Aesthetics Shelling Two DnD Characters (aka. Operation: Hubris)

Howdy, everyone! Welcome to what I have decided to name Operation: Hubris.

Why? Because this project encompasses many things that I'm not particularly good at (in fact, I'm a beginner in most), but am being very ambitious with: sewing (handsewing, at that), beading, body blushing, and painting symmetrical faceups. Oh, and wigmaking. Can't forget that one. There'll be some knitting, but that one I'm actually good at, thank goodness.

I have my custom order in with Resinsoul: a Ruoxi on a human body in a custom color (see the art for an idea of what color), and a Mai/Jun on a Tang body in light tan*, both with elf ears.

* EDIT: Resinsoul was able to switch my order to light tan!! Hallelujah!

Spoiler: The Characters

These are my husband's and my OCs! We originally made them for the sake of text rp, but now I'm running a DnD campaign he plays Phoenix in. Zira is... preoccupied elsewhere for said campaign, but she is an NPC.


Zira, priestess of the moon deity and prophet extraordinaire; is always a bit cryptic and melancholic. Has a wicked sense of humor that pops up sometimes.


Phoenix, heir apparent of the royal family, which is of course the sun deity's blessed bloodline. Vain and self-centered, but extremely charming and secretly has Deep Thoughts.

The plan:

• yarn wig for Phoenix [IN PROGRESS]
• "braided" sort-of yarn wig for Zira [IN PROGRESS]
• face-ups (waffling on including Zira's face markings, because what if I want to dress them in modern clothes sometimes for giggles?)
• eyes, using some diy blank pairs (note: need to order those)
• many tattoos, with all that entails
• a beadnet dress but more ornate because I am never not being extra [IN PROGRESS]
• a beaded top of some sort
• three pairs of harem-style pants, to start [one pair down!]
• a wrap top and skirt
• chiton-style wrap (okay, honestly, the archaic tunic from LoZ: TotK, but different colors/fabric patterns)
• fancy jewelry pieces (body chains, necklaces, chokers, bracelets, armbands, belts... anything I feel inspired to make)
  
• tiny knitted birdwing shawl
• pauldron and belts
• halo crowns, because I love those things
• weapons (scimitar and chakrams), because why not at this point? I have the technology*
• sandals
• boots, if somehow the sandals go well

* the technology = my husband and his 3d printer

Here are a few quick sketches of ideas for Zira's wardrobe:

Spoiler: pictures here!

I have about 30-40 days to go on my order, but in the meantime, I want to at least get some basic clothes for them to wear and some eyes ready. You know, the basics.

 

Yeah, that's what I was fearing. I have an airbrush, but I'd rather not have to worry about it. Can't believe I did that.

 

Thanks, I can't wait to see how it progresses either! It's true, basics are always a good place to start (advice I seem incapable of following). I'll have to keep an eye out for your project journal, I love a good shelling project!

Onto some updates:

First off, Resinsoul was able to swap my order from dark resin to light resin for Phoenix! Shout out to them, by the way, they are so fast at getting back to me and have been so helpful! I have (many) more DnD characters, so they'll likely be getting more business from me in the somewhat distant future...

Next: onto this beadnet dress thing. It's an idea that's been consuming my thoughts, so of course I had to start it asap (lest my excitement keep me from sleeping).

First up was a bit of planning. I knew I wanted the overdress (?) to have three sections: an intricate netting skirt; a bodice section (hips to underbust) with a pattern that evokes a moonrise; and then the top/chest/straps, likely in a simpler netting pattern. I really need the doll to handle the latter two, but the skirt is somewhat modular, so nothing is holding me back!
When I say I'm a beginner at beading/beadweaving, I mean I took a class as a kid, put it down for almost two decades, then picked it back up back in mid-June of this year. I've mostly been following tutorials and free online patterns. In other words, making my own pattern isn't something I've done, so I decided to frankenstein a few necklace patterns together from BeadsMagic. After a lot of searching and deliberating, I ended up with these five patterns: Semiramis, Rimi, Greenland, Alicante, and Celestial. Plugging that into ClipStudioPaint gave me the following, in three stages: direct patterns, traced beads, and then post-way too many hours of rearranging and playing with colors.



After a trip to a very nearby bead store (RIP my wallet going forward) and Michael's (where I lost my mind a little over a bead sale), I picked out the following beads:


And in true impatience, got to work right away.

Three false starts, one bead color swapped out, adding another bead type (silver faceted rounds), a minimum of 50 mistakes, knocking over my beading mat and ~100 beads onto my floor, and a mid-project pattern change later, here we are (about 12-15% of the way through the skirt):


I'm telling myself that the mistakes/changes are okay since I plan to have this be in the back. It's only partway convincing me. But other than that, I think it has the look I'm going for (kind of reminds me of Moroccan glass lanterns, actually) and the colors are the "moon inspired" feel I wanted. So, overall, I'm pretty pleased!

 

Thank you! It definitely seems like Resinsoul is an awesome choice, yes. Their ability and willingness to take customized requests is awesome! Also they're affordable, which is good if you're, say, in 4 DnD campaigns at once like someone who has lost their mind and want to eventually shell all of your characters.

