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Post by ayamish on Feb 11, 2016 8:27:12 GMT -8
Hello, I started to make my first porcelain BJD. I completed the sculpt with super sculpey and soon I will start to make the plaster molds. I have basic experience with plaster mold making but i haven't worked with porcelain, and I have some questions for the next parts of the doll making: 1. is it complicated to work with porcelain? 2. The doll head has faun ears, so how can I make the mold for the head? 3. Does vaseline prevents the super sculpey from sticking the plaster? 4. Does the porcelain sticks to the plaster after pouring it into the molds? If it does, how can i prevent that? I would be very happy if you will give me some tips for the next parts of the project. Thanks, Romi
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Post by EarthShine Doll on Feb 11, 2016 10:24:51 GMT -8
Hi! That's awesome that you're making a doll! You've come to the right place.  To answer your questions: 1. I personally do not find it complicated to work with porcelain, although I do have to say it does have a mind of it's own. If you are patient and take your time with it you won't have any problems. When it is first poured and dried it's almost like chalk, you have to be very delicate with it through the cleaning and firing processes. You will quickly get a feel for it and how light-handed you need to be with it. 2. Seeing the doll head in your picture(looks great btw!) I would cast the ears separately, in my opinion. check out Elena Zubkova's fairy girls, there are a lot of pics here on the forum of them! You'll see what I mean about the ears...I think if your poured it all together, the ears would be prone to breaking off. 3. I wouldn't recommend Vaseline as a mold release. It is not very water soluble and will end up gunking your molds up. I personally use Murphy's Oil Soap. You can find it in the cleaning section of stores usually. I brush a coat over everything before pouring the plaster and have never had any problems with plaster sticking. 4. Porcelain slip will not stick to your plaster molds. The dried plaster molds will suck the water out of the porcelain slip, and when left the appropriate amount of time, the hollow porcelain pieces will lift right out of the molds.  Hope this helps you! My advice would just be to do a lot of research on what others have done(woodland earth studio tutorial is a great one)and don't be afraid to jump into it and learn as you go! Hands on learning is the best, and you will find your groove!
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Post by ayamish on Feb 11, 2016 12:30:56 GMT -8
Hi, Thank you very much! Your answer was very helpful. I saw woodland earth studio have tutorial for molds soup instead of the Murphy's oil soup. The molds soup made of dish soup and water, do you think the parts will release from the molds with that molds soup? And how can I find Elena Zubkova's pics?
Thanks, Romi
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Post by EarthShine Doll on Feb 11, 2016 14:29:02 GMT -8
Hi! I've used plain dish soap before as well, it worked just fine. People use all kinds of different releases, I think it's just a matter of personal preference. You should be able to search her name Elena Zubkova: SweetTouchDoll Her girls ears look jointed, so you can have them pointed any way you like. also, Clover Dolls by Mariya Zhukova is in the "discussion by artist" section. She has a doll with fawn ears, and I think the head is cast in one piece. So really, there is no wrong/right way of doing anything! Best of luck! 
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Post by ayamish on Feb 12, 2016 9:31:18 GMT -8
Hi, Thank you very much! I wonder if the faun head mold will work good with only two parts, the front part will be with with the front side of the ears and the back part will be with the back side of the ears (like the draw in the photo), do you think it will work well?  Thanks, Romi
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Hasel
Senior Member
Posts: 220
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Post by Hasel on Feb 12, 2016 14:05:04 GMT -8
The ears probably will work that way, but you rare forgetting the neckhole, that also needs a seperate part 
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Post by ayamish on Feb 13, 2016 1:29:16 GMT -8
Thank you very much!
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Post by EarthShine Doll on Feb 14, 2016 12:44:12 GMT -8
Also, make sure to be aware of undercuts in the ears. You don't want deep holes that plaster can get stuck in....you can always add more detail later!
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Post by ayamish on Feb 15, 2016 10:51:42 GMT -8
Hi, what are undercuts? And how can I prevent them?
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Post by EarthShine Doll on Feb 15, 2016 17:02:00 GMT -8
This pic should explain it... 
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Post by ayamish on Feb 16, 2016 2:40:37 GMT -8
Thank you very very much!
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Post by ayamish on Apr 8, 2016 8:46:28 GMT -8
Hi, My plaster molds for my porcelain bjd are ready, and now I have some questions about the pouring of the porcelain. 1. I read that after pouring the porcelain to the molds, it should wait in the molds until it desired the thickness I want and then pour it out. First, I want to ask how long it takes the porcelain to desired the thickness it needs and how will I know when to pour it out? 2. Can I add details (like nostrils, lips and eyes lines, nails...) after taking the parts out from the molds? I had details in my original sculpture but I'm afraid they will disappear after poring the porcelain to the molds. 3. If parts will get broken after taking them out from the molds (like the faun ears), can I stick them back with more porcelain slip?
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Post by maryna on Apr 8, 2016 12:08:01 GMT -8
Hi Ayamish, Make sure your molds are really dry before you use them (it usually takes 4 to 6 days). It depends on the part, small parts like arms, hands, feet and ball joints are usually ready to empty just after 2-3 min., bigger parts take longer (torso could take like 7-10 min.) you would need to gage in the process, and don't be in a hurry to open your molds and take parts out, let your plaster take moister out. As you first take out your parts they will be quite wet so if you add the porcelain it will run, wait a few minutes (30-40) as parts are dryer you can add some details and then smooth it out with the brush.If you wait too long and parts are very dry adding more slip sometimes makes cracks. Yes you can fix the ears while your parts are not too dry.
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Post by ayamish on Apr 9, 2016 1:32:12 GMT -8
Thank you very much
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Lasmallen
New Member
thinking.... ;)
Posts: 14
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Post by Lasmallen on Apr 22, 2016 18:23:18 GMT -8
I have always wondered what the thickness "recommended" (in fresh and burned porcelain) on parts of a doll .... I'm never sure if it is too thin or too thick !! 
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