Her foxy business.....

Her foxy business and personal effects

-Started as Neo Blythe with Simply Delight Scalp
-Carved faceplate with adjusted lips, philtrum, nose and eyes

-New eye-chips, sleep-eye and gaze adjustment

-Orchid Makeover: artist face-up and body-blushing, sealed

-Articulated body replacement with 3 pairs of hands

-OOAK beaded Kimono embroidered with "Kitsune" (Kanji) and 9 fox tails

-Kanzashi pin and hairclips, thematic pull-rings
-Beaded boudoir cushions

Kitsune will come with embellished cushions and several kanzashi hair pins complete with beads and tassels. I've used the oak-leaf and 4-leaf clover motif throughout her costume as well. 

Her extra sets of hands means she is quite expressive, ready to partake in mysterious fox dances.

Her long kimono sleeves are beaded, and she has several blood red inner sleeves peeking through, symbolic of her desirability. Red collars, sleeves and linings are often used in the young Maiko's formal attire to enhance their beauty and youth. Of course, Kitsune Dakiniken is actually a very old and wise fox spirit, there are 9 fox-tails embroidered on the back of her kimono. Only the oldest and wisest fox spirits appear with 9 tails. 

Interested persons may email the gallery to join the show preview at info@augusteclown.com The preview will go out a few days before the exhibition opens.

Opening Night will be on Friday 7th August, 6pm – 8pm at Auguste Clown Gallery, 52 Johnston Street Fitzroy in Melbourne, Australia. Free entry, champagne provided. The exhibition is on view from 7th August – 23rd August.

Kitsune - Design

Thought I'd share some information about how I went about designing Kitsune - my fox spirit for the 2015 Auguste Clown Gallery "Fairies and Folklore" Blythe exhibition.

I always start with my Dolly Fashion Sketchbook for a custom doll. I'm able to map out colour-scheme, collect fabric swatches, start planning out her custom eye-chips and eyelids. I write notes about which base doll would be appropriate, jot down inspirations, and if I need to source anything in particular I pop those down in the "notes" section. 

Then I sketch out how I envision the doll. 

This gives me a great place to reference back to whilst I am carving and painting the doll, or whilst working on her costume so I have it all in front of me and in my mind to remember the character and mood I want to portray.

It's always nice to see how the final doll evolves slightly from the first sketch. She grows into her own unique little character, full of personality and soul.

Thanks for Reading!

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Interested in the Dolly Fashion Sketchbook? 

You can get your own copy ~here~

Kitsune - In Progress

Some of the In Progress photo's I took of Kitsune as she was coming along...
Please enjoy her progress from carved face-shell to a cheeky fox spirit!

I chose a mischievous smile for her cherry-lips, and red stage makeup as a subtle reference to that of the Maiko, she has fox-like shading for her nose as I always enjoyed the belief if you see a girl in Japan with sharp elongated features and clever eyes, she may be a Kitsune in disguise... 

Her skin has several dusted layers of shimmering white to give her an otherworldly pale look, and a sprinkling of iridescent freckles.
Her back-plate features the Kitsune mask of the NOH Theatre, my signature and her No#

Costume

I used a traditional Kimono pattern with crushed organza in a shimmering myriad of flame orange shot through with golden threads. She has several deep blood red sleeves lining, beading down the long sleeves (the type worn by unmarried young women) and 9 fox-tails embroidered on the back - the symbol of the most powerful and old of fox spirits. Embroidered in gold is the Kanji symbol for "Kitsune". She comes with three sets of hands, in expressive poses and little fox "paws".

Her full photoshoot and story soon...

Fairies and Folklore Exhibition

http://www.augusteclown.com/doll-shows.html

The second International Blythe customiser exhibition is on soon at Auguste Clown Gallery, and Orchid's Designs is delighted to be submitting a OOAK Blythe once again!

My doll has been finished, and this was her story...

Kitsune

According to Japanese folklore, Kitsune are foxes that have the ability to turn into beautiful young women, possessing magical abilities that increase with age and wisdom. They are often mischievous, tricking men and attempting to seduce them - sometimes for mere mischief, sometimes to consume their bodies and spirits.  

Interested persons may email the gallery to join the show preview at info@augusteclown.com  The preview will go out a few days before the exhibition opens.
Opening Night will be on Friday 7th August, 6pm – 8pm at Auguste Clown Gallery, 52 Johnston Street Fitzroy in Melbourne, Australia. Free entry, champagne provided. The exhibition is on view from 7th August – 23rd August.

