Modification In pursuit of Madam Vastra...

Thanks for the sculpting tips!! Mirror & taking photos are great additions to my myopic attempts to gauge how even I've gotten things.
IndigoFrogs, I'm still figuring this Apoxy medium out...when trying for a thin sheet to lay between two crests to fill in I had issues with it separating & tearing. I'll need to go find more video tutorials. Have you worked with Apoxy & rolling it thin? Any tips are greatly appreciated.

And Teddy, I'm with you on wanting to get on to the costuming. ;D But work will likely postpone that for a while yet. :/

 

In the "every so often update" category, I've done some more practice sculpting...
Learned I can indeed add more apoxy over what has already set up. And then learned I can add even more over that when I still didn't have the crest proportions quite right. Finally the shape is beginning to look right. (Glad I have all those images to refer to!)
First addition to what I'd posted last time, but still not enough!


More added to the sides & center. But still not tall & thin enough but better.


The Supia head is more angular like the Vastra mask & hopefully will help me put the crests into place without the roundness of this foam head which keeps throwing my best intentions askew.

I'm thinking now that putting the flat face layer on first & carving the scale grid around the mouth & eyes before adding the crests will be the next test. Adding the thin skin layer over these finished crests is just not working for me.

That was last weeks sculpting fun.
Along with using the left over apoxy to correct the height of the neck which turned out a bit short once the extra thickness had been sanded away and the head was fitted on.

Looking at the green ring on the peach resin of the torso has had me itching to try out the Vastra green resin. The yellow green I had mixed up didn't seem quite right. So I bought a set of Pearl Ex Powdered pigments & today I mixed some into the colored apoxy. Bit of Pumpkin Orange, touch of Mink, Smidge of Pink Gold, Some Antique Bronze and hopefully enough Sunset Gold. I flattened out the big ball of yellow green apoxy and sprinkled on pigments then kneaded them in until the color seemed even. In the end, it doesn't have a bronze or gold shimmer as I'd hoped but the green seems a better reptilian shade now. And the rest of the pigments will be handy when Maryfairy helps me dry brush blush her in a couple of months.


With the color mixed, I did some more sanding on the torso to reduce the mammalian chest a bit...
Then spent a while smoothing on a thin layer of apoxy as a nice green torso layer. Using alcohol to smooth and spread the apoxy helped a lot. I meant to work a concentric ring type scale pattern like I've noticed in studying the photos but the creative process took over and diamonds seemed better! Using a knife, and a couple of sculpting tools Mary had sent I sketched out a pattern and detailed it. As suggested, taking a couple photos showed me where some of the skin bulged and some of the scale pattern looked too planned. After more detail work I'm happy with how it looks now, especially since most of the time it will be covered by her Victorian fashions any way! XD




Slowly but surely I'll work my way towards the final head...and the hands!
First I want to practice the lower face details on one last paper head form, see how that works, and how adding the crests over that works. I'll be back when next I get a chance to update her progress.

 

Thanks Teddy, I'm equally impressed that your getting those petticoats made!!! Where there's a will there's a way. ;}
Skyealloway, I'm interested as well! ;D Hopeful some days, uncertain often, but determined to give it a try. So every so often I'll post as I find time to work on her.

 

Thanks maxxxamillion! Your suggestions & info have been super helpful! I'm off to hunt another tool Mary suggested for carving scales... (Well that brought up more great info & ideas! "Dragon scale sculpting tools")
Found a flexible armature product today while browsing for other sculpting tools at the hobby store. It can be cut between 1/4" segment points & has me thinking that it might be a handy way to set pegs on her head for depth & even locating of her side & top crest as well as supporting the crest while it first sets up.
So I'm going to give that a go on the next practice. Still on the hunt for a pasta roller. I used an empty glass bottle as the Apoxy rolling pin for yesterday's thin layer. Had a little trouble with how sticky the Apoxy was in that first phase but then again wanted to get it on the torso at that stage to encourage adhesion. I'm finding the working time for carving details isn't as nerve wracking as I had imagined. Whew!

