Steampunk is a sub genre of science fiction based on proposed future that used steam as a primary energy source as opposed to electricity. The idea of Steampunk is really fun conceptually, but the best part is the FASHION: Goggles, leather, watch gears and parts, Victorian clothing, and stripes are just the beginning! By recycling an already constructed doll, you can skip right to the fun