Make Miniature Porcelain Dolls
Miniature porcelain dolls are also called Minerettes, Bluette, Cabinet dolls or dollhouse dolls. They are usually no more than 6 inches tall and more commonly 3 inches to 4 inches tall. The most common version of this doll is the all-porcelain style and is jointed at the hips, head and shoulders. Making any porcelain doll is an adventure in patience, creativity, fortitude and expense. Undertaking porcelain doll making, if you are just starting out, is expensive to begin.
Instructions
Preparing the Slip and Casting
1. Mix the porcelain slip in the jug with the paint paddle. Make sure to scoop and stir from the bottom to get the thick clays mixed well. A drill with paint paddle attachments makes it easier
2. Prepare your mold. Unband and open your mold. Blow or brush out any dust or residue from each side of the mold, and put the mold back together securing it with the rubber bands or mold bands.
3. With the mold standing with its pour hole facing up, gently and steadily pour the slip into the cavity, filling it up almost to overflowing. Every few minutes, check the level and refill to keep it filled.
4. After 30 minutes, drain the mold. Turn the mold over the bucket and let the slip drain out. Prop the mold, hole side down, on the bucket and drain all residual slip. Once all the slip has drained, pour the leftovers back into the jug.
Allow the mold to sit undisturbed for 2 hours before un-molding
5. Place the mold on a flat surface and remove the bands then half of the mold. Let the porcelain piece air dry for a while. When the porcelain has a color change, you can remove it from the mold. Set it aside to dry all around.
Working the Pieces
6. Remove the excess by dampening the seam and cutting and scraping. Dampen and cut out eyeholes, pate hole, and pierce holes for threading. Wash the pieces with scrubber in water and soft cloth to remove debris and smooth any rough edges. Insert the beveler into head hole and position it at the eye socket. Rotate the beveler so it grinds away some of the eye socket.
7. Set up kiln in an area that is not crowded. Place prop in kiln and place doll pieces in the kiln. Set the timer according to slip manufacturer's directions for first fire. Once firing completes, cool down the kiln and porcelain pieces completely before next step.
8. Use the mop brush or other brush and apply "over wash" on all doll pieces. Air dry and fire again. Cool completely before continuing. Overwash is a general coloring of skin tone for porcelain dolls.
9. Apply details. Line the eyes and create eyelashes. Dip brush in eyelash color and make a dot at the lash line and pull down toward cheek creating a smooth, fine line.
Apply Brows. Locate brow bone and make a straight line. Use a wipeout tool to create an arch. As you did on eyelashes, pull hairs up toward hairline to create hairs.
Apply lip detail. Use a lighter color for lips and a darker one for lip liner.
Apply cheek color to apples of cheeks, dimples and highlight spots
Add any other details.
10. Fire again for last time. This firing will be longer. Cool completely for 24 hours before stringing.
Assembly
11. Begin with knotting the end of the elastic cord. Force the knot into a leg hip hole. Apply fast setting epoxy. When cured, bring cord up to shoulder and go through shoulder to arm set with S hook. Loop in S hook in arm, then across through the body to the other shoulder securing into the arm S hook, then back down to other hip and into opening in leg. Secure the cord in place with epoxy putty This method forms an "X."
12. Drop the neck screw into the neck opening of the head. Push the hook of the neck screw through the neck opening of the body and grab the elastic cord that is running through the body across the shoulders. Pull up and crimp the hook around the elastic cord. Slowly set the head onto the body.
13. For setting the eyes, apply two small balls of eye wax on the inside of the eye socket. With iris forward, place eye into head and press against the eye wax. The eye wax will hold eye in place while you adjust the "stare." Once adjusted, mix and apply epoxy putty, sealing the eye against the head and socket.
14. With tacky glue, apply bead around lip of head opening and on the narrow matching lip on the inside edge of pate. Press pate in place on head and, using painter's tape, secure pate in place until it is completely dry.
Apply glue all around head and place wig on head. Use pins pushed through wig into pate to keep wig in place while drying. Doll is ready to dress.
Tags: elastic cord, around head, bring cord, completely before, Cool completely, doll pieces