 

IndigoFrogs that's just the idea I've been needing!!! I keep delaying the face as I'm fearful of mistakes in the finer details around the mouth & eyes. But...if I can map it out in sharpy on cling wrap, then add the Apoxy skin & put the cling wrap map over that & press in the markings...yes! I can at least see how to practice the scale pattern now. Thank you!
The dragon scale tool I googled would be fun for texturing another project...but I don't need another project! With Vastra I just need the printer to have plenty of ink so we can print off several of the best images of the mask for me to study as the area around the mouth & eyes is a radiating grid with some curves to emphasize her facial features. So cling wrap map sketches should be my next to-do.
Yesterday while running errands I scanned a few more craft store aisles for sculpting tool ideas & picked up a couple good buffing tools as that was my late stage dilemma the other night (noticing fixable errors when the Apoxy was stiff but still could be worked)
I was also thinking of mixing enough Apoxy for the face skin then putting small chunks of it in the freezer so I will have a longer working time window for the complete skin layer. This led me to think of putting my glass bottle in the freezer (perhaps partially full of water & definitely uncorked!!) So I can use it as a chilled rolling pin to see if that helps with the sticking & pulling factor on the thin Apoxy I want to roll out.
My other thought is to see how "soupy" I can make the Apoxy with alcohol to brush it over her lips & around her eyes. So far the alcohol has worked nicely at making the Apoxy more workable without affecting it's stability once it is cured. Which has me curious to see whether this idea might work.

 

And I am always in awe of your "works in progress" I'm glad I got to see her irl if only for a quick moment!
Soon the hectic work season will end. And I can't wait to get back to my sculpting challenge.

 

Well this certainly wasn't the year for a quick & neat project journal...
BUT I'm finally getting back to her at last!! Now if I can just figure out what I'm doing...
Last week I fought with my printer until it finally gave me prints of the Vastra images I've collected. From my work last spring I realized I really needed the pictures easily visible while I work on her to keep my imagination in sync with my intention.
This week I've given up on the house repairs being quick & finally unpacked the Vastra tools. Today my sewing machine got moved so that the work space with the best light can be my sculpting space, with photos right where I can study them.


And, because I'm still happy with how the practice work from last spring looks, I decided it is time to begin getting myself ready to tackle the resin transformation. Yikes!
Because I learned before that the ridges on Vastras head need to be supported as the apoxy cures, I built something I hope will work for the job. I cut two thick pieces of styrofoam to match the shape of the head, stacked them, pinned them together and wrapped them in plastic wrap. Then, thinking about keeping the head stable & looking at her magnets...I grabbed a screw & pushed it down through the foam at the right point. It works great, so far!
From the past practice I know I want to start first with the thin skin over her lower face. So I took a pencil & sketched the lines onto the head to get a better idea how it will work. The curves and crossing points actually make more sense when marked out over the contours of the head.


Next, to get back into the swing of the sculpting, I laid a thin layer of the apoxy over the head cap & carved scales into it. Since the head back will get raised frills, I figured practicing there would be safe. Too bad I had forgotten IndigoFrogs' suggestion to lay plastic wrap over the apoxy...I'll have to try that on the next stage as I was still having trouble with the little nubs of apoxy that stuck around after I drew in the lines. Good news is, the apoxy which has been waiting since last March, and has been traveling with me, is still fine & worked as it should. Today I learned that laying a thin layer of apoxy over the resin needs to be started at one point and then unfolded over the area while working air bubbles out. Instead I plopped it down & started working without thinking of the air trapped between. It soon began to appear as raised bubbles as I smoothed the apoxy flatter & took more work to flatten. Live & Learn!


Carving the scales into the area was easily doable in the time the apoxy allows so I have more hope now for being able to carve the front face in one go. The head cap is now setting up. And tomorrow I'm hoping to dive in a bit deeper...with Vastra's face being my next goal with the ridges being added in later stages.

