The Before-and-After Crown

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While shopping for Christmas gifts last year, I found these little, plain and cheap-looking crown tree ornaments at a home decor shop. They were almost lost in the luscious branches of a tastefully decorated Christmas tree, but because I'm always on a lookout for small, interesting objects that fit the Enchanted Doll scale, my eyes picked them out and fastened on them the minute I walked through the doors.

I B-lined straight for the tree, navigating the crowd and barely avoiding the expensive and fragile displays of bone china, mirrors and crystal chandeliers, my eyes never leaving my bounty. Giddy with the potential and anticipation of what I can do with these perfect, little canvases, I scooped up all of the remaining crowns from that tree and practically skipped to the till. Waiting to pay, I felt triumphant over my find and fought back a strong urge to rub my palms together while cackling maniacally.

This was my first crown-enhancing experiment. I used gold wire to attach fresh-water pearls, blue topazes, gold-plated findings and drops to the crown base, achieving a high contrast between the distressed rusty metal and the retrofitted gold ornaments. A magnet holds the crown securely on top of the wig, making other fastenings unnecessary. I believe that this was the final detail Skyler's been missing in her costume this whole time. Now she feels complete. Now she is a crowned queen.

 

I'm going to try something a little different with the other crowns. I don't have a complete picture yet, but I almost never do until I begin working. Eventually, all the gaps get filled in, like with Skyler.

The before and after silver bead caps

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 I've spent the last few days finishing off my most recent doll Theodora Rex, which is based on a historical Byzantine Empress. I've been failing to arrive at the final composition that resonates with my inner vision of her, having constructed, tried and abandoned several different accessories to compliment her jewelled head piece and her collar of gold. I believe that when the solution to an almost finished piece proves to be stubbornly evasive, then the problem is not just with details - There is something fundamentally wrong with the whole thing from the bottom up. The best course of action at that point, is to stop tweaking little details, identify the 3 main elements essential to the composition, strip away the rest and start layering supporting details from the beginning. Yes, it's pretty upsetting having to destroy several days worth of work, but sometimes it's not just the right thing to do, but the only thing to do. Destruction is a form of creation.

These sterling silver filigree bead caps might be the key to unlocking my composition problem. I embellished them with tiny seed pearls and gold-plated them to look more Byzantine. Theodora is already wearing them, but something else is still missing there...I'm gonna call it a 'soft' finish for now and see if she 'speaks' to me in the days to come about what else she needs.

It's time to move on. 

Enchanted Doll book pre-orders are open!

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UPDATE: The Enchanted Doll book is SOLD OUT!

Thank you to everyone that ordered, we'll begin shipping them out as soon as we get them. Payments are made now, and the book will start shipping in June.

This is an exclusive, signed, numbered and stamped Artist Edition of 500 copies. It’s been revised and expanded from 150 to 190 pages long; hard bound; high quality offset printing on heavy art paper; contains new photography and dolls from 2012-2013; includes a foreword by my good friend Camila d’Errico; has silver gilded page edges and a sewn in cloth bookmark; published by Baby Tattoo Books. Price $90.00 CAD+shipping. 

Pre-order now!

The new Enchanted Doll book!

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Guess what I received in the mail today in a Fedex Express envelope, which I promptly tore into shreds like I'm a wild animal? Let me give you a little clue.

It's an advanced copy of my latest edition of the Enchanted Doll art book! Hip-hip Hooray! The pre-orders will open on Friday, May 23rd! Hip-hip, Hoooraay! Let me tell you about it. It's pretty beautiful and I'm incredibly proud of it:

This is an exclusive signed, numbered and stamped Artist Edition of 500 copies. It's been revised and expanded from 150 to 190 pages long; hard bound; high quality offset printing on heavy art paper; contains new photography and dolls from 2012-2013; includes a foreword by my good friend Camila d'Errico; has silver gilded page edges and a sewn in cloth bookmark; published by Baby Tattoo Books. Price $90 CND+shipping.

Pre-orders will be open this coming Friday, May 23rd.Wait for the announcement and get ready to get your copy!

 

Making Empress Theodora doll

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She'll be premiered at Spectrum fantasy convention this weekend in Kansas City, along with two other new dolls. I won't have anything for sale at the event this time, but we will be giving away posters and if you come, you will be the first ones to see the new dolls!

Oh my god, I've got so much to do today...

The hands of Gloriana - My new large, porcealain Doll!

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I've had many 'firsts' these past couple of months, experiencing processes that are familiar to me, yet never tried before (by me) on this scale: First large molding (which was kinda horrible), first time casting large parts (which was awful), first time firing them (not so bad), first time cleaning ( a little weird)  and first time painting them (just what I expected).I've still got one more 'First' left to do tomorrow: Assembly - the moment of truth.

If it works, this doll will be premiered this weekend, at the Spectrum Live convention in Kansas City. Well, I'm already committed to going, so I'll be taking her there with me either whole or in pieces. I hope she's whole.

Come and see her!http://spectrumfantasticartlive.com/