A couple of months ago, I posted about my bottomless love for Angel Egg Dolls and all their virtues. I couldn't imagine loving them more, but now there's even more to covet! Marmite Sue is now offering her girls in resin! I was so happy, I made this paper doll. I set her onto a watercolored background near my desk so I could stare at her lovingly.
The resin version of this beautiful art doll is so intriguing because she's more affordable than her porcelain sister. This is nice, since folks like me will want more than one! Plus, I think people tend to think of porcelain as more of a display type material and would be less inclined to handle the doll, whereas resin has that weighty, sturdy feel that is really nice to touch. High quality resins are blended with various powders (like calcium, talc, mica, stone, clay) which lends texture and strength to the finished product.
The most beautiful aspect of resin in regard to Angel Egg Dolls, is the way the dyes infuse so much color into the skin of the doll. I think this saturation of color is so lifelike! The pale pink and deep tan are particularly luminous, reflecting color and light, which is amazing for photography.
The thing I love most about these wondrous girls is their ability to pose into so many natural positions. I think they would make lovely figure models for artists to draw from! I would have loved drawing one of these girls, rather than the stiff wooden mannequins I had in art school. This ability to pose is due to the thoughtful and well designed jointing system, which is fluid and very human. The elbows are particularly well done ( most dolls can't put their hand over their heart!).
I really love these little feet! They are the high heeled version one can choose for the doll, which is the trademark of Marmite Sue's dolls. They are so unusual and instantly recognizable! I love high heels and how long they make ones legs look, especially on this girl. Even though they struck me as strange looking at first, I really like how they look on this doll, like its totally natural. Good sculpting has that effect.
I decided that the jointing was my favorite thing about this doll, now I think its the face sculpts! Ok, I like a lot of things about this doll, but the faces really are wonderful! The blank face shows how sensitively the eyes and mouth are rendered, so much so, that the entire face can look completely different with a touch of paint. I've carved hundreds of faces and one of the most difficult things to capture in a sculpt is a serene expression, or the Mona Lisa smile. Artists are forever drawing folks while they are absorbed in books, or daydreaming on the train; there is a mystery to that expression that is so captivating. I think this artist has got it right, one looks at these girls and wonders what they are thinking about, what dreams are in those sad and thoughtful eyes.
To see more amazing dolls go to Marmite Sue's website: http://pickled.free.fr/index_en.html She also posts pictures on her blog: http://marmite-sue.tumblr.com/ I found loads of photos on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marmite-sue/ She can also be found on Facebook and Twitter under Marmite Sue.