 

Last weekend I was visiting a friend & a new word popped up to explain the last couple of months: repairgatory. Now that work has slowed down again & I've adjusted to waiting for the repairs to be finished, it's almost time for Mary to help me blush Vastra so I'd better get her ready!!

XD This is because I took the photo as soon as the work area was set up. ;}
I've only figured out a few useful tools I actually use from all the tools Maryfairy sent...but the others are all there in case I realize a need for them as I proceed. It also helps that my sewing machine and work travel a couple times a year so some of the work area gets packed up & then resetup. The clutter to the right is the sewing detritus permanent mess.

Hi maxxxamillion! Being a word person, I recognized "you" right away.

 

Progress continues!!
Worked on the poor pretty Supia head today...carved away some of the chin, the deep upper lip and the tip of the nose. When sketching on the head yesterday, those areas were the trickiest for drawing over. Covering them with enough apoxy for lizardy features might have made the face look thicker so sacrifices were made for the hoped for results. The lips may still get sanded a bit more.


And sculpting practice continues as I worked on applying the apoxy to the back of the neck and up around the back of the head. Once this is dry the hope is I will be able to handle the head more securely while working on the front. Now she is drying on the styro form which has proved quite handy for the job. Before setting her down, I attached the head cap to be sure the parts still fit together alright. The seam isn't invisible but will be under her ridge frills so its ok for me. I worked on smoothing some of the apoxy into the neck hole in hopes of hiding any flashes of pale resin. I'll sand the fit when I attach her to the body if needed.

The cling wrap idea worked pretty well. I may have started a bit too soon as it clung just a bit to the apoxy when I needed to move it and when pulling it away when the lines were drawn. This added an interesting leathery texture a few places which was ok, if only I understood how to make it happen where I wanted it.... I pulled out some plastic sculpting tools to use for a different pointy edge for drawing through the cling wrap to avoid cutting it with the tapestry needle.
The other thing I'm noticing is that even when I meant to make smaller scales they came out only a bit smaller than my previous attempts. The next area around the mouth I will have to work at making finer, smaller lines as this is the area which will be most visible... ;}

 

I sure hope so! Last winter's clever idea has certainly gotten put on hold too often.
I'm thinking I may as well work on her arms now while the head is drying, to keep myself from messing up what is still drying.

 

Monstrous doings proceed as we enter October...
from forearm to hands becoming scaly claws, the sculpting practice continued yesterday.

One might think the hanging of the hands to dry after sculpting was a clever plan...Except it didn't dawn on me until the first hand was scaled and clawed and I needed to set it down without damaging my work! Good thing the S hooks were nearby along with the ribbons I use for restringing dolls...those along with my work light saved me once I got the "hang of it". ;}



I wasn't as happy with one claw and trimmed it back before the apoxy set.

This morning I resculpted the end of that finger and the repair blended in nicely.

Iplehouse has these pesky little resin half moons which slip into the wrist joints to disguise the s hook. After thinking on covering them with apoxy, and realizing that would make them too thick, I ended up trying to sculpt some yesterday. Made several. Ended up with two that may about work...


First forearm and hand looking ok today.


Except for the side view...

I had removed the apoxy at the ball joints when I realized that the joints at the elbow & wrist would be too tight to fit. Good thing I thought to try them before the apoxy had cured!

This morning I spent a while sanding down some of the elbow ball and the inside of the forearm wrist joint and the wrist ball. Then I could smooth on as thin a layer of apoxy as possible over that visible pink resin at the elbow & wrist and tried the fit in both joints before setting them aside to cure. Vastra will probably never show her elbows but I'm happy having the green completed up to that point. I'm tired of scales so she probably won't get her upper arms coated since she will be wearing Victorian finery if we survive this and the Iplehouse double joint at the elbow wouldn't be much fun to coat and refit into the elbow. But getting the wrists right seems important since I don't want to try sewing gloves.

With the apoxy left over from this mornings repair work I went ahead & started on her face. Gulp!

