Self Portrait doll overview

One of my recent dolls is actually a self portrait doll. I wanted to create a doll that looked like me to use as a type of mascot/ headshot. This doll was a challenge for many reasons, the first of which was the element of realism. All of my dolls are painted in wacky color combinations and patterns, working without all the colors and patterns was like taking off the safety blanket. I could not use surface painting to cover up imperfections in the sculpt, and I had to get smooth and realistic skin tones. It was a good challenge to work through because being able to have both human and otherworldly dolls adds a new dimension to the patterned planet environment. 

Another challenge I faced was in dressing the doll. I wanted to not just make an outfit that I would wear, but a recreation of an actual outfit that I had worn. This involved going through my closet for the brainstorming and research portion of this project. I wanted an outfit that felt significant for me, an outfit that made me feel the most confident as an artist. What I ended up choosing was a frilly pink dress I had recently worn to a friend's wedding. This dress had all the bright color that I could ever want, and just so happened to be constructed with the same all over ruffles as my prom dress. When making this mini dress I approached it very similarly to how a pinata is made. I built a base, and covered it in strips of felt cut into a fringe.