartistsstudio.com/

AHA..Studio Marketplace GRAND OPENING & GIVEAWAY

Today is our Grand Opening, and you can click on the square link above to visit our new Marketplace and shop from the many talented, awesome Artists who belong to the "American Holiday Artists"

BEFORE YOU GO... don't forget to post on my blog for a chance to win in my blog give away!

The winner will be chosen at random to win a 4"x3" Over-Sized Artdoll BUTTON!... This a One of A Kind sculpted Halloween Button. Perfect for that large decorative vest you always wear on Halloween... Or whatever else you would like to sew it onto...

This is what you can win from my Blog Giveaway!!!

Post to my blog... Then CLICK THE LINKS TO THE LEFT to Visit all the AHA participating members blogs and leave then a comment to be entered in their drawing! Good Luck to all!

Inspired by my mother, who has recently become a chicken Farmer!

2010-08-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

CHiCKeN MoJo

This Mischievious character is a One of A Kind Art Doll. Her hands, feet and face are hand sculpted from polymer clay and painted in acrylics. She is sealed to be water resistant. Her body is a soft, fabric sculpture over a wire armature. All of the farmer's clothes are hand made and fitted to suit her figure. I wanted to give this girl a little flair so I used a fiery, orange Tibenan Lamb Hair and amber glass eyes.

All of the chickens are hand sculpted and painted. The standing chicken and the farmer both have mounts to stay on their base. The base is painted wood that has been sealed to be water resistant. "Chicken Mojo" is about 12 inches tall, and 10 inches wide.

This is her soft sculpted, fabric body. It is hand made with a striped underware sewn over it for a realistic body.

My latest Art Doll!

2010-08-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

"Rusella's Pumpkin" --SOLD!

Rusella is hand sculpted from polymer clay with a soft body. She carries a large, hand-sculpted pumpkin on her back that is removable. Her body is a one of a kind pattern that I created specifically for her body style. Her hands, feet and delighfully ugly Face are original sculptures that I made without any molds or kits. I attached them to a body armature that I created to fit her proportions so that she is poseable. Rusella is quite the classy lady with her matching purple hat and lace-up high heel shoes. All of her clothes are hand made with one of a kind patterns that I designed just for her. All details are hand painted in acrylic paint and sealed to be water resistant. Rusella is about 13 inches tall with her hat, and about 5 1/2 inches wide. She has blue-violet glass eyes and pale, white hair made from Tibetan lamb hair. Rusella is also balanced to stand freely. Rusella is such a fun character with her wide stance showing off her polk-a-dot bloomers under her dress!

As always all dolls are made in my SMOKE-FREE, PET-FREE home.

Madam Morchella

2010-08-05T18:14:00.001-07:00

--SOLD!--

Madam Morchella has graced us with her presence! She is hand sculpted from polymer clay with a soft body. Her body is a one of a kind pattern that I created specifically for her body style. The hands, feet and Face are original sculptures that I made without any molds or kits. I attached them to a body armature that I created to fit her proportions so that she is pose able.

Madam Morchella is quite the classy girl with her matching attire and fishnet stockings. She even has burgundy feathers on her striped witches hat to match her scarf! All of her clothes are hand made with one of a kind patterns that I designed just for her. Madam Morchella is about 12 inches tall with her hat, and ten inches tall without it. She has toad-green Glass eyes and salt 'n pepper Tibetan lamb hair. Madam Morchella is also sealed to be water resistant and is balanced to stand freely.

Madam Morchella is available for purchase. Please email me for a price!