Around the mouth and eyes I wanted as thin a layer of smooth green as possible before the next step.
The more I tried to smooth the apoxy, the more it would lift up or rub away from the edges of the lips or eyelids, even with plenty of alcohol. After trying a wider variety of tools, I had to finally stop and call it good enough for a start.

Right now the beautiful Supia head which inspired me is looking like a scary ghoul!!!


As I photograph progress, I'm realizing how much the photos help me notice and evaluate my work. Little errors that I don't notice as I'm working quickly become obvious when I look at the photos & I can go back & try to correct them while the apoxy is still workable. Hopefully with some sanding and perhaps a bit more apoxy on another time I will get the smooth look I was hoping for.

The next step will be the grid of scales around her mouth and up onto her cheeks and down under her chin.
In the meantime, while the first thin layer is drying, I will work on the second forearm.

 

Thank you for cheering me on Teddy.
I keep hoping Vastra will simply appear from how strongly I've imagined her, but so far the sculpting elves haven't appeared over night so it seems I'll have to keep fumbling along. ;}.
I woke up this morning thinking about how to proceed, what part of the face to cover with apoxy next, how I want to mark off points on the face grid before drawing in the lines.
First I think I'll print off the photo of her ghoul face & draw a working plan on it. The pencil lines on the actual head was good practice except I realized they would quickly be covered with resin making them far less useful. ;}

 

For a project begun last January...I do appreciate your optimism. XD
And yes, now that October is here I am setting everything else aside in hopes of getting her sculpting finished. ;}

Today's sculpting has included finishing her second forearm, learning a bit more about Iplehouse engineering as it took some sanding and head scratching to get the little green crescent corrected to fit around the wrist S hook (Oh! That's what I needed to refer to when sizing the shape!!!)....and then smoothing on the first layer of Vastra's face skin. !!!!!!
This was the grid of scales that I have been dreading. In the end they are as good as I can do after this year of practicing. Drawing the pattern again onto paper copies of face photos helped but in the end there was a lot of winging it as I juggled the head, a piece of cling wrap and a fine pointed carving tool. ;D
The cling wrap was a big help for keeping the lines smooth. When I used the metal carving loops to mark the points of the scales I discovered that some of the apoxy was smoothed almost too thin and didn't mark well. But she's proceeding. Whew!
Taking photos of the finished work again led to evaluation of what I'd done and the nose got reworked a couple of times as I improved the dragonish SIlurian nose shape. The last photo reminded me that I should go ahead and carve the scales across her nose once the shape was better. The bridge of the nose will get another layer of apoxy and I will carve those bigger scales on another time.
Since there was still extra apoxy mixed up I went ahead and put the center ridge on.
Here's the current final version for today.


Next step will be the ridges and larger scales...Or perhaps the nose and forehead first? I will think on the steps and see what makes sense when mixing up the next batch of apoxy.

 

So true. Just before this I was working on a couple of quilt projects started 15 yrs ago. In comparison this one is breezing along. XD.
Last night I had to string her back together just to be sure. And everything still fits! Good thing I futzed a bit more, trimming the back edge of that impromptu ridge before the apoxy was solid. Snapping on the headcap this morning I see it is just enough.
For the next phase of ridge shaping I'll need the headcap in place with lotion & cling wrap on it so the apoxy doesn't stick while keeping it correctly shaped.

Isn't it lovely?
Aves was the only apoxy to offer both a yellow & green option. I mixed more yellow with less green, then ended up adding in some Pearl-x powder pigments to tone down the brightness of the color. Metallic brown, copper, & old gold I think were the useful ones from a variety pack I bought. I just kept kneading in various pigments until I was happy with the color. Plus the grey setting agent seems to help also. For the project I mixed enough of the color I like to fill one of the aves containers & the color consistency is working great whenever I get a chance to work on her.
I'm hoping the pigments will also be useful for dry brush blushing her with my friend Maryfairy's help in a couple of weeks.

