| To start, on the head, I carve out neck and hair, leaving facial details
for last. When I start the face, I carve in the forhead curve along the
profile of the bridge of the nose. this curve is already partially indicated
in my blank, but always has to be refined. |
   |
| Then I carve in the eye sockets, on either side, creating the bridge.
I mark out where the nose, lipline, and under-lip curve are, and around
this area I make a nose/lips/chin mound by carving the cheeks back. With
Hitty's child-like profile, I noticed that her nose, lips, and chin all
thrust out to basically the same extent, as opposed to a more adult profile
where the nose would be more prominent. |
   |
| I carve out a nose/lip/chin mound, as I shape and carve back the cheeks
on either side. |
   |
| Then I score and carve in a very deep, detailed lipline, complete with
somewhat 'triangular,' wider corners of the mouth.The reason I do this before
carving many nose, chin, or lip details is that I noticed when I carved
things down to a lip-mound, with separate nose and chin, and then tried
to carve in the lip-line, the lips were way too susceptible to verticle
chipping and shattering. So I have always found it easiest to think of the
nose/lips/chin mound as one unit, and to take the deepest and most dangerous
cut, (for me), when it is still most solid. Also, by carving the lipline
at this stage, I have a good idea of the expression the lipline will have,
and can use it as a guide in the rest of the carving. |
|
| After the lipline, I carve the lips around it by first carving the undernose/upperlip
curve, then the smaller underlips/overchin curve. Finally, I then shape
out the sides of the lips, chin, and nose,(nostrils mainly), on either side,
and do any final adjustments on cheek shape, etc. |
 |
A final guide on cheeks is to study the profile of the
doll's face. For most doll styles I carve, I am aiming for a clearly defined
nose, lip, and chin profile, unobscured by a cheek-line, which should
be carved well back on either side. If the cheeks obscure any of the features
in profile, the doll is probably too apple-cheeked, and I carve them back
farther. This guideline doesn't always apply-- for some doll styles, such
as babies or toddlers, old women, or just to make those sweet, gorgeously
apple-cheeked dolls!
|
  |
Our Model is SH2, Hitty Melissa. She is a White Ash Shoulderhead
and has also been cast in resin.
|
 
|
(c)2006 Sara DeGroat Cole, SCH
