Izannah Dolls

Two Izannah Dolls, different heads, different look, but with the same painting technique on each.  These are new molds, and I like both of them. I described these dolls as having been primitively painted, but in reality, while this process for these two was short, it required restraint on my part, and knowing how to stain and then apply finishing touches. You can get a fine polished look by sanding and painting and repeating the process a lot, and some dolls need this, but these two were painted in three steps taking only about a good week to finish. First, I gessoed the doll, then, without sanding at all, I painted one coat of oil paint and let dry, then I began the distressing, using a super gentle sanding over one time, then taking my tools,  I distressed my girls as much as I thought they needed, with various tools, such as a dental pick, and turning the sandpaper on edge to get better splitting. After all this was done, which only takes a few minutes, I mixed up my oil stain using burnt umber oil paint and Ivory black oil paint, and mixed this in cold pressed linseed oil. Once the stain is put on and rubbed off, I went back with my paint and applied heavy flesh color where needed, touched up the eyes, worked on tweeting out the mouth and cheeks, which on the cheeks you have to be careful using not to much paint, and a very dry brush. the texture of the cloth on the doll is rough, but the extra buildup of paint in certain areas, gives the appearance of old paint that has not began coming off yet, atleast this is what it looks like to me. I don't think you can appreciate the look of the doll with just the head, but it needs the whole body painted in the same way and appropriate clothes to get the full effect of a old looking doll. My experiments continue and I am still learning new things I can do on the dolls. These instructions are for anyone's benefit and hopefully you will be inspired to try some ageing on your dolls.

Mona Lisa

This is Mona Lisa, a 19" Izannah doll. She has a molded cloth head, stitched fingers, applied thumbs and ears and painted boots, also an aged sateen second skin. She has been undergoing ageing experiments for quite a long time, but now I am satisfied she is good. I actually think she is beautiful. I'm not totally done, as I have to touch up arms and legs, and paint out and polish her boots, and of course make her some clothes. I have not ever mentioned this before in my blog posts, but if there is any interest in this doll, I will be happy to talk about it, as my husband needs a new lawn mower, and I will have to help him pay for it. She will be reasonable, and not listed at an outlandish price. It takes me a long time to make clothes, and lots of people want to get or make their own clothes, so if I don't have to make the clothes, it is easier for me. email is Martha@maboriginals.com