How to get better at sculpting art dolls?
Over the years of making dolls and sharing my experience, I got quite a few questions asking how to get better at sculpting dolls. Most of those people are dreaming about making this hobby into a paid job eventually. Without stating the obvious, I’ll list what helped me get better at sculpting art dolls.
Sculpt a lot
This one seems kinda self-evident, but I can’t start this article without reminding it once more. You’ll only get better by doing it over and over again. The more you sculpt - the faster you’ll reach your goal. Even if it means making dolls after work or on weekends. Try to incorporate at least an hour of sculpting a day, and I promise, you’ll see the results more quickly.
From my experience, I saw a huge improvement after a year of making dolls constantly. I still wasn’t happy with the results one hundred percent, but I saw that I could get there with consistent work and some time.
Analyze your work thoroughly
This step is crucial for getting better at sculpting dolls. Learning how to thoroughly analyze your work will help you to improve when sculpting next time. When you’re done with part of the doll, for example, the face - look at it with a critical mind. Not judging yourself or your abilities, but observing the advantages and flaws of your sculpture. Look at it from all sides. Even if it takes an hour, think about what you would change and how to do it. Usually, the weaknesses are in symmetry or anatomy. Clearly name them for yourself. If one eye is lower than the other, make sure you’ll pay more attention to that next time. If the lips seem unnatural, find more references and compare them with your sculpture. Knowing how to effectively analyze your work is a great strength of any artist.
Continue learning
There are quite a lot of recourses online these days. The free and paid content, tutorials, articles, and Youtube videos to help you become a better artist. Try to find the time and read up on new information about materials, anatomy, painting techniques. Be curious about the art form you chose! Every drop of fresh information will add up and make you a better artist!
Observe other artists
By this I don’t mean copying! Even in art schools we learn by observing the masters, so do the same when learning yourself! Find a few doll artists you admire and study their work. Lots of them (myself included) share work in progress pictures that make it more accessible. Have a list of things you want to improve on, and see how others do it. Be respectful, and don’t copy their work. You can use similar techniques, but maintain your own style, and that’s what you should strive for!
I hope this was insightful. I wanted to share how years of thorough and mindful work can improve your sculpting abilities. I started with low skills in sculpting, but setting goals for myself, analyzing the flaws, and maintaining a good work ethic really helped me get better and rapidly advance. Don’t give up!