So.
Just over a week into 2021 and already the world is plunging ever deeper into turmoil. Watching or listening to the news these days should come with a mental health warning!
However, I've been spending the first few weeks Lockdown III in a combination of work and play. Admittedly, more work than play this week as I've made a start on china painting the boxes of tiny dolls from my marathon casting sessions last year. I've posted about the process before...most recently HERE. It's one of the more enjoyable aspects of the porcelain dollmaking process, as the small faces really begin to come to life with coloured features. I like to keep my faces fairly soft, with no harsh colours and each painting session I have to take time to 'get my eye in'. Bear in mind that I am painting facial features onto heads the size of a petit pois, so eyes are the size of mustard seeds. It's quite tricky.
Also, reds are a bit of a bugger and really fade out when fired. I blush cheeks twice (with two firings) but they still tend to be too pale.
Tip - for more of a 'blush' you can use your own cosmetic blusher, applied with a cotton bud to the cheeks, and blended out at the edges, just as you'd do on your face. The cosmetic blush will rub off though, so I do this after the doll is dressed and wigged when the face won't be handled.
I finished a painting session this morning and the dolls are now in the kiln for their first firing, so I'm just about to tidy up in the workroom, ready for a weekend of play. I'll be continuing with my little half scale shop and getting organised to make a start on my first ever properly bound notebook.
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