China - 3D printed custom Makie

After about two years I finally got my second Makie doll (3D-printed action dolls from London) 

As opposed to my usual pastel customs, I designed her to be printed in the caramel coloured nylon, with the newer "cuties" sculpt as opposed to my first "classic" sculpted Makie. I have to say, I really like working on the 3D printed material, it's probably my favourite for face-ups.

China's 3D printed preview and blank from the printers

She is wearing a stock wig with fringe, stock eyes, has had eyelashes added.

Her little jacket-dress is part of an upcoming collection, just a preview for now!

Love her stronger colours, her ferocious eyebrows, and those plump lips. 

Fifi - Petite Lapin Custom Middie Blythe

Got this sweet Middie pre-carved by Fifilatrixabel, and I knew she would be the cutest tiny albino bunny girl. She's my latest Blythe custom, but will be staying in my own collection.

She looks a little nervous, doesn't she? Can't wait to make her some fluffy bunny ears!

Heartstrung Ruse - Petite Meller

Customised my white 'Ruse' Heartstrung doll, and I found inspiration in the delicate and quirky style of French singer Petite Meller.

It reminded me to start using the social media tag #orchidmakeover on my instagram to collect together my bjd face-up and custom work.

Before

After

Further Details:

Resfeber

The Traveller

Traditional Nautical tattoo's could be read off the body of a sailor like a symbolic book. Each inked image illustrated a hard earned badge of honour; a swallow for every 5000 miles travelled or a turtle if you'd crossed the equator. For the suspicious, certain symbols represented goodluck talismans; The North Star to keep one on course or guide you home, a spyglass to keep goals in sight, and Marina's lantern serves as a guiding light in dark or uncertain times. Banners and anchors were emblazoned with the names of those who kept you steady, or in this case - words of courage and strength for the lonely traveller. Pinups kept a sailor company, and were sometimes the only companion for months for a sole traveller.

Inspired by Marina's love of vintage illustrated maps and my own shared passion for world travel. "The Traveller" is a fragile being, literally too delicate to live out her namesake, echoing many of our own fears of setting out into the dangerous unknown. She herself becomes an illustrated map: perfect skin engraved with her strengths and fears, her achievements and deepest desires laid out for anyone who meets her on her journey to see.

Further Details

Painted in delicate layers of sealed watercolour on porcelain Enchanted Doll: Fern.

Once Upon a Blythe - Exhibition Opening

I was lucky enough to get to travel to the opening night exhibition for August Clown Gallery's international Blythe customiser exhibition "Once Upon a Blythe"

All the dolls were beautifully displayed, 

I was very happy to be a part of the show, and I was so happy to arrive and see a red sticker on Briar Rose, knowing she has gone to a loving home!

Here is my flickr gallery of Briar Rose, as well as photographs of the other dolls in the exhibition, too

Auguste Clown have a great flickr gallery from the opening night, too

Nicolle (from Nicolle's Dreams) made a wonderful video of the exhibition, so you can feel like you went to the show, too!

Briar Rose

Once Upon a Blythe


International Blythe Customiser Exhibition


Auguste Clown Gallery

"Briar Rose"

The sleeping beauty cursed to dream amongst the crumbling ruins of a bygone

era until she is awoken by the kiss of true love. Wild brambles crawl up her

pale legs, threatening to ensconce her forever. Beneath her long flittering

lashes, she dreams for a-hundred years of the one to wake her.

Custom Work Undertaken:

*Base Doll: Takara Chocolate and Spice Neo Blythe

*Modified Pure Neemo S body replacement

*Carved Lips, Nose, Philtrum, Chin, Eye-Sockets

*Engraved and painted brambles on legs and chest

*Sleep-Eye added, eye-mech gaze-adjusted

*Pastel and Acrylic faceup and body-blushing

*Lace and Tulle removable dress, wild-rose wreath

*Monika Viktoria art-cameo illustrated pull-rings

*Bespoke Doll bed with adjustable bed-head and storage

*Adjustable mattress, lace blanket and pillow

Artist Brief:

Orchid's Designs (Monika Viktoria)

Orchid's Designs creates unique Haute Couture costumes for Artist BJD and

Blythe, as well as crafting bespoke doll beds and furniture. Monika placed

first in both the fashion and photography category at BCUK 2013, and in the

BlytheFest Au 2014 competition.

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Mesmerising eyes the colour of blood-red roses. Briar Rose has 4 pairs of metallic hand painted chips befitting her character... oh what dreams they have seen these long years?

*

And finally, her pull-rings to allow those sleepy lids to open, two cameo's with Monika Viktoria illustrations from my 'of lace and moss' watercolour series.