Modification Five Weeks, Five Projects

I'm heading to UK BJD con in five weeks and I would like to take a finished doll with me. Which I've decided is going to be my Bimong hybrid pictured here. And there's quite a list of things to do so here they are in no particular order.

Spoiler: Starting with a blank slate - Doll Nudity

1. Clothes & Shoes - 2 shirts, 1 pair breeches, 1 gambeson, possibly some socks. Fortunately because of the specific period in her story that these clothes come from they don't actually have to fit her fantastically well because they were either acquired from quartermasters or looted off corpses. As for boots, I've got some nice thin leather and a pattern so I think they're doable. I'm planning on gluing more than sewing.

2. Staff - She's a mage, so she's got to have a staff.

3. Armour - I'm hoping I can use thin sheets of aluminium to make a fairly basic breastplate.

4. Head - Initially I was just going to modify an Argodoll Leith head but then I realised that I'd actually have to do far more substantive modifications than I'd initially thought so instead I decided the next most logical thing to do would be sculpt her head from scratch. My plan is to sculpt her first with fimo doll clay because it won't dry out so I can take my time getting things right. Then I'm either going to move on to faceup straight on the polymer clay or make head 2.0 with two-part epoxy which I can then faceup. That will depend heavily on time and how confident I am that I can replicate my original sculpt.

5. Facep & Wig - I don't know exactly what size the head is going to come out but I'm going to use the Leith head for scale so it doesn't end up completely disporportionate and I don't actually have any wigs for her size head so I'm going to have to make one. And do her faceup.

I think that's more than enough to be going on with. Let's see how much of it I can get done.

 

I have a half-finished embroidery project of a sampler that says 'mama didn't raise a quitter but she did raise a fool and it turns out those two things are a terrible combination'. Because that's very accurate.

I'm not the world's greatest artist but here's a quick doodle of her.


She's very angular with an aquiline nose and a strong jawline. So I always kind of assumed I was going to have to sculpt her myself.

In terms of project updates.

I am 95% finished with one shirt. About 80% done with the breeches.

 

So, week one update.

One shirt, one pair breeches, one belt and one pair socks completed. Basics of the gambeson cut out. One test boot completed. I wanted to do a test boot just to make sure that my plan would work before I cut into my nicer leather. It did but I did learn some things. 1. I am going to have to sew the sides together 2. Punching the holes for laces works better if I do it before I put the parts together 3. I need a better hot glue gun and 4. I need to shape the sole before gluing it on, I tried it the other way and ended up catching some of the leather.

I have purchased and received dowel rods to make the staff and sheets of 0.5mm aluminium to make the armour as well as a very tiny anvil to avoid putting dents into anything else. I'm actually really happy with the aluminium because it feels like it should be flexible enough not to be an absolute nightmare to shape but will also hopefully hold its shape against incidental impacts. I had the brilliant idea last night while trying to go to sleep that I can use a marble as the orb for the staff so that's on my to buy list along with the fibre for her hair.

Next week, I need to start making the head. Fortunately I found my pasta maker.

 

Okay so I got caught up in the doing of the things and forgot to update here. I am now post-convention but I did successfully manage almost everything.

I got all the clothing, shoes, staff and armour done. I made three separate heads and of those, one was kind of okay but needed sanding and a lot more work internally than I could have got done between Tuesday and Thursday because I'm a procrastinator. So I went with my backup head which was the unmodded Argodoll Leith head, gave her a very quick and dirty faceup and made a wig for her.

And now, photographs.

The whole ensemble


Armour close ups




Boots close up


More of the gambeson and a bonus belt that I made out of scraps.



All in all, I was pretty happy with it and I got a load of compliments on the armour. I have a ton of respect for people who sculpt their own heads