Percival WIP

Since I enjoyed making Violet so much, I thought she'd need some siblings. So may I introduce her little brother, Percival. He is six years old, and just like his sister he is a veracious reader. His favorite subject is maritime disasters. Below you will see the genesis of Percival. As always, I began with a thumbnail sketch of what I wanted to do. I planned on using the same head pattern I used for Violet to make Percival's head. But I knew I was going to have to make a new body pattern. So I made a measurement of Percival's head and used it as a guide to measure the rest of his body. He came out to three and a half heads tall. Next, I made the pattern pieces and transfered them to muslin and sewed his body. His head is made out of cotton knit and then I needle-sculpted the eyes, nose and mouth.
Here are the results. Percival looks pretty innocent so far, but just you wait. He won't stay that way for too long.
First, I dipped his head in Paverpol to stiffen the fabric. The next step is to add a layer of liquid paperclay. I let it dry and then add paperclay features. In this case, I added eyelids, a furrowed brow, ears and hid seams. After I allowed it to dry overnight, I then added a couple of layers of modeling paste over his head, arms and legs.
Now it's time to paint an acrylic flesh-toned base coat on his head and arms. His legs have simple brown shoes and white socks.
Next, I apply a burnt umber wash to give the doll some depth. The wash is quickly removed with a damp paper towel, leaving some burnt umber in the recesses and furrows. It also gives the doll an antique look.

At long last, the fun part. I love adding the details. The paint is applied in very thin washes, like watercolors. The only exception being his eyes, those are painted with opaque acrylics. I told you he wasn't going to look innocent for too long.
To finish, I seal the doll with a flat acrylic varnish. Then I apply Diamond Glaze to his eyes and lips.
The next stage is to create his little sailor outfit and props. So please come back and check on little Percival's progress. If you are interested in when Percival will be available for sale, please subscribe to my mailing list at the left.

Percival is almost done. His hat needs a little red pom-pom. I am going to put him up for auction tomorrow.