Imagining the Possibility. Part 2
The Bride vs The Bride of Christ 2024
Before we dive into the creative process, let's take a moment to appreciate the original artwork. "The Bride" is a stunning marble sculpture created by Raffaelle Monti in the 19th century. It depicts a veiled bride with intricate details that capture the beauty and elegance of the of a young bride. It is so incredibility beautiful!
I was so stunned by the beauty of this bust I felt compelled to recreate it. I could see how to do it. Art has a way of changing things as we crate, so we will see.
As a reminder of what has already changed in this project. In the 1st blog we basically work on the project head ready to begin work on it. I removed the hands, and the area they were attached to the frame of the bust. I called them elbow holes. I wet her hair using school glue and when it was saturated, I rolled the sides and braided the back of the hair.
I thought that I would just have 2 blogs about this head, As I was planning out the veil and head band, there was so much to making it work that I thought there should be the 3rd blog of this head. * I have a list of items I used to make the head over at the bottom of the this Blog if you need to know what was used.
For The Next Part: I spray painted 4 coats of white spray paint.
I enjoyed just how much the head changed as I removed her creepy hands. Then arranged and stiffened the hair. When the hair was dry, I gave her 4 coats of white spray paint. She went from a cartoon caricature to looking more like a human. I could see how things could work, now that she looks more like a human.
I didn't count on the blue dress color still being seen through all 4 coats of paint. The prep work took time because I had to wait until each layer was dry before moving forward with the next step. If I try something like this again it will be in summer with shorter drying times, not winter. Winter in my shop is not good for painting, it's too cool and not much ventilation.
Overall this project went together pretty well. And the problems seemed like they could be easily fix with just a little more work then I had planned. The bigger problem was that I had never tried to “sculpted” an area with clay before. I have only made simple things with clay in my classrooms.
Molding the dress and arms:
I didn't count on having to cut off the elbow holes, and leaving the area with holes that needed filling. Or that the color of the dress was would take so much paint to hide. And the pink and blue hair that was mixed in the head hair also didn't take paint well.
No hands Blue hair The things I used to fix the arms.
I will be using 2 small pieces of heavy card stock, just enough to cover the arm openings, TiteBond Rich and Thick glue, glue gun and sticks, scissors and Iron Orchid Design's Air Dry Clay, silicon pastry sheet, (I picked up at a bigbox store for $5ish and small fondant rolling pin.
I placed card board over the holes and cut them to fit the holes and added hot glue to hold the cardboard pieces over the hole. I cut the cardboard across the bottom of the bust to that it would be flush and level.
I measured the bust at the bottom, which was 12” long x 4” wide at the bottom of the bust and rolled out the clay to cover that area. I rolled air dry clay into about 12x 4x 3 inch and about ¼' think. I cut about 3” off of both ends of the clay pieces, to use for the arms. I worked the glue into the clay strips and added glue to the card stock and sides of arms. And spread the sticky clay over the area on both sides of the bust spreading it as evenly as I could over both arms.
I took some of the sticky clay and shaped a small circle and cut it in half to form the eyelids, and attached them to the eye area on the head.
Next I added the dollar store eyelashes was glued to the end of the lids with some of the glue. I didn't know if the glue on the lashes would hold up to everything I was planning. Also I painted the eyelashes with the same glue to make them stiff. I did 3 coats in between working on different areas.
Not perfect looking, adding the lashes added some life to the head. I let the arms and eyes dry a couple of hours before I added the dress. I did trim the eyelashes shorter on the inside outside edge of the eyes to make them look more natural.
Now it was time to add the 6 inch strip of clay across the bust line. I moistened the clay with a spray bottle of water, to make it easier to spread. I used the IOD Blade to help shape and cut the clay. The Blade is now discontinued, and is available only while the supplies last. Again Not Perfect, I will sand the eyelids and the bust line after the have dried for over night (or longer)
The next day I looked over my moulds and still this beautiful Dainty Flourishes mould was perfect for the bridal gown. I am using the 2 of the full length of the thin element, with the curl at the top, I made 3rd curl for the center of the dress.
I made 2 more of the same elements without the curl for the back of the dress. Then I added the 2 longer elements following the shape of the dress from the top of the should to the front of the bust line. And then added the 2 shorter elements to the back of the dress from the top of the shoulders down.
It was too cold to spray paint outside, so I used instead a small amount of DYI White Swan paint, mixed with Sweet Pickin's Top Coat in Matte, to touch up the face, lashes, clay, and pink/blue hair with 2 coats.
I may need to do more work on the clay to be smoother. We will see how the veil looks on her before I pull out my sander.
So far this is how she looks now.
I have a basic idea to make the veil. I will be playing with different stiffening products to find out which one will be the best to harden the veil and still letting us see through it. She has really taken shape, I am very please with its progress so far.
Next week Blog will be the last one in this series. We will do finial touch ups on the doll head, make the veil and head band. The veil is the most challenging part of this project. I am looking forward to seeing the project head with the veil on. See ya next week.
*If you are planning to join me in trying to create one of these here's what you will need:
Items needed:
Project head- I wanted a stylist doll head because it already had shoulders and a bust line.
White and cream spray paint.
Moulds- I will use Iron Orchid Design's moulds; Dainty Flourishes, Juliette, and Village Market.
Air dry clay, I may use resin for the headband.
I down loaded photos from the internet to have a 360 view of the head.* see at end of blog.
I am using Aleene's clear glue, white school glue and TiteBond Quick and Thick glue or wood glue.
Glue gun,
A 1 inch-ish white/cream Ribbon or Strip of Fabric- for a bow
1, 6” Embroidery Hoop- for the head band.
Tulle or lace- Or both,
Fake eyelashes- I found mine at the dollar store
Pen and paper
Tools Needed: if you can pick and choose what you want to use.
A lazy-susan
IOD's Blade set
Gloves
Baby wipes
Hair Dryer
Small Misting Bottle
Screwdriver
Tape
Assorted jars or something to elevate for veil testing.
Plastic wrap/ wax paper
Foam cord board, or cardboard.
Mixing stick
Sandpaper block/ and Fingernail file, I may use an eclectic sander if needed later on.
Hand or small electric saw. Or a helper to cut for you.