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Post by amandap on Apr 14, 2016 5:13:39 GMT -8
I thought it might be fun to share what supplies we use in crafting our dolls (or dressing them!) as I don't think I've spotted a dedicated topic for that yet  I've only been working in a class setting so far, but my teacher has me using Bell's porcelain slip and paints. Bell's is really hard to get a hold of here in Australia unfortunately, though. There's only one supplier in Australia, in Perth, and the porcelain doll teachers are holding onto the contact details tightly so everyone has to order through them. I'm currently trying to contact Bell's in the states to see if there can be a direct line but so far they've been really unresponsive. I bought myself a gallon of Seeley's slip since that was readily available at a local distributor but have yet to try it. My teacher hates Seeley's with a passion and won't let me use it haha. I've been trying to find good sources of fabric and hair. So far I've found Dharma Trading Co. to be very affordable when it comes to fabric, but I miss being able to touch and feel the fabric before purchase since it's all online. I almost have to have a relationship with my fabric before buying  Have yet to find a good source for hair but I've been eyeing off some stores on Etsy. I came across a couple other brands I was considering buying to try out: Willoughby's porcelain and paints here: www.colorificporcelain.com/Virginia LaVorgna paints and brushes here: www.virginialavorgna.com/Ultra Chic porcelain and paints here: www.theporcelainplace.com/What have you guys been using?  |
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Post by kellys on Apr 14, 2016 18:17:23 GMT -8
I currently use Seeley's because I found a sale on store stock of it, and I fairly like it. I used Ultra Chic when I started, and I think I liked it a little less- though it may have been my lack of experience that gave me less-than-perfect results. I buy sculpting supplies from Cool Tools online, they have some great resources. I get mohair through etsy.
I love buying arts and crafts supplies!
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Post by amandap on Apr 14, 2016 21:48:16 GMT -8
Thanks for your comments! What was it that you didn't like about ultra chic? They make some pretty amazing claims about their porcelain, so I'm curious how much of it is true. No propping, easy thinning, no grit... sounds like the perfect porcelain if it's true haha
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fawkes
Senior Member
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Post by fawkes on Apr 14, 2016 22:19:38 GMT -8
The porcelain I use is a German brand called "MontBlanc"; I like it because it's really white and translucent. I use Seeley's china paint mainly bought on ebay. I get Mohair, human hair from various ebay sellers as well. I use internet a lot as I live in a very small provincial town/village and porcelain stores are not available.
Btw I find your teachers are really narrow-minded! They keep their little secrets and don't let you use the material you want to use...Come on! Are they free courses or do you pay them...? Isn't teaching about the transmission of knowledge?
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Post by amandap on Apr 15, 2016 2:16:13 GMT -8
Never heard of that one fawkes, I might look it up. I've been wanting to use white porcelain as I'm completely addicted to the look; looks like cream! The seeley's slip I bought is white but since Ive yet to use it, I don't know how translucent it is. Again, my teacher only uses coloured porcelain because she personally believes that white isn't a realistic skin tone and unless you're going to completely paint it you should stick to tinted porcelains. A lot of her opinions are very closed minded I feel too, but I just see the classes as a means to an end. I'll learn to work with porcelain a lot faster with her help and then I can do all the experimenting on my own. I do pay a pretty penny to see her though which can be frustrating when her ideals clash with mine. But I've just learned to listen to the information that's genuinely helpful and filter the rest out, much to her disgust haha.  |
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Post by kellys on Apr 15, 2016 4:25:51 GMT -8
Thanks for your comments! What was it that you didn't like about ultra chic? They make some pretty amazing claims about their porcelain, so I'm curious how much of it is true. No propping, easy thinning, no grit... sounds like the perfect porcelain if it's true haha I thought Ultra Chic was a bit chalky when finished- but again, I used it when I first started. I may give it another try one day. I learned from books and online information. I tried to find someone to teach me but couldn't find anyone. I found someone a few hours away, but he cancelled on me a few times, so I gave up! Everyone has their opinions and preferences on supplies. As for colored porcelain, I ordered the Ultra Chic color Dresden, and it was really pink! I think starting with a warm white or cream is a beautiful look. I have a white that is cold, and it isn't pretty for a skin tone. |
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Post by amandap on Apr 15, 2016 4:55:41 GMT -8
I know what you mean about the cool and warm toned whites. I wonder if sometimes it looks unpleasent because the wrong paints were used in the blushing though, because I've seen a couple people use very cold almost blue whites and it looks beautiful while others look wrong for some reason. I was taught that sometimes china paints get organised into french and german colours- the french colours having a slightly blue base and the german colours have a slightly orange/red base. I wonder if using the french colours on a cool white would look better. All stuff I can't wait to experiment with. Saving up for a kiln at the moment, they're so expensive here in Australia.
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fawkes
Senior Member
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Post by fawkes on Apr 15, 2016 7:01:49 GMT -8
I understand how frustrating it must be to work with your teacher; but you're right, you'll learn the ropes a lot faster with her help. Like Kellys I'm self-taught and errors were many at first but it's part of the learning process...learning that way is also a lot of fun I think - besides I like to be on my own so I think it's best for me.
With white porcelain you can build up your own skin tone with the colours you like; I have never used tinted slip...do you blush it and add shading or do you leave it as is?