 

Late last night I couldn't resist putting Vastra back together to check the fit of everything...and to see how she's looking.
This morning, looking at her I realized this was a wise thing because the head in position changed the angle of the center ridge. Plus with the headcap in place I can see I will need to keep the shape of the back of her head in mind as I proceed with the next stage of sculpting her side ridges.
Good thing I didn't get in a hurry at this stage!



And seeing her all together eases my worries as to how the scales are looking. Good enough for a novice who would rather being sewing. ;}


The next puzzle is figuring out how to mark the location of the side ridges without marking on any of her finished face...hmm...maybe I'll try cutting shapes out of masking tape...or apoxy before I mix in the setting agent??
Marking the shapes on the photos will help for preliminary mapping out the scales & ridges but the 3-d shape will mean some adjusting as I go.

 

My original plan was to spray paint over a neutral color apoxy. But I wasn't finding the color I wanted in spray paint, plus they all had issues about how well they'd adhere to the resin. Since I really enjoy using my dolls, I didn't want to worry about knocking off her color.
Turns out this apoxy adheres really well & seems quite sturdy. So I'm glad ChilmarkGryphon's project journal got me thinking of using it.
I figured as long as I only used apoxy from one company I should be safe to blend their colors & that worked well. The pigment was a spur of the moment experiment but doesn't seem to have affected the apoxy while improving the color. ;}
What are you sculpting that's orange?

 

Having a keen sense of balance and proportion can be both a curse and a blessing...
Adding to that an astigmatism means what I think is balanced is often just a tad skewed!
I was worried about getting the grid around her mouth and nose carved well but it turns out that trying to duplicate the same shapes on both sides of Vastra's head for the ridges is far trickier!

Yesterday morning I began by cutting pieces of masking tape & setting them on her head approximately where I thought the ridges should go. with some measuring I got the spacing even between all five main ridges. Next I cut lengths of plastic armature (I bought in hopes of it being handy. The apoxy doesn't need the support so it hadn't been used so far.) I taped these over the masking tape to get an idea of how far the ridges should extend beyond the back of the head and how to keep them from interfering with the head cap.



I need these visual clues to understand where the project is "headed". But then set the tape and armature aside and went with my pencil marks and instincts on the actual sculpting...
The first two ridges went fairly well. Except I had to flatten the front scales a bit just before the apoxy became too stiff to work because she had chipmunk cheeks...and the back area may get thickened a bit when I add the scales and frills between the ridges.




I had mixed up a larger chunk of apoxy thinking I would tackle all five ridges. Then divided it into approximately equal segments and froze all but two. I had seen this recommended for having apoxy ready to continue a project while saving it from setting up before you get it shaped.
Once the first two ridges were shaped, I was glad I didn't have to work on the others because keeping the free ends of the ridges in position until they cure is tricky. Slowly I learn just what I can juggle without error...

Later in the evening, I pulled out two of the apoxy pieces from the freezer & let them return to room temp. The next pair of ridges were probably a ridge too far for last nights work...
I thought the two chunks of apoxy were equal, but one portion worked up smaller than the other...It didn't dawn on me to remove them both and begin again while the apoxy was still workable. Deciding how much the ridges twist to the side, come away from the back of the head, and end on the forehead got tricky as I started on the second one, and more so as I stepped back to look at the finished work afterwards. I ended up reshaping and repositioning them several times but this morning I am still not happy with the results. I'll have to study her head for a bit. Perhaps lay cling wrap over her current head shape and mark the shapes so I can then flip that over and see just where it is off. Then I can decide whether it can be amended with additional apoxy or needs sanded to reshape something before considering drastic removal and reworking. The problem with sanding is that it then doesn't match the rest of the finished apoxy, loses carved definitions and would need recoated with more apoxy like her nose will be needing done.

First version, too flat...


Another attempt...

Finally, it was time to quit before I made things worse!

This morning, all solid but a smidge off kilter...




