Sculpting the Figure and Fabricating the Body

• The doll maker will begin to fabricate the doll by first creating wire armature for the doll. This will essentially be the doll's skeleton. The head and the basic torso will be made using tin foil with wire used for the spine, neck and limbs and used to form the hips and shoulders. Once the armature is complete, the doll maker uses polymer clay to sculpt the doll's body. Clay will cover the foil head and features will be sculpted. Then the torso is built up as are the hands and feet and any other part of the doll's body that will be seen. When the clay portions are complete, the doll maker will fire the clay in an oven to harden it. For the part of the body hidden by fabric, the doll maker will typically cover that part of the body (such as the lower torso) with batting to build up the figure and cover with fabric. This way, the doll maker can stitch the costume directly onto the doll.
  
  

Costuming the Doll

• The second stage of the doll making is costuming the doll. Depending on how intricate the doll's costume is, this could be very time consuming. The doll maker will sew a costume for the doll, being careful to not make the stitches too large. In addition, buttons and any print on the fabric shouldn't be so large that it looks unrealistic on the doll. For instance, the zipper cannot be the size of the doll's hand. The doll maker may also create accessories for the doll, such as shoes sculpted using polymer clay or a parasol.
  
  

Finishing the doll

• Finally, the doll will need to be "finished." This will include making the wig for the doll and doing any last minute paint touch ups to give the doll a life-like look. The wig is made using doll hair already styled and cut into strips. The doll's head is applied with contact cement and the doll hair is applied to the doll starting from the base of the doll's skull and working upwards. Once finished, the doll maker may also need to style the doll's hair. Finally, the doll maker will need to paint the doll. This will include painting the eyes and cheeks to give them warmth and painting the irises and the eyebrows.