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Post by amandap on Apr 16, 2016 20:55:41 GMT -8
Yeah, it's been interesting what I've learned so far but I am looking forward to experimenting on my own. There's a lot of different paint styles and porcelain firing techniques that I want to try that the teacher doesn't allow; so I think our time together is nearing its end. So far I've only used tinted porcelain slip with blushing which I think looks a bit flat. I would like to use white slip and bring it to the tone I want with paints, which is why I bought the Seeley's slip but haven't been allowed to try that method. I can't do it at home yet because I still have no kiln, unfortunately. The cheapest one I've come across is $1000, so it's probably still going to be about a month before I can get a hold of it.
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Post by kellys on Apr 17, 2016 15:57:53 GMT -8
I paid about $800 for my tiny doll/test kiln 6 or so years ago. I was at a standstill with what I could do- I could not travel with painted pieces to fire them like I had with just firing the porcelain. I was using the kiln at my old high school.
Problems I had early on were with air bubbles in the pieces from not handling the slip properly, and not knowing how to smooth and finish the porcelain. I learned so much through trial and error. Sooo much error...
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Post by EarthShine Doll on Apr 17, 2016 18:47:56 GMT -8
I've just been using ultra chic, I haven't tried any other brands yet, although I'm planning on checking out axner, and seely's. I like ultra chic pretty well, they have a ton of flesh tone colors, although I haven't been able to get that "translucent" look everyone always describes good porcelain as. It is probably my inexperience though.... China paints: Lots of mixed vials from ebay, some are marked are willoughbys, maryland china co, lolita de smith, the rest just have the colors typewriter printed on them, hehe! Hair: I've bought human hair on ebay, although I feel like its maybe a little thick for the size wigs being made...I definitely prefer mohair which is just so wispy and delicate. I paid about $800 for my tiny doll/test kiln 6 or so years ago. I was at a standstill with what I could do- I could not travel with painted pieces to fire them like I had with just firing the porcelain. I was using the kiln at my old high school. Problems I had early on were with air bubbles in the pieces from not handling the slip properly, and not knowing how to smooth and finish the porcelain. I learned so much through trial and error. Sooo much error... Kellys, I'm having trouble with tons of bubbles too(in the greenware)... I'm glad you brought this up because I've been unable to find any thorough info online that covers how to handle the slip and "porcelain problems". I understand that pinholes can happen in greenware and sfgw but I feel like it can be avoided... is it a matter of putting the slip in an air vacuum(like you do for resin)? |
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Post by amandap on Apr 17, 2016 20:33:26 GMT -8
Wow I've never even heard of some of those paint brands before. I can see now I'll have a lot to buy to decide on what I like most haha.
I don't know if it will help of not, but I can explain what my teacher does to avoid air bubbles. She starts off by rolling the gallon container to remove the slip from the walls of the container. She then gets a wooden dowel (just a sraight stick thing) and stirs it in one direction slowly. She pulls the stick out slowly letting the slip drip off the vertical stick. She then pours it through a strainer into a smaller container. She lets it sit for 20 mins uncovered, breaking up any skin that forms with a toothpick. She taps the container gently to release any air bubbles that are left. Then she pours into the pour hole in a steady stream that doesn't block the pour hole.
That's the method I used to pour my first doll and I didn't get any air bubbles or pinholes so hopefully something in there is helpful. I asked her if one could use a vacuum chamber and she said the mold would likely overflow so it's best to just do the mixing right. There's probably a way to make it work for you though so it's probably worth experimenting. I know I'll be using a vacuum chamber to make the molds.
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Post by EarthShine Doll on Apr 18, 2016 9:30:21 GMT -8
Wow I've never even heard of some of those paint brands before. I can see now I'll have a lot to buy to decide on what I like most haha. I don't know if it will help of not, but I can explain what my teacher does to avoid air bubbles. She starts off by rolling the gallon container to remove the slip from the walls of the container. She then gets a wooden dowel (just a sraight stick thing) and stirs it in one direction slowly. She pulls the stick out slowly letting the slip drip off the vertical stick. She then pours it through a strainer into a smaller container. She lets it sit for 20 mins uncovered, breaking up any skin that forms with a toothpick. She taps the container gently to release any air bubbles that are left. Then she pours into the pour hole in a steady stream that doesn't block the pour hole. That's the method I used to pour my first doll and I didn't get any air bubbles or pinholes so hopefully something in there is helpful. I asked her if one could use a vacuum chamber and she said the mold would likely overflow so it's best to just do the mixing right. There's probably a way to make it work for you though so it's probably worth experimenting. I know I'll be using a vacuum chamber to make the molds. Thanks for your advice Amandap! I will try this now. I definitely had not been this meticulous when it came to the slip. Thank you so much for the insight! It is so awesome you have a teacher to show you all the foundations of everything! Even if you don't agree with everything she does(especially her lack of flexibility it seems!) That hands on experience is priceless! That is what's so hard I think, is that every doll artist has a different way they like to do things. When you're new(like me!)seeing all the different paths and options can be overwhelming! |
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Post by amandap on Apr 19, 2016 4:39:21 GMT -8
I'm glad I could help Yes I think getting classes is worth the money when you think of all the hours you have to spend experimenting otherwise. Not that I'm not going to do a bunch of experimenting anyway haha |
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Have yet to find a good source for hair but I've been eyeing off some stores on Etsy. 