Looking at her in an upright position changes how the details look. And I'm realizing from looking at the photos as I write this that I also need to look at her with a blank backdrop. So I'll set something behind her, while she's sitting on the work table and meditate on whats ok and what needs adjusted before the next step today.

 

Teddy!
I worked on the center ridge yesterday afternoon & did touch ups last evening.
Getting the back curve kind of ok, and the front profile about right...was tricky!

But, she's still smiling!

Teddy, I took a break the other day to see if I had anything clothing wise she can wear temporarily. ;}
Being an Iple SID giantess made it tricky, though I did come up with a few things. I won't have time to sew for her until Nov. But at least she's finally real enough to begin thinking about clothes!

Time for her nose & forehead now.

 

You may find ChilmarkGryphon's project from last year useful. They added horns to a bobobie & then used spray paint for an even color before blushing.
Not finding the spray paint in the right color sent me off on this adventure. And in these Covid times I was shopping online where more options were available.
Between the people modifying Beyer(?) Horses and those doing military miniatures there's a lot of advice & product reviews to be found in searches.
Someone here in the discussions was reviewing a different fixative from these other uses just yesterday. /threads/army-painter-matte-anti-shine-application.847584/
You may want to check out what they've learned, if it gives you better protection after you get the colors the way you want them.

Good luck with your project!!

 

Teddy, fortunately (I guess...) The skirt & blouse I was hoping to put on Jenny (Elfdoll SD Sooah), turns out to be SID size except for skirt length. And there's a floofy Dollheart black, men's coat she can wear if I add a few darts. Or she an stay in the satin shirt & harem pants we stole from the guys' costume bag.
It's just fun to finally begin to think about clothes for her rather than worrying over sculpting challenges. XD

 

Lots of sculpting progress at last!
Day before yesterday I ended the evening by centering Vastra's center ridge.
To stabilize the shape while it cured led to a mad scramble for something with a curve of the approximate size for it to rest on...and to keep it centered and straight once I had it resting!


In the morning I added a bit more resin to the curve as the shape wasn't quite right.
And tried again on reshaping the side ridges to get the right look.



Once that had set, I started building thin webs between the ridges. My idea being that the first layer wouldn't get carved instead creating a surface to add a skin over in the next stage.

This worked well. But as the head took shape I realized that I would have liked the web to lay flatter at the center...but she's as good as I could do!
After curing time and more sculpting, she was "finished" by Wed. night. But didn't seem quite right & I was feeling discouraged...


The last thing I worked on were some finicky frills for her headcap. They turned out more natural looking than what Dr. Who artists created and I really like them.
Tricky part was getting them to dry with out clinging to one another & the headcap so they'd have a more 3 dimensional appearance...after some head scratching, I remembered the magnets on the headcap & stuck it to the underside of an old iron table. ;D


The only problem with this bright idea, was that I was tired & went to sleep... the back frills cured standing a bit too straight out...and required a bit of repair the next day.

 

This morning as I studied Vastra, I realized that the shape of the center side ridges was still not quite right. But that they could be adjusted with some sanding and resculpting at the back so they curled a bit higher. And then by adjusting the frill just a bit the top of her head wouldn't look so round.
Also the lower side ridges needed to be a bit thicker towards the ears & on back to be in proportion and help enhance the shape of her head.
Also the center side ridges actually follow down to her brow line giving her forehead a more squared appearance.



It probably sounds obsessive. But after thinking about her so hard all year, and having gotten her this far, I really wanted to try to get her as well done as possible. I mean she was already much better than those first few attempts!!


After an afternoon of sculpting, and carving more scales, and accidentally squishing what I had already carved as I went to carve others...She finally looked right!!




It was hard to step away, find other things to do & let her cure without accidentally bumping anything!
Earlier today I accidentally discovered just how sturdy the apoxy is when she fell back on my work table, making a terrible noise but didn't chip any of the fine tips or edges on her head. Whew!
I'm not sure what the white look around some of the carving is from. Perhaps from the alcohol as I smoothed details? I am hoping they will disappear when we dry brush blush her. But that will be in a couple of weeks, when I get to visit Maryfairy.

