Attention Porcelain Dollmakers!
Now That You Can Pour And Clean Like A Pro...
It's Time To Get Fired Up For The Finish

Master Doll Artisan Judy Orr is back with the second tape in her porcelain dollmaking video workshop. In Part II, "Porcelain Dollmaking 2: Painting and Assembly" Judy picks up where she left off in Part I, "Porcelain Dollmaking 1: Pouring Molds and Cleaning Greenware." These videos make up the first two volumes of The Master Dollmakers Video Instructional Series, a multi-part course featuring expert instruction by some of the country's top dollmakers.

While other porcelain dollmaking videos limit themselves to demonstrating only two or three stages of painting, "Porcelain Dollmaking: Painting and Assembly" covers seven stages of painting. The elements revealed in these seven stages will allow you to create a more elegant and beautiful doll. You'll also learn how to assemble your dolls, and the safety precautions you need to take when working with certain materials. And you'll discover creative solutions to many of the problems and challenges you may encounter along the way to completing your porcelain beauties. As in Part I, Judy begins with a review of the tools and materials you'll need, including paint, brushes, cotton, and pencils. Before painting your dolls you'll use a sanding pad to remove any residual grit that may have formed during the initial firing process. "When the porcelain feels like satin," says Judy, "you're almost there." She then shows you how to use a piece of silk to determine whether or not you've sanded enough.

The next step is to add a base coat to the individual pieces of the doll, including the torso, head, arms, legs, hands, and feet. Although the initial firing will make the porcelain look pink, it isn't quite flesh tone. Painting the body will make it appear more natural. It's here that you'll also add detail to the finger nails and toenails. And if at any time you don't like what you've done, you can use paint thinner to remove the paint and start over again. Remember also that colors will become richer and more natural looking with each firing.

Next you'll work on the face and add color to bring out the highlights in the cheeks, lips, and eyes. Then it's time for another firing. From there you'll move on to an additional six stages of painting the face and firing it to bring out even more detail and make the doll look even more beautiful. These stages include painting the eyelashes, eyelids, lips, and nose. You'll even learn how to paint traditional and swing eye lashes. All of these stages follow the same basic procedure. You'll begin by practicing on paper, follow by applying the paint to your doll, and finish up each stage with another firing.

Safety is also an important issue on this video. For example, while it's O.K. to use saliva to remove tiny marks of excess paint, don't put the tip of the painting tool back in your mouth once it's been exposed to paint. "There's lead in oil paint" says Judy. "So be very conscious of what you put back in your mouth." By the sixth stage, all that's left to do is add highlights to the nose, around the eyes, and mouth before the final firing. And once the face has been painted and fired for the last time, it's time to set the eyes. All along the way, Judy shares the special techniques she has developed over the past 17 years. If you've decided to paint the eyes instead of setting them, Judy reviews the painting techniques you'll need to follow. She suggests you begin with pale colors and deepen them with each firing. Once again, the procedure looks easy as Judy reveals each step in the process in detail.

If you're setting your eyes, there's a multitude from which to choose... from plastic to glass blown, to paperweight. Paperweight eyes, says Judy, are made in Italy using old art form techniques. This makes them more beautiful, but very expensive. "If you're new to dollmaking, don't invest in paperweight eyes," she says. "Those with a plastic backing and glass front will work just fine." During the final stages of the video you'll learn how to paint hair on both adult dolls and a newborn baby. Then it's on to assembling where Judy reviews not one, but five different ways of putting your dolls together. Don't worry, though. The camera zooms in close enough so you don't miss any of the crucial steps. So you're never overwhelmed or intimidated by the process.

Finally, Judy challenges your mind and your dexterity by showing you how to use the techniques you've learned to assemble the tiniest of miniature dolls. Now there's only one thing left to do... Have fun wigging and dressing your dolls any way you like.

For that you'll want to turn to the other tapes in The Master Dollmakers Video Instructional Series which include "Wigging Miniature Women," "Wigging Miniature Men, Children & Babies," "Antique 12-inch Porcelain Santa," and "Dressing Your Tiny Victorian Doll."