Clown Doll

I have done hands for this doll but feet were beyond me! He sits ok though. I made his jumper from a knitted tube, his trousers from some fabric given to me by Anne, his jacket from some musical note fabric and his hat from felt. I used some of Anne's lovely wool for his hair-it is just the colour I wanted! (Thanks Anne!) I love the part of doll making where all the little details are added and the doll's personality really comes out.
I think he looks quite kind-I am glad he came out like that and not scary at all.
I had thought of a name for him but it has gone out of my head! Andy suggested Piccolo which I quite like but that was not it. Maybe it will come back to me. If anyone has any suggestions I would be interested to see them.

Book Doll, Shadow Shot Sunday and Clowns

I have finished the book doll. I called her Muse as I felt very inspired to make her and it happened easily. Sometimes, even if enjoyable, making things can be hard so it is lovely when it is not! There are shadows here and more to come! Visit Hey Harriet for more shadows.

I decided not to paint her at all as I like the writing and scraps of picture. She looks more as if she has a nose in real life than in the picture. I used a Russian text book on her dress, cut out eyes and mouth from the same photo in a Sunday supplement, a cut out necklace, and brown paper from Anne's envelope on her arms. The flowery part of her dress is from birthday wrapping paper. Her hair is the same packaging shredded paper that I used for Edna's skirt. The cover of the book is a stamp from Candace.

Earlier, I went outside to take something back to the shed. The garden is so messy-I have not done anything to it for about a year and it shows. I swept up loads of leaves and pulled up a few weeds. I noticed some fungi growing in a pot with Rosemary in it. I picked a piece to have a look. It has a beautiful structure underneath-which reminded me a little of the book doll's skirt!

I have also been trying to finish the poor clown doll. I have made him a jacket, jumper and now tiny trousers-which are far too short-the hazards of being too lazy to measure properly.

I was quite negative about clowns a while ago here and since then keep coming across lovely images of them, not looking at all disturbing or sad. Clowns have got together to prove me wrong! This picture is from a magazine last Sunday and is from work by an artist called Paolo Ventura. His work is amazing-he has created the life of a fictional Italian clown through painting, model making and creating miniature sets then photographing the whole thing. It is called Winter Stories. There is a limited edition book which I would love-perhaps I will save up!

This clown looks so sweet. He is not at all disturbing and looks very happy. This harlequin lady is from the vintage ephemera site I mentioned the other day. I love her dress and her collar.

Clowns

How do you feel about clowns? I feel that they are deeply disturbing or else really sad. I wish I found them funny but I really don't. I know I am not the only one on the disturbing front-Pennywise the clown is pretty scary. This collection of clowns is less scary I hope. The pretty one above is from a great book I have of forties advertising and packaging illustration called Euro Deco.

Wooden skittle clowns from-you guessed it-Greenwich market.

16 year old me dressed as a Pierrot for a fancy dress party. My Mum made the costume-it was great. I have been to two other fancy dress parties-one was a 20s theme so I was some kind of a flapper. For the other I made a hole in a big knitted blanket I had, made it into a kind of dress and wore that. I was a blanket. I don't know what I was thinking but I don't think anyone understood that I was a blanket. They just thought I was wearing a really odd dress.

My clown doll which has been waiting around for ages to be finished. I managed to gesso him ready for painting this weekend, but now he is waiting again. I might call him Gelly Roll after the pen that is in the box with him. I like that as a name for a clown! This is the first doll I have attempted in all polymer clay. I will fix him together with wire I think. Speaking of fixing, I watched a great film last night-'Coraline'. (Based on a book by Neil Gaiman) (I think it has been out for ages but I am always a bit behind!)It is a kids film-PG but not for younger kids I would say. It is about a girl who has very busy and consequentially a bit neglectful parents. She finds another world through a tiny door, where another version of her parents awaits. All seems perfect at first but things gradually become frightening and dangerous. I loved the themes of different types of parenting, and perfection not being reality. The doll/children ideas were brilliant, creepy and scary. There is a wise cat, some ghosts and dog bats! It is a great film for this time of year too I think.