Hahaha, thank you so much! I may or may not have a bad habit of not giving myself enough credit, according to my friends. I do wonder if knitting a lot of lace patterns is giving me an edge in this. Regardless, I highly recommend giving beadweaving a try to anyone vaguely interested in it! Youtube has a ton of tutorials for various accessories that break each step down (generally using text on the screen instead of narration). I swear it's easier to make something beautiful than you'd think!

Haven't done any more work on this project in the last few days, though I'm so excited that it practically owns my mind at this point. I've been working on another BJD project instead... which involves fighting an odd, very frustrating battle against some gouache paint that refuses to dry (conclusion: fine, I'll use acrylic ). Trying to get my ducks in a row before Zira and Phoenix get here so I feel less guilty focusing on them, lol.

 

Quick update!

First off, I have acquired some fabric after a Joann's run (and an Amazon order). Not pictured is some nude/tan fabric for pants (that should be lighter than either doll's resin):

The white fabric is for all things Zira, while the purple and dark teal (in the upper left) are for Phoenix's Not-So-Archaic Tunic. The trim is also for Phoenix's outfit - the plan is to use beads to marry the colors together a bit, we'll see how that works. Phoenix might also get a white wrap with some sparkly navy pants because the sparkly navy is just.. so pretty. I love it.

On the other end, I've been continuing to bead here and there. I'm about halfway through the skirt now and will definitely need more beads (specifically the silver 11/0s). Once I changed the pattern a little and swapped threads, it both started looking better and feeling easier to do!
Here's what I have so far, modeled on my minifee, Wynne - her hips are a bit wider than Zira's, but the goal is to get this just short of Zira's full hip measurement before she gets here so I can fit it properly:


Tragically, it's looking like I'll have to make Zira's wig. I think I'll buy some thin (non-cotton or silk or bamboo or linen) yarn and braid three strands together with one of those kid's braiding tools and build wefts out of those. It's going to take a while.

Next up: more beading and figuring out what trim/bead goes where for Phoenix's garb. Oh, and yarn wefts for Phoenix. Stay tuned!

 

Oh my gosh, you're a genius on using thicker yarn for filler! Definitely going to try that, as I do want it to look somewhat realistic but also value my time and sanity (to an extent)..

Partially related to this project: I've been practicing my handsewing by making my minifee a witch outfit, and I think I'm getting a bit better! Bodes well for making Phoenix and Zira some clothes.

 

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back! I've got... ~updates~. And loooots of pictures. So many, in fact, that I need to split this update in two. Buckle in!

First off, my order shipped out with DHL today! Tracking is showing that it'll arrive in either the US or my house (I'm not entirely sure) on Tuesday, which is crazy fast! Also well-timed, as work and personal life are about to calm way, waaaay down for a few weeks.

Next, the beadnet skirt is as finished as I can get it currently! I need the actual doll to get here to make sure it fits before I add the clasps and start on the top (which I have sketched some plans for and expect will be faster). I'll post a picture of the sketch when I have a minute to go grab my sketchbook. I also started a little beaded belt for Phoenix, which is on hold for similar reasons.

(Semi-related: I realized only recently that I don't need the Highest Quality Crystal Beads for these... time to order some bicones, rondelles, and faceted rounds in bulk from Amazon or something.)

Spoiler: Beading progress

Finished skirt:


Skirt, now as a very elaborate arm accessory (I couldn't resist):

And the first belt so far, a bit over halfway done:

I've also started work on wigs! Phoenix's is less interesting, being standard yarn wefts, but Zira's... is interesting. After SO MUCH time looking for a good yarn or thread, followed by trying a little kid's braiding tool (which was a failed experiment), I settled on buying some thin white acrylic yarn and pulling out some scrap silk mohair yarn leftover from my wedding shawl, of all things. Instead of doing a true braid, I've been using the chain sinnet knot; it feels like chaining for crochet, but the omission of a hook makes it a bit less fiddly for me (who cannot crochet to save my life apparently).

I'm making a few different widths so I can fill in the wig more easily, and not all of them have the mohair (which I'm only using to make it look a little more like hair, which would have some flyaways and such, and less like tied yarn). Additionally, instead of making a thousand small cords, I'm making a few loooong ones, which I'll cut with a little bit of excess to then tie off. I probably have at least 250cm made?
A few pictures:

Spoiler: Zira braid progress

The first "braid":


Different thicknesses. Left to right: 1 strand acrylic + 1 strand mohair, 1 strand acrylic, 2 strands acrylic + 1 strand mohair:

The thinner two widths on Wynne for proof-of-concept:


And lastly, the thicker middle layer "braid":

That's it for part one! See you in part two (lol)!

 

Like a bolt from the blue, it's time for part 2!

The last update for today: I made their eyes last weekend using some 14mm diy acrylic eye blanks. Here's hoping they fit without too much trouble, though I do have 12mm ones around too. Phoenix's eyes came out paler than intended (adding the caps made the light diffuse differently and a lot less saturation came through), but my husband said he really likes them, so I'm good to continue with them. If I change my mind, I can paint another set.

