The Block Doll

This week I have been developing two new doll ideas.  ( Note:  This goes against my recent resolution not to make "merchandise".)  Neither one is really ready to show off here, so I thought it would be fun to post photos of some early dolls that were made long before Open Range Art Dolls began.

The first doll is a clown my mom made in the 1950's.  She used a 2 x 4 for the body, covering one end to make the head.  He has shoe button eyes and a nose made from felt in a little roll so it sticks out.  Each hand and foot is the head of an old fashioned clothes pin.  Without arms and legs inside the garment, the figure sits easily.  I don't remember the plaid fabric or the red pom-poms from when I was a kid, so maybe he has had a make over, too.

The second doll is one I made in the mid 1990's.  I had discovered the book Dollmaking, by E.J. Taylor about then.  I'm sure I was inspired by the figure of a mime doll that he describes.  I used mom's idea, however, substituting a box for the body, instead of a block of wood.  This was one of my first attempts to use polymer clay for a face.  I don't know why the face has developed serious cracks.    I haven't had a problem with that in a long time.  The hat made things a little easier: No ears, no hair.