The Rescue

Meet Coquette

Coquette started out life as a Monster High Abbey Bominable.  She was blue with glitter everywhere.

Then someone decided to take off the glitter.  Acetone removes the glitter, and can damage and melt the plastic of the body.  Then they decided to do some painting on her face- and I have no idea what they used...but that too left a mark.  Then, I am pretty sure they used epoxy on her back for something.  And they used a Dremel, I think, to "sand" her body in places.  Most inelegant.  Her hair looked melted- so maybe a heat gun??? 

I wish I had picked my camera up before now, but to be honest she started out as this possible rescue project sitting in her own box on the corner of a shelf.  I got her out when I had the time.  I picked away at different things for minutes at a time and returned her to her project box. 

Every doll I work on has their own box.  Everything that relates to them goes in there and stays with them until they are complete. 

Ignorance had ruled this girl's world since she left her original box in some home in northern Nevada. She arrived on my porch via the USPS with Monster High amputees and other Monster High doll parts. 

 I didn't take photos, because, honestly, I thought she might end up in the experiment box.  That is the box dolls and doll pieces go when I cannot rescue them.  They become my testing ground for new paints, new glues and other ideas.  That way, if I try a new product and it does not work, I have not ruined a new doll.

 

Coquette hung in there.  When she finally spoke to me, I started working on her an hour at a time instead of 10 minutes.  Her face is almost finished, and her body is as good as she will get. 

Coquette is on her way to becoming... a  friend of the famous Anne Dieu-Le-Veut .

This week when I have time I will be making a new boot pattern, and a tri-cornered hat- for my little privateer.

I will post photos as I move along with her.  This is not a tutorial- just me sharing the progress of a doll that almost went the way of the waste bin.

Related Tutorials (click on colored bars and go there):

Removing Hair and Painting with white spray paint

http://monstercrush.blogspot.com/2012/06/custom-monster-high-doll-tutorial.html

Making a Wig and Rooting with Mohair

http://monstercrush.blogspot.com/2012/06/custom-monster-high-tutorial-hair-and.html

Custom Painting the face, Part 1 and Part 2:

http://monstercrush.blogspot.com/2012/06/custom-painting-monster-high-dolls.html

http://monstercrush.blogspot.com/2012/06/custom-monster-high-doll-face-painting.html

Remember to leave a comment and get an entry for the September Drawing :)  Cheers, PB♥  

Post Script

Photo Shoot

I really wanted to take photos outdoors- but- the weather has been too extreme.

I painted a canvas backdrop for her instead.

Her tail acts like a tripod with her legs.

She had to have a treasure chest.  Some things are glued inside, while others are loose.

She can use the chest as seating if she likes.

Draken is now for sale at Dolly Dolly:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/109419457/monster-high-dragon-with-tail-and-horns

Remember to leave a comment here and get an entry for the September Drawing :)

Dragon Mod Finished

Draken's Big Finish

Long ago in a far away life I used to make hand beaded moccasins.  Last night after putting everything away I remembered that I still had some leather scraps stowed in a bag on my shelves.  The pieces are small, too small for a doll cloak or a pair of human mocs, but plenty there for a top and bottom for Draken. 
Draken's top is cut from one piece and strings through the sides to criss-cross in the back.  The yellow tint of the deerskin is a great compliment to her deep violet and purple hues. I cut everything unevenly to make it look more authentic, more real.  She didn't buy this in a store.
We started on her hair as well.  One bit of fluff at a time.   She will also have hair on her tail.
The hair is Tibetan lambs wool dyed black with pinkish tips. Also a left-over from a past project- but there is plenty for tiny Draken to have a nice head of hair and have her tail look respectable as well.

Okay, guess which outfit she prefers?  Aww, you guessed.  Deerskin it is.  I will have to stow the other outfit for another doll.  Clearly, this is it for her.  This, the cape and the boots.  Draken all the way.  Now, I need to finish her hair!

Ta-Da!

A happy Draken.  No more fittings, no more glue.
I so wanted to take photos outside- but the wind was blowing  much too fierce- maybe tomorrow.

Modding Part 5

Finishing Draken

If she looks a tad unhappy, she is.  Draken is not big on having fittings.  Usually I fit clothing to Cleo- she is my resident 'model on call' for fittings.  But Draken has some "special" attributes that require I fit directly to her.  Her horns and tail must be taken into account.  This is a dry run- I never cut the actual material until I am sure what I am making will fit properly.  This cape is hand and machine basted.  Once I am done fussing with it, I will rip the seams and use it for a pattern. The yellow fleece cost 1.00 for almost 2 yards in the remnants bin.

I also purchased some light brown fleece when I bought the yellow. I want her to look like she is wearing a fur cape.  One that is well worn.  Using Tulip fabric spray paint and my fingers I change the color and look of the brown fleece.  At the top is the brown with black, bottom is the original color.  Behind both is the yellow that I practiced on.

I rarely fail to make a mess when I paint- which is what you see on the label.

It is important to remember scale when one is working with fabrics and dolls.  A long fake fur cape would look too big and cumbersome.   This fleece looks more like buffalo or a sheep type of fur once it is painted.  This needs to look like something she killed and then made her own.

After Draken is finished with all of her fittings, I will apply her hair.  She will remain a little spitting and hissing baldy until I am done with her garments.  Right now she is clawing her way through my goodie drawer looking for weapons.  As if her fangs and nails aren't enough!  Pretty sure she wants a staff as well.  I will go twig hunting soon if she continues on this path...

Skirt made of batik in layers of shredded single pieces. 

Vest style top made of white felt with faux white fur and vintage embroidered ribbon.



Cape has soft suede ties at the throat. 
I would have fussed more with the hood, but both of us were
feeling pretty impatient- best not push things.  I will fuss after she has hair.



I lined her boots with the same material as the cape. 

Everything fits.  It has been a long day for both of us.  Tomorrow, she gets hair and then an outdoor photo shoot.

Next Post will have her finished and will include some better photos of her garments and her wearing them.

Remember: Write a comment on this post and get an entry for the September Drawing.

Modding Part 4

At Long Last

Remember Draken?

There were thoughts of giving Draken glass eyes, which is why I didn't wipe her eyes off when I started.  My thought was to use the eyes that were there as a cutting template.  Fast forward 3 weeks.  I have this vision of her - and it does not include glass eyes.  So, I began painting over the existing eyes.

The violet on her head is sponged on unevenly- on purpose.  Our skin does not look the same all over- and I do not want her to have a plastic feel when I am finished.  I am also studying photos of lizard markings- to give me a baseline to work from.

Here I started to add detail to the head with paint.  Her horns have a light coat of burnt sienna on them to give them more depth.  I mixed violet with green and painted her horn caps.  The painting on her eyes is just a base coat.  Same for her lips.  The eye color is violet mixed with brilliant blue.  The lips are brilliant blue washed over the violet.  Violet and black were mixed in even parts to make the contrasting color for her ears.  I suspect her ears will not be visible when I am finished- but that doesn't matter.  I will paint anything that has a chance of being seen. 

Continuing to add detail.  Using the same basic colors: Violet, Black, Burnt Sienna and Brilliant Blue.

First coat of Sakura Crystal is on her eyes to make them stand out.

Is that a smile I see on her face?  Think so. 

She has been on hold for so long I would hear her hissing from her project box every time I walked by.   

Looking more like horns now.

Now you didn't think she would be bright violet did you?  Draken relies on the element of surprise.  She likes to suddenly appear from the shadows. Remember she is a Mountain Dragon.  Tall, proud and tough as nails.

After she has had a day to dry completely, I will spray her with Mr.Super Clear Flat before painting any more on her.  This protects what I have done and gives me a slightly toothy texture on which to add paint.

It is getting more difficult to photograph her now.  There are many subtle shades that are hard to capture with the new paint.  If you click on the photos you can see them enlarged and see more of the colors.

Draken needs at least one pair of boots.  I started to make these while she was drying.

They fit.  Next step is to paint them with acrylic black paint.  It will make them look more like leather. 

 I may make her a second pair.  Boots she can wear at home.  These are for outdoors.  I want these to look like the mountain Fairy Folk made them for her.  She protects them and sometimes in the winter she brings them food.  As a Thank You they gift her with things.

Her face has been stippled with violet, black and ultramarine blue.

I keep old brushes for stippling.  The trick is to go slowly and try things out on your palette before you paint your doll.

She will have golden yellow eyes.  This base is orange.  Yellow is a transparent color-- so the base color is important.

Reptile eyes vary a lot.  Some have round pupils, some have slits.  I am thinking slits for Draken.  So I went looking for photos of reptile eyes with slits:

These are real eyes!  I love the top one- looks like it is smiling, and the eyelashes are da bomb!

Well, who on earth would mess with her?  With those eyes, her fangs do not need to be shown.  So I am leaving her lips as is- and sealing them with Sakura Crystal.

Boots Painted with 2 coats of acrylic black.

Flaps turned and held in place with ivory colored buttons.  I chose those buttons because they echo her eyes with their slitted pupils.

Next Post will have her hair and her clothing.

Remember:  Comment on a this post and receive another entry for the September drawing. 

Still taking suggestions for the prize :) ~PB