Are there any resources you’d recommend for someone who wants to learn to make dolls?
Yeah for sure!
That's a pretty broad question so I'll give some basic rundowns on what I recommend and how I started.
First of all: your first doll is not going to be your best doll. That's fine! The more you experiment with the materials you use the more you get a feel for how to use them, how you LIKE to use them, and how to get a result you enjoy. You can always go back and remake and improve what you've done before!
The number 1 thing is, use materials you like using, and if you don't enjoy doing a certain part of the process, minimize it. Do you prefer customizing dolls or making them from scratch? I've done both before and I love elements of each, but generally go for fully-scratch made dolls because I love the process of sculpting. I also prefer being able to fiddle around with my sewing and not have to worry about making patterns to fit hard-bodied dolls. I sew clothes to my dolls (they're not removable, minus some accessories here and there).
Because doll making is a multimedia art form, be SURE to check out other kinds of artist! Don't restrict yourself to following and enjoying only doll artists, but look at creators of all kinds of things. Soft sculpture, sculpting, embroidery, needlefelting, plushmakers, and otherwise. The more art you surround yourself with, of all types, the more inspired you will be and the more able to take elements and processes and adapt them to your own style.
NOW
For capital-I Internet Resources:
I bought this course from artist Clara Raurich, which was a great walk-through for a fully-cloth doll.
Nuno Doll shows how to make and structure cloth-body dolls as well
Doll artists on YT that walk through their processes are also great, like Dollightful, Hextian, Enchanterium, iCachurro, I could do that. diy., Mr. Super Customs, among others. Honestly if you have no experience start here!
Doll-adjacent artists will also show you ways to work with materials! On YT: Tina Yu, Studson Studio, Crossing Crafts, PayItForward, Julie's Felted Friends, among others.
And I just want to shoutout @slocotion; one of my biggest inspirations and whose work makes me gasp in delight every time 💞
SO. Materials:
I use Premier brand air-dry clay. It doesn't crack, it's lightweight, paintable, sandable, etc, and I swear by it! If you get a clay for doll-making, make sure it is Premier brand.
I do NOT use Mr Super Clear because it's literally banned in Canada.
For fabric, check out ends bins at local fabric stores; you need even less than you expect for doll-making. I prefer stretchier ones for making skin and all others for clothing. I stuff them with reclaimed stuffing from CLEAN pillows and plush, or polyfil. To begin with buy simple fabrics with textures you prefer as they will be most useful if you make more dolls in the future. You can always paint the fabric.
My needlefelting fibre is most often reclaimed from my giant yarn stash given to me by my grandma. I brush it out with a wire pet brush! You can find yarn for very cheap at thrift stores. Acrylic can be felted but natural fibres are nicest!
Let me know if you have any other questions or want any other advice! I tried to cover a few things that would be relevant to beginner artists. It's a pretty broad scope for sure
