I abandoned this little blog a couple of years ago when I also gave up reborning baby dolls. I'd found that while I enjoyed the intensive, laborious work of creating a reborn, I could not find my place in the reborning market.In other words, I was spending more money on my art than I was making.
So why resurrect this blog now?
I have found my way into the world of OOAK (one of a kind) doll repainting, and boy, do I love it here! I begin with a store-bought doll, remove her factory paint, and give her a completely new look or face-up using soft pastels and professional acrylics. I seal the deal with Mr. Super Clear.
So far, I have painted Ellowyne Wilde, Monster High, and Ever After High dolls. Of the three, I enjoy repainting the MH dolls the most. I love their unique personalities, and I have a lot of fun giving them a whole new look.You can have a peek at my currently available dolls in my Etsy shop. Thanks so much for peeking!
The dolls I've painted so far vary from quirky and strange to cute and fun to just plain adorable (i.e. Lagoonafire). I spend about ten to twelve hours on each doll. I squeeze in dolly repaint time between being a mom to two fabulous kids, completing grad school assignments, and generally running a household on my own. Painting fills a space in my life, allowing me to express myself creatively and at the same time, offer something cool and fun for others to view and enjoy (and maybe even purchase).
Today, I posted a picture of my latest repaint, Lagoonafire, on Facebook, and it caught my friend Abby's eye. She declared it adorable but then she posed a challenge. What if I pushed myself further still? What if I devoted a huge amount of time on one doll? This got me to thinking? What if I went deeper with the details and layering? What if I added more hair to give the doll's hairstyle a fuller, more life-like look? What if I sewed her an original outfit? What if I made jewelry for her?
The dolls I currently sell in my shop are reasonably priced to be readily available to someone who likes them. Each doll is $40 plus shipping. At the moment, I'm offering $5 off each order. All you have to do is use coupon code INSTAGRAM714.
The "what if" doll would, of course, be more expensive due to the extensive work involved in creating her, but I believe there is a market for my work. I simply have to find my audience. Oh, and I have to keep doing the work itself, pushing myself farther with each new doll I create.
Here's the thing. I'm going to give this "what if" doll a try. And, I've decided to share the journey with you. I'll be taking work-in-progress pictures along the way and blogging, perhaps once or twice a week, about my process.
The "what if" doll is *drum roll* Abbey Bominable! (In honor of my friend, Abby!)
Because I already took her hair down, I'll share a stock image I found online, so you have an idea of what she looks like before her makeover.
So, what do you think of my new venture? Are you a doll fan? Which doll brand/line is your favorite and why? Have you ever tried repainting a doll? What are your favorite techniques?
Coming up next: "What If" Doll Gets a New Hairdo
Dolly hugs,
Trenda Marie
No comments:
Post a Comment