Some photos troughout the process:

Spoiler: Eyes Crafting, a mini tutorial

Step 1: gather supplies (coffee is most critical).

I didn't expect I'd use everything (an assumption I was correct about), but I wanted to have it handy just in case.

Step 2: base color (lesson learned: for darker colors, do a coat of black first).


Step 3 & 4: darker colors at the edges and near the center, then lighter colors in the center "ring" (between the two darker areas).

By this point I'd started using a handsewing needle both to apply paint and to regularly press in lines flr that iris-y texture.

Step 5: use black pastel and very, very watered down black gouache around planned pupil location and outer eye ring.

We do not speak of how often I had to wipe down/clean up the sclera.

Steps 6, 7, 8 (not pictured): add additional highlights and texture as needed. Apply PearlEx powder (white for Zira, rose gold for Phoenix) and seal with gloss.

Step 9: pop in those caps! You're done!


Blurry in-hand close-ups:

Shoutout to Wynne for being my BJD model! Additional shout-out to those who read both whole posts, they're pretty long!

I'm hosting family and preparing for a big work presentation currently, but next update will hopefully be a very exciting one! Eee I can't wait.

 

Ugh, just noticed that images are disappearing (they show up if you hit reply for the particular message, at least?). I tried changing all of them to a smaller size, but no go.

Anyway, positive news: the dolls arrived yesterday! I'm so happy and excited and aaaaaaa! I have a box opening thread, but here's one pic of them here (with the eyes I painted!):


I'll have to blush Phoenix some to get his skintone to look a little darker, but also I love the light tan resin color as is!

I unfortunately have family visiting until Wednesday night, but I'm trying to sneak a little bit of crafting in here and there... first priority is some basic clothes, then wigs.

I cannot state enough how hard it is to not block the entire world out and dive into crafting for these two, haha.

@quilleth thanks again for the encouragement!

 

Guest is gone (whew, what an ordeal...), so I've been able to work on these two a little! So exciting!

First up: beadnet dress. Skirt is fully finished and stays up when clasped, which is awesome. I've started designing and prototyping the bodice, which is going to be more intricate (and made a little differently from the skirt and the straps, as I'll be working it almost like making a pendant). Here's the finished skirt on Zira and the main bodice design sketch.


(You can see where I've started accounting for the rest of the top)

Some further pictures in the spoiler tag, as usual.

Spoiler: Beadnet Dress Progress

All the beads I have at my disposal for this project...


A more complete view of my design/planning scribbles (yes, I measured the bead sizes and torso measurements out).


Prototyping...

After much, much, MUCH struggle (man am I not the best sewist), Phoenix has a pair of pants! I also on a whim cut out the fabric for his tunic last night (as well as tying some wide tulle ribbon into a sort of makeshift top for Zira), but I've got a lot to do before it's more than a rectangle.



Behold a smug man reclining:

And finally, made some yarn wefts for Phoenix's wig, which I plan to tackle first because uhhhhh Zira's is going to be a Lot(TM).



Luckily I have a short week at work coming up and no travels for Thanksgiving, so hopefully I can craft more during the time off!

 

@Follow-the-Wind and @ChriKei thank you both!

Slow progress on this project... I've been splitting my time between making Phoenix's wig cap (a multi-layer process), the beadnet dress (the main motif of the bodice is finished, just filling it around the sides and back before starting the chest and straps (are they just straps in general? Unsure), and slowly but surely figuring out how to do that whole sewing thing.

A little burnt out on life right now - just worn out from running around like crazy for 2-3 weeks, but it'll pass. Between that and making Christmas gifts (so. many. gifts.), it might be a minute before I have anything substantial to share, but I am plodding along!

 

Happy New Year!

Well. That was a month. But I am here, I am alive, and I'm not giving up!

Small updates once again. I think I'm going to restart Phoenix's wig cap, I'm just not happy with how it was coming together. Going to use the method I've used to make wigs in the past instead (aka using pantyhose for the material). Hopefully it'll turn out okay, I'm oddly nervous about this wig.

Beadnet bodice is halfway filled in - I was going to do that later, but it just doesn't sit/fit right with only the circular design holding it up, so here we are. It's coming along! I need to think some about the dress/shift that'll go underneath..

I got more fabric as a treat to myself, then had half of the fabric I'd gotten for this project get stained badly in a basement flood. I might try over-dyeing the fabrics for fun and see if I can turn them into something usable anyway, since I already have the supplies (dyeing yarn is fun, by the way). Still sad about it, but everything else for this project made it through relatively unscathed, so I really can't complain much.

Something really exciting and positive: after months of hemming and hawing, I bit the bullet and bought a sewing machine (on sale!) with my Christmas money. Tipping point was when I looked at the things I wanted to make for my house and calculated how long handsewing it all would take, haha. I need to finish getting the basement back to normal before I set it up, but boy am I excited!

Sorry this is (again) not a thrilling update, but posting here helps me keep my motivation up. Hopefully I can work on this project again soon - my plan was to really throw myself into it for a few days between holidays, but alas. Things happened.