 

In the end, those pesky center side ridges would probably have been better to have been shaped in crushed foil then covered with apoxy. The weight of the head got noticeably heavier yesterday and today as I added more & more apoxy to smooth lines and adjust her appearance.
The reference photos were super handy. However it was still a challenge changing what I saw in the images into 3d shapes. And what I thought I saw sometimes needed to be rechecked more carefully because letting my imagination take over led to some of the problems which needed reworking along the way.

Now if anyone needs some green apoxy...just let me know! I'll hold onto the mossy green mix for a bit just in case but there a small jar of dark green & I really have no desire to begin another project! ;}

Teddy, you were correct. Again! I did find something she can wear for the moment.
The Dollheart guys' jacket needed the sleeves shortened, a dart up the center back and a pair of darts in the front. Now it has definitely become Vastra's and she will need a better blouse & skirt to wear with it. The sheer blouse just almost snaps closed in front and the SD dress took some serious tugging to go over her hips...but the illusion was worth it. ;D



Have I mentioned how glad I am that I went back and adjusted the tip of her nose with a smidge of apoxy?!?!?

Now back to something comfortable from the guys' wardrobe until there is time to sew...

 

Thanks maxxxamillion!!
Taking photos was an unexpected but really important tool.
When I thought she was finished the first time, I was discouraged feeling she wasn't quite right. The apoxy is such a nice medium for being able to add in changes without having to rework the entire project. Which is something else I learned along the way. Reevaluating her in the morning & realizing minor edits would make a big difference got me going. And this time I'm much happier with the results.

 

Thanks for the huzzah Wyrd!
My dolls get to do the cosplaying for me. ;}
We were hoping to attend a bjd convention just before Halloween but we're not ready for a big indoor event and she's not yet properly dressed.

I'm sure those creative Who folks get enough of such fan fun. ;}
I'm also really grateful that so many excellent resource images can be found to help with recreating her.
Now if they would just write & produce the Vastra mystery series....please!

 

One more update for the Vastra project:
Vastra & I finally got to visit with maryfairy5, my bjd enabling sculpting mentor and creative soul sister.
With her know how, experience, skills, brushes and acrylic paints- along with my wild imagination and pearl-x metallic pigment variety pack- the detail blushing was tackled yesterday. Perfect sunny day, time with a friend and a doll project, wahoo!

The day before I made a sample of the apoxy sculpt with various scale patterns so maryfairy5 could test colors and brush strokes as she worked.

And I got the sample and the doll ready with a preliminary coat of Volks' ZM finishing spray. (Thanks again to those on DoA who answered my worried request for advice when I realized I couldn't read the Japanese directions on the can!!)

Once "we" started (with me cheering on my talented friend), first a diluted wash with seminole green acrylic to add depth to the scale carving...

(My job was spraying the work with ZM after each layer of color)

Then dry brushing with antique bronze pearl-x pigment for the mottled details and shimmer gold pearl-x pigment mixed with yellow citron acrylic for the high lights (My job was pointing out where to add more color, and ask if it was a good idea. XD):


Blushing magic completed!



When I shared the photos with dear friend Ashbet, she kindly mentioned how eyeliner would be one more good detail. The actress as Vastra has eyelashes and wears mascara which creates a dark shadow around her eyes. I decided to go with a more natural Silurian look using brown rather than black. It is amazing the beautiful photos to be found when searching on line for "Reptile eyes closeup"....some good ideas were collected and maryfairy5 was willing to lend her steady hand and paintbrush again today. Using antique bronze mixed with light brown acrylic, she added the final details around the eyes. The lighting wasn't ideal for this last photo. I'll try again with my camera instead of my phone in a couple of days.
Now Vastra looks like I had hoped all along and so much better than I ever thought actually possible!


Later she will require my attention for proper clothing. But that will be another project journal. ;}