Sunday, September 15, 2013

Anatomically Correct Fine Art Porcelain Dolls by me heeh (Valentino Zubiri)

This is my second group of dolls. The difference between this group / batch and the previous is that I am making this group "anatomically highlighted" or anatomically correct. It's really just a matter of using the china paint and making a stand, deciding to just go ahead and do it. It kinda feels weird calling my doll work "batches," because the work takes too much time from start to finish, it isn't like baking a batch of cookies for the day. The first group of dolls that I finished in July 2013, with 6 dolls, is theoretically not finished, because I have yet to decide on the backdrop. 
I sculpt a good number of doll heads to train myself in sculpting, mold making, all the way to the process of painting the faces and painting on the makeup, or "faceup." I actually like to find out how well I can make a seemingly ugly-looking face beautiful in the end. I also get the feeling that my "uglier" ones will be noticed more by the collectors in the future.
I took these pictures using my Blackberry with the sole purpose of sharing with a few friends. I set it at low resolution. In my mind, as far as this blog was concerned, I wanted to just post 8 finished nude dolls and lessen the posting of unfinished stages like this entry. Unfortunately, I ran out of time. I was going out of town for a job, and I had to prepare for it, and clean up my mess from all the doll work. 
This is all a long, time-consuming process. The heads went into the kiln at least 7 times. The kiln takes about 9 hours or more to heat up and then another 6-8 hours to cool down. While inside the kiln, I used my "free" time writing my next book. I finished the draft and the first edit by the time I had to go out of town.

I've decided to put serial numbers on my dolls. That way, each work is traceable and recorded. I feel that it will help in the future, when people begin wondering if I made too many or too little dolls. I myself want to keep track of my own work. All the doll heads are signed, dated and numbered on the back of the head, just behind the left ear.
In the future, I will post a picture of how I signed and dated them, and how the serial numbers look. I will need my digital camera to take a macro shot of the back of the dolls' heads.
Thanks for viewing! Please follow me on Twitter. I will soon work on my Facebook Page and my websites.






Friday, September 6, 2013

Porcelain Black Specks / Coring / Carbon - problem and troubleshooting

When working with porcelain, I have encountered those black specks in the past... last year. I have solved them. If you are working with porcelain, email me at valzubiri@gmail.com, I will be happy to guide you, but I will need to know what type of kiln you have, etc. I don't want to use this blog for porcelain tips, because I've decided to use this as my vehicle for promoting my art dolls.

In exchange, do you mind if you follow this blog, twitter https://twitter.com/valzubiri and I also want to include you in my possible future mailing list to update people about my art and current offers. You will be included in future raffles of my work, unless you opt out.

I also have a facebook page. I just launched The Worldwide Sshhh. SSHHH means Same Sex Hold Hands Holiday. Here in Chicago / Illinois, marriage equality for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) community did not pass. It suddenly occurred to me that if people see same sex couples hold hands, maybe toleration will come from the public's heart and mind, and eventually the laws would be affected. The simple gesture of holding hands between people who love each other, who happen to be the same sex, even just the thought of it, makes people uneasy. Yet straight people can kiss and cavort, much to the disapproval of some parents with their kids. Can you see and feel the disparity?

I'm male, if you were my dad, grandpa or brother, or lover, would you hold my hand in public? Would you support my cause?

Please like the page http://www.facebook.com/TheWorldwideSshhh if you agree with me. Please spread the word if you can.