| DIY People: Plastic Foam and Cloth Dolls |
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Jane Houck's dolls are only made of cloth and plastic foam, but they seem to be so much more than just material. They seem to posses a personality. Now, that's just not possible you say? Well, not until you actually see one of Jane's creations. Her dolls may just change your mind.
"You see a character in your head," Jane says, "and you manifest it in cloth and foam and felt, or whatever is the medium. And soon, they have a story to tell. After all, what fun would dolls be if they didn't have a personality?" Jane feels most comfortable working with cloth dolls, and has expanded into sculpting with plastic foam. The tools (figure A) she uses to create her dolls come straight from the delivery room. Hemostats and surgical scissors, needles and thread, all are no less deftly used by this talented doll maker than by any pediatrician or surgeon. "I found hemostats the best way to manipulate stuffing fiber into the parts of a cloth doll. To make the body look natural, you need to pack a lot of fiber into those cavities, and a hemostat is the perfect instrument for this," Jane explains. All of Jane's dolls have articulated arms (figure B) and legs. Each joint is created using buttons and balls that permit the extremities to move freely. This allows Jane to position the doll in many different poses (figure C), which enhances the appearance, and thus adds personality. "I can change the personality of a doll simply by moving its arms or legs," Jane explains. "The simple act of crossing a dolls legs (figure D), or placing a hand on a hip, adds so much to the perception of personality." Jane constructs felt dolls with plastic foam heads. She begins with a ball or egg-shaped plastic foam. Then, using nothing more than her thumbs, she creates the eyes. With additional plastic foam, she cuts the cheeks, nose and forehead. Once the features are in place, she covers the head with glue and quilter's batting. Jane temporarily pins the indentations until the glue dries. She then removes the pins and glues felt over the batting, securing it temporarily with a rubber band. Whether it's cloth or plastic foam, a familiarity with sewing is a must to get started in doll making. "Anybody can do this," Jane says, who makes it look easier than it is. "The important part to remember is seeing the character in your mind before you begin making the doll. Understanding the personality of the character will permit you to bring it out of simple materials, and give it life."
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