Over the years, I have shared with you my approach to the best possible costuming. These post have been mainly about three dimension art work in separate postings. I've decided to put these together in one posting for you with links to the specific posts.
I love to share the creative mind process.
There is a huge amount of information here for you..so brew a cup of tea and get a cookie (or two).
I hope you enjoy and learn...
1 Vision
What is your vision...your theme?
What are you trying to say to your viewers?
How can you say this through your personal style?
Create a clean, clear and decisive theme for your piece, so in 1 second the viewer knows what message you are trying to relate...you will find that there is no need for a side note to explain your piece or its story. With a clear message, this will lead the viewer to pique their interest, to ask questions and then you have a connection!
Mine? my Hats...does it say something whimsical or thought provoking- perhaps - my message I want to get across is beauty within life and my hope is this will enchant you to ask more about why Hydrangea?
2 Listen
Does it have the touch of your voice...your heart & soul...your hands?
Clear your mind...one of the most difficult things to do, especially when creating a doll. There are so many fabulously talented doll artists out there and it would be so easy to copy what they are doing.
It takes great courage to find your own voice and then create your own piece. It doesn't matter initially if others "get it" as long as you do. By doing this, it will lead you onto to your own path and speaking or creating in your own.
My own? I would say where I listened the most was in recent dolls - the Four Seasons. I was profoundly changed by some life occurrences and really needed to express this in these pieces. These pieces came wholeheartedly from my soul...My life changed as in the Seasons where I found beauty in this change.
Special Note! I am honored to be writing four articles through Art Doll Quarterly Winter 2015, Spring, Summer, Fall 2016 talking about each doll.
For so many of us the costuming IS the entire reason we make dolls! In my process of applying for NIADA membership, I came to realize that every part of the doll is important, including the body read more here. With that said, we can jump into color.
Think carefully about the color palette you choose, will it express your vision?
What fabric colors would they have in their culture, be it real or from your own imaginative land?
Mine? This doll Turtle Charm Girl was created for a client who wanted one of my non Asian girls!
In my stash of fabrics, I had these wonderful African cottons. These are beautiful and the colors are perfect to depict what I want to say...
This doll Happiness was created for dear clients in memory of a Mother that had passed. She brought much Happiness to her family. The client wanted yellows, oranges, and pinks. I was fortunate- those colors are already happy.
4 Value, Texture, and Balance
You have your vision and have chosen your color with thoughtfulness.
Now, we can explore in a bit deeper..
What lightness or darkness -value- depicts your theme?
What textures expresses who they are, where they live?
Mine?
Here is Ladybug Charm Girl.
Obviously I had to use red in my colors and I chose a brilliant red...which lead me to chose other colors that were of the same value to balance the doll.
I also wanted to keep the earthiness of the gourd by balancing that with the nubby fabric of the jacket.
Color balance is so important. This is what keeps the viewers ear moving around your piece!
Is you color of your costuming evenly distributed up and down your doll?
Are the accent colors creating movement within your doll?
This is Peace Within. She was created for a dear friend and collector. She loves Autumn value of colors. I had this extraordinary aubergine colors silk as your see on her front jacket panel..that was my starting point!
5 Uniqueness
Final words:
There are only so many ways we can put a doll together...a head, torso, legs, arms. I truly believe that this is the starting place, with the body.
How is your doll different? If all clothing and face painting are gone, is your doll's construction or shape unique.
What makes your doll style unique? When viewers see your piece, they know it is yours.
If you listen and speak from your heart it cannot help but be your own. Stay true to who you are and your vision and it will come easier and easier. Your pieces will end up shining because that it that place in which they are created!
You will say This is Me! without even being there...
read more about each by clicking on the name
