Dolls

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

Hello everyone!

I have been very productive recently and have started making the dolls of Attolia and Gen for Megan. Shhhhh! It’s a secret. This is why I am being extra cautious and locking the post to community only.

Attolia stands 12.5 cm tall. I tried to make her dress similar in description to the red Hephestia-like ones she usually wears. I tried to do the sleeves like Attolia’s on the KoA cover but it didn’t really work out so I gave her wider sleeves instead (see picture). I lined them with wide ribbon too.

I didn’t really imagine Attolia’s Hephestia dress to be like this (see picture). I thought it looked more like a red version of the dress she wears on the UK QoA cover, but the fabric I was going to use (more flowing) frays so much that it’s almost impossible to sew neatly on such a small scale. And the fabric I did use is slightly too stiff to make that kind of dress (at least with the skills I have).

Her face: I know Attolia looks way too pale for living in a warm sunny country. I thought the peach felt I had was too orangey coloured. Plus, I needed it for Gen.

Her hair really should be put up or something. The official story: Gen keeps stealing her hair pins. I thought of heating a hair clip and curling the hair loosely but I tried on a practice head and managed to singe some of the hair. Not good. I could have used curly wool but it wasn’t as nice and shiny as the silk thread. The unofficial story: I think she looks rather nice with her hair down and it tends to fall out if I brush it so I’m leaving it alone.

Accessories: Although her long dress (also lined with ribbon at bottom) hides her feet, I might make little shoes out of the same velvet ribbon I used for the sash. Just to show attention to detail. I might even give them gold embroidery thread laces. There’s even her ruby set in gold seal ring on her ring finger (see KoA cover). The earrings are made from (real) gold necklace links though the red beads on the headband, ring, and sash are just plastic.

Gen: I have never made a guy-doll before so this will take a while. I probably won’t get on to making him in ages. I really want to do Gen in canary yellow for some reason. And he is going to have a quirked eyebrow and amused smile. Obviously, he’s going to have curly dark hair and a hook. The hook I am making by twisting wire around the pin bit of a drawing pin and then bending it so it is hook-shaped. Or by finding an extra long drawing pin and just bending the pin bit itself. I would love to carve him a wooden hand too but it isn’t really feasible on such a small scale (at least with the skills I have). Though I would love to see Megan’s face when she finds out she can attach different implements to the end of Gen’s arm with Velcro!

BTW: I wasn’t thinking of making dolls of all the characters because I don’t really know much about what the others would wear. I could make Eddis but then I’d have to make her Sophos or the Magus or she’d be lonely in quasi-reality-Eddis. I would love to be able to make Costis but we’re not told what his uniform looks like in enough detail. Hmm… if I can get some sketches of what everyone thinks Costis looks like, I’ll make a Costis. But don’t get excited Jade, I probably won’t get round to it until summer!

I’ll keep you all updated. Suggestions, opinions, ideas all welcome!

BTW: you can see more detail with the flash. The photos here don't really show the detail very well. I'll upload a better photo on our photobucket site.

Edit: I hope you can see her mouth better on the middle photo.

Comments

[jade-sabre-301.livejournal.com]

it looks friends-locked to me! :-)

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

Thanks Jade! I've never done this before!

[jade-sabre-301.livejournal.com]

"Her skin was so far as to be translucent."

or something like that.

it's good that she's pale!!

and your doll-making skillz astound me. AWESOME!! :-D

[rowana.livejournal.com]

The Attolia doll looks beautiful Emerald - what a great idea! You're incredibly good at this.

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

I am in awe of the patience this must have taken. It looks great!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Emerald, she is beautiful! The amount of detail is amazing, and I think her dress is just perfect. I agree with Jade that the pale skin tone is right. If you take more photos, try to take one of her face so we can see the headband close up. Very nice.

[dh684.livejournal.com]

She's beautiful. I love the rich colors and the accessories - the headband and earrings are a really cool touch.

[peggy-2.livejournal.com]

Emerald - she is awesome! Really really beautiful. And I agree she should have fair skin - she doesn't seem the type to sunbathe. And as Mariah pointed out, she even had a canopy put up when watching Gen take on Aris's squad.

*waiting eagerly to see Gen (and Costis)*

[jyms.livejournal.com]

great idea! nice work (: and she can stand! 0_0

[hemisofia.livejournal.com]

How do you know MWT doesn't have a secret LJ account? XDDD (I'm just trying to make you paranoid!)

Does the doll have a mouth? It looks mouthless in the picture, and for some reason, that looks rather creepy to me ^^;;

Good luck in making them, though!

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

She has a mouth. Its pale pink and hard to see because of the bright light. I tried to give her a slightly amused smile. Not sure if it worked or not. I'll try take some photos in natural light now.

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

She's delightful!

And as far as a "wooden" hand for Gen - you could get some of that craft clay that air-dries (you don't have to fire it) and pretend it's wood. Because I do think Gen must have Velcro attachments. :)

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

Oooh! That's a brilliant idea! I so want Gen to have velcro attachments too! Though I don't think I'll make all 110 we thought of!

[loquaciousquark.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, gorgeous. I absolutely love it! :)

[rain-ing.livejournal.com]

Emerald you are brilliant! Just a thought, Attolia's dress looks like a kimono :P

I can't wait for the gen doll!

[ceecee44.livejournal.com]

She's beautiful Emerald. Such skill and talent that I don't have. I think I'm already going to love the Gen doll.