Fine Art Doll Gallery

Trade Secrets

Dollmaking Tips to and from Dollmakers

Experimenting

When creating a doll never be fearful of experimenting with new products, products designed for other uses, or what's ordinarily seen in a different way, while relying on the principles you know work.

Best advice given me -- It's okay to not feel guilty about trying to do it all.

Do what you do well and spend time growing your skill and let others do what they do well to enhance or grow areas you are not as capable or interested in. It may cost you some but it will cost alot more not to prioritize.

Eyes

I use 3-4mm solid glass eyes. If you wanted to make your own eyes, take translucent Premo® and make the size eyes you want. Put them onto the end of a wire for easier handling. Add a flattened sliver of clay for the eye color you want for the iris and a small tiny black dot for the pupil. Bake.

With a very small detail brush, paint the iris' color, outlining the iris and then paint the black pupil with a dot of black paint. For an extra sparkle in the eye add one speck of glitter to the pupil.

For eyes, the brand I recommend is G. Schoepfer, Inc. There are many wonderful companies; however, I found them to have the most selection for miniature glass eyes and their prices are very reasonable. To get their catalog, call 1-800-875-6939, or they can be contacted via email:

I would not recommend acrylic eyes or plastic. These could melt or glaze during the baking process. Solid glass is the best.

As for the eye size, I use 3-4mm eyes for a 8 inch figure. The face width for this size doll is approximately three quarters of an inch. To measure for the correct eye size needed, you need to measure from corner to corner, not from the top of the eyelid to the lower eyelid.

Eye Size

A thought about eye size, whether you want to make your own or you wish to purchase them, as a general rule to size, the number to remember is 5. If you wish to make your own, measure the width of the doll head and divide it by the number 5 to get the needed eye size.

If you purchase the eyes, that will give you the size you need also. Remember there are 5 eye widths across the head, one on each side, one in the center and of course the two eyes themselves. The spaces on each side and center are the same width as the eye itself.