peggyquade Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I have started to get into the dressing of miniature dolls in historically accurate dress (or my own designs derived from historical gowns). I'm still working on crocheting the wedding gowns and other gowns but I have discovered it takes a long time to crochet a whole dress and I can't sit for hours on end, crocheting the same shell pattern, over and over again. So I made a mold of the head/torso and arms/hands of one of my favorite mini doll, out of polymer clay. And I've tried my hand at sculpting my own heads, with results that tell me I need a lot of practice. Now I'm starting to think about making my own porcelain dolls from a mold I would buy. There are fantastic artists out there so perhaps I should let them do the sculpting part. I have never done porcelain before, never used a kiln before, so I really have no idea what I might be getting into. I see some used kilns on Craig's List...small kilns with an interior of 9" x 12" that fires up to cone 10, whatever that means, for $300. The same model, new, is $517 and there is a local pottery store that sells kilns and supplies (not sure if they sell porcelain slip, tho, I didn't see it listed). I don't know how much porcelain slip is. I don't know how hard it is to make the slip the right consistency for pouring into the mold; I don't know how hard it is to determine when it's time to pour the slip out of the mold, leaving the outside edge that will be your doll. How fragile is the doll after it comes out of the mold and before you fire it? How long does it take to...what's the term...cook it? in the kiln? Can a kiln be outside on a patio that has no cover on it or does it need to be sheltered from weather? Can it plug into a regular outside socket or does it need the big outlet like a stove or washer/dryer uses? Is it noisy when it's running? I'd really appreciate all your advice, comments, suggestions, ideas, anything. You all are the experienced ones and I truly appreciate your advice. Thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoofieFoo Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 This might be a great question to post to the Yahoo group: http://www.minidollLIST.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallhouset Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 A kiln needs its own 220 electric line (like the stove or dryer), is silent when on but extrememly hot it runs for several hours and cools for several more before opening, Must be indoors. regular ceramic slip comes in a liguid form so I assume porcelain slip does also. My in-laws had a ceramic studio in their home and I learned how to pour moulds but never tried the kiln loading. My suggestion to you is to visit a local ceramics shop and talk to them before you buy anything. They will be able to give you much more information. OH yea, they use an extremely large amount of electricity. My FIL used to complain about it. One month his electric bill was over $500.00. That was back in the 80's. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 A kiln needs its own 220 electric line ...extrememly hot it runs for several hours and cools for several more before opening...use an extremely large amount of electricity...bill was over $500.00...in the 80's.Think I'll stick with polyclay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Doesn't Wolfie make porcelain dolls, maybe you can pm her and she may be able to answer your questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Joy Perkins & her husband also make porcelain dolls & the molds, you can contact her through Small Stuff Digest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 there is a local pottery store that sells kilns and supplies Peggi, call them. They may offer classes or know of some in the area that can help you get a handle on slip casting. They also may fire pieces for a fee; that's a lot less expensive than buying a kiln. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I have an AIM 88 kiln. It runs on regular household current. It's a kiln just made for mini dolls. Anything larger and you're going to be pouring and cleaning for months! Porcelain slip is about $25.00 a gallon. There are different ways to prepare the slip to pour into the molds. There is very thin slip you prepare for pouring hands, a bit thicker for feet and full strength from the jug for bodies. There is a safe way to clean the greenware using brushes, or you can use a different kind of brush and clean it dry - which can cause "white lung disease." Molds are getting more pricy all the time. They can be used about 200 times before the detail becomes lost on them....they are as addictive as dollhouses, you can't just buy one! The deal for doing porcelain is. You pour your molds, and then unmold them after the prescribed period of time. You can do some cleaning while in the "leatherware" state, but I only remove some of the mold seams. When the leatherware dries and is white and feels like chalk, it is called greenware. this is where you use TIBS brushes to clean the greenware. Then you fire your castings to a Cone 6 - which turns the greenware to bisque. Then you china paint.......and you can only do one or two colors at the most at a time. The colors will run together if they touch one another, so you would do eyebrows and blushing first and fire to a cone 18, lips and eye lids next, another firing at Cone 18, then another color and so on ...so you figure in the china painting you will have fired the doll 5 or 6 times. Whenyou are firing, Cone 6 is the hottest figure to turn to bisque. Cone 18 is a lower fire which turns the china paints to a glass=like texture that cannot be rubbed off. If your porcelain doesn't look great in the painting stage, it doesn't get any better in the fired stage. You can also paint your leatherhard with under glazes which are nothing more than colored porcelain slip....but they are great for shoes, gloves, and some other details. These are fired to Cone 6 as well. Making dolls is a job. It's tedius, but the results are most rewarding! Wolfie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 By the way, before I bought my kiln, I was paying to have my parts fired. At that time in 1990 it was $.50 an inch for firing in the studio kiln.....and they measured each piece with a ruler! At one point it cost me $150.00 for firing one load......not worth the effort. If you are only going to do mini dolls, stick with the smaller household current kilns.....it will take forever to fill anything bigger. I can tell you this from experience. Wolfie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 One more thing. Figure on the kiln being on 6 to 8 hours per load. 6 to 8 hours to fire, and another 6 to 8 hours before you can open it. You have to be able to put your hand on top of the kiln comfortably before you open it. I saw a woman's face who opened her kiln too soon and a piece exploded in her face because the rush of cooler air inside caused the piece to shatter. She had burns and contusions. There are certain safety things you must have when you get your kiln. It cannot be too close to any walls or any combustibles. It must be up on cement blocks or somesort of pad which is fireproof. Mine kiln is at waist height on a stack of cement blocks. For safety purposes, children should not around kilns. We are talking 3500 degrees at least here! I burnt a hole in a safety fireproof hot pad one time. Scared me silly! Good thing I let go pretty quick! Don't want to scare you, but these are not toys. There are rapid fire kilns which should only be used for jewelry ...... though they claim they can fire to porcelain in one hour or two hours. I've seen the porcelain that comes out of those kilns.....kaka...... Oh and when the pieces are finally done, there are other chores before you can make it into a doll. You must take that piece of bisque and using good old-fashioned elbow grease and some scouring powder and a strong toothbrush - brush that piece all over.....body, hands, arms until it is smooth, and then you take a sanding foam pad and completely sand the pieces until they are as smooth as a baby's bottom. After that you assemble, dress and wig..... There are classes available. I took classes in porcelain doll making and enjoyed them very much. I learned a lot, but I learned more after I started making dolls on my own. I have a student here in Seeley Lake. She is learning how to pour and clean and fire and china paint and assemble. She wants to make lovely crocheted beaded dresses for mini and 11 1/2" dolls. Her beaded skirts weigh about 2 pounds each as they are all beaded on wire. Lovely things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 This is an old thread and I'm wondering if Peggy in Washington ever made her dolls. I'm just getting supplies together and gathering info and so grateful to the people who share their knowledge. I keep googling questions and greenleaf threads come up. I hope when I get started my experiences can help others too. One thing I'm learning...it's not a surprise that porcelain dollmaking is becoming a lost art...wow so many variables and skills to learn! Those high price tags on well made dolls are well deserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.