HOW SCULPTING A  BJD DOLL 2023 ?

HOW SCULPTING A BJD DOLL 2023 ?

 

I started sculpting hand-painted porcelain ball-jointed dolls in 2005 and I've been fascinated by the intricacies ever since. When I create miniature features, it's always a challenge to make them feel realistic on a small scale. That's why today, I'll be sharing different techniques for sculpting miniature features that I use myself to get the results I need.


Anatomy Knowledge

If you're going to sculpt any part of your BJD doll, it's important that you seek out anatomy drawings before you start. You don't need to know every muscle or tendon, just make sure the image is in your mind while you're working. This way, sculpting realistic features will be easy! And by making your doll anatomically correct, those miniature features will be even more impressive.


One example is when you are sculpting the hand. It's important to know how the nails are set in on the fingers in order to get a better sense of detail with your sculpture. You also want to pose the hand so it has some motion and articulation to it.

One great way to get started in sculpting is by researching and watching tutorials. You'll see that there are many different techniques that can be used. When sculpting with air-dry clay, I find it helpful to create a good base before detailing. For instance, when sculpting hands, I like to create wireframe skeleton shapes before adding fingers. For the feet, I like to start with blocks that will help me get the shape accurate before working my way out of the block. Find what works for you and how you can use your clay to your advantage.

Clay always works best when you sculpt it in thin layers, wait for the clay to dry, and then add more. If you try to sculpt everything at once, you'll just squish the previous layer and won't be able to create delicate details.

CARving


One of my favorite techniques is carving. A sharp pointy tool, such as a X-Acto Knife or scalpel, can offer great control while creating small details on your sculpture. Allow the clay to dry fully before carving - this adds a crisp and sharp finish to your work. You can find some great miniature carving tips on Google; take a look! Any sharp tool will help you carve - I suggest using a wax carving technique with tools that resemble needles and scalpels.


Very soft details in clay are great for detail work. The best way is to carve the bowl after it has been dampened. Dry the clay, then use a soft brush and get some water onto the surface. Give it a few minutes to absorb, then start carving to create subtle details.

SAN DIGITAL AMD


The preparation phase is both important and the least profitable work. You can try using sandpaper to create a smooth finish and reveal all the details you've created. Breaking your sandpaper into various grades - coarse, medium, fine, and ultrafine - will allow you to reach even the smallest crevices in your custom pieces.

Sculpting miniature doll parts requires patience and dedication. It's not uncommon to spend two full days on just the sculpting alone! The best way to learn is to start with a less challenging design, get used to the tools, and take your time. As you improve, make more complex designs - but know that sometimes you will have failures along the way.

Learn how to sculpt BJD with my BJD tutorial and sign up for my mailing list so you don't miss any of my new articles.

 

EDELWEISS

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