ANATOMY DOLL

From the brief:

'Your diagram needs to be a systematic deconstruction of yourself as a creative practitioner, illustration student and human being

Identify and make links between all aspects of your personal and professional practice as well as consideration for the wider of context of the world around you'

Intention: So far, my powerpoint focuses on the change of path that my work has taken this year. It's about the new things I've discovered and how that has made me more interesting as a person and a practitioner.

To compliment this theme, I really want my diagram to discuss the 'transformation' that I've undergone. A visual reflection of my CHANGE OF HEART, CHANGE OF DIRECTION could be a kind of metamorphasis? A shedding of skin? A natural transition or a mechanical one?

Process: Thought I'd make a start on a body to fill with INSIDES.

Working with bodies and DECONSTRUCTING MYSELF feels like a Frankenstine project.

All the dolls I've made so far have fallen into a 'fantasy' genre, complete with pointy elf ears and spindly limbs... in my last tutorial, Matt said to maybe think about looking at different figures/aesthetics/bodies - so this one is going to be a more human character. It's me, so she needs to be small and weird looking.

Paper mache is still a bit rough, perhaps I should use clay instead for a smoother flesh finish?

Started on a clay one at the same time to see which one works better...

Yes, as expected, clay is much smoother! I'll need to add some joints if I want this one to move though, but that's not important if this is only to be a printed poster!

CLAY IS THE WAY TO GO BUT I'M GOING TO FINISH THE PAPERMACHE ONE AS A TEST.

I've heard people talk about 'paperclay' before. I'd like to have a play with that, not entirely sure what it is.

I'VE DONE THIS BEFORE. For my 10x10x10 project, I made a Jay doll! Is this too similar? I'm doing the same thing again!!!!

IT FEELS LIKE A CIRCULAR JOURNEY, and getting the chance to re-do that project is great because I can show how much I have learnt this year and how I've got here.

Adding hair - I used a yellow/cream wool (not wool roving, it's too thin and doesn't read very well in photos - too frizzy and difficult to cut around in Photoshop). I used a needle felting tool to 'root' the hair into the scalp. Took longer than I usually do over this, trying to pay attention to even the smallest details.

If I want to root hair into the clay version I'll need to have a polystyrene base that's exposed around the back and top of the skull so that I can hook hairs into it. Clay would go over the polystyrene (I hope).

Okay just a quick go at making a textile heart - I would like it to be a bit more realistic - not so much candy heart, but it does communicate 'heart' all the same. Didn't know how to attach it so I strung it up and I actually really like that! It looks dangly and fragile. Sweeet. COULD I MAKE IT ACTUALLY THUMP? Getting ahead of myself, I only need to make a poster but I COULD MAKE IT THUMP... I could make it squirt blood too muahaha.

Ah I haven't decided how to do the eyes yet/what face to do... I think that's one to work out in the sketchbook.