Girl in Progress: Part Deux

So....I haven't given you a 30 Day Shred update in awhile.

Incidentally, I started level two today.

Incidentally, I hate Jillian Michael's again.

Just say'n.

FOR REALS.  It is INSANE!  But totally worth it and I know I will love her again in a few days, so it's all good, Jillian.  I know you read my blog and all, so I just want you to know the hatred never lasts.  HA!!!

Now...moving on to my Girl in Progress.  Last week I shared with you the beginning structure of a doll I am creating along with the journey I took to get her there.  Well, I have done some more work on her and I wanted to show you how she is coming along.

She is taking a long time.  I don't usually stretch projects out like this, but for some reason she wants it this way, so we are going with it.  K?  k.




When I last left you she looked like this.  A simple wire armature with sculpted polymer clay arms, legs, and head and stuffed canvas face painted with gesso.  A start, but certainly not a completed work as of yet.




My next step was to wrap the wire armature.  I considered a couple of options and actually attempted to do it with floral tape, liking the stretchy and only partially adhesive qualities, but it sort of crashed and burned.  That happens sometimes.  Go with it.  Learn from it.  Move on.

So...I decided to wrap her with good 'ole masking tape.  Yup.  Just regular inexpensive masking tape.  BUT...I wrapped it backwards...you know...so the sticky side was on the OUTSIDE instead of on the INSIDE.  'Cause that made more sense.

No....seriously, though folks.  It actually DOES make more sense.  I will tell you why.

You see, by wrapping the tape backwards I had complete control over where it went and I had the ability to sculpt in into shape by utilizing the adhesive on the outside.  If it was all stuck to the wire and itself it would have been a royal bloody mess and that just would have sucked.  AND...I stuffed it.  Yes.  She is stuffed.  And because I just like to upcycle, recycle, reuse, and all that other after-school-special fun stuff (Do they even still DO those?  After school specials?  Did I just age myself?  Damn.  I hate it when I do that.  Oh, well....yeah, so moving on.) I decided to stuff her with cut strips of plastic bag.  It's a FANTASTIC stuffing and I highly recommend it in conjunction with a sculpted tape torso.  They play really well together.  Just say'n.




So, this is what she looked like after I taped and stuffed her.  HA!!!!

Is anyone else finding that hilarious?  I taped and stuffed her.  Out of context.... oh the places we could go!  HA!  Love it.

Anyway...I'm tangenting today and I'm not going to apologize because quite frankly if you've been reading my blog for more than a day or so you should be used to it by now.  Just say'n.

Here comes the fun part!
I'm so excited!!!!

I went all old school on her.




I cut newspaper into strips and then mixed flour and water in a bowl to create a FABULOUSLY messy paper mache paste.  I dumped my paper strips right into the bowl and used my hands to mix it all together until they were THOROUGHLY soaked.  So.  Much.  FUN!!!  It was like good old elementary school crafts again.  I was a HAPPY girl.  Albeit, a rather sticky mess of one.

So, I wrapped the strips around...be aware if you choose to try this method that the tape being inside out is NO help during this part.  Because the paper mache glue is all wet it doesn't stick to the tape at all, so you have to layer it and get it to stick to itself.  It's so fun, though, for reals.  Not.  Even.  Joking.




After wrapping the torso and getting all giddy because I LOVED the way she was coming out SO much I decided that I didn't want a simple flat painted face, so I sculpted a bit of a paper mache face on top of the gesso coated fabric.  I realize that it all looks a bit messy, but clean up comes later.  It's just flour and water...it will wipe clean.  I'm not too good with faces yet, but I like this style of nose and I gave her cheeks a bit of 'oomph' so that, combined with some paint later, is going to be a wonderful face for my darling.




So, there she is!  Fully paper mached and looking, as The Hubbums put it...like a 'real doll!'  I love her.  I really really really really really really love her.  I hope I don't screw her up.  HA!  No, but for real, I actually have one more step done - I painted her torso and she looks amazing!  I will be finishing her up soon and, of course, I will share her with you when I'm done!  I'm loving this process, though!  LOVING IT!

Alright, that's enough of me for today.

Jingle Out.

HA!!!!!! HA!!!!  OH, my LOU!  That never gets un-funny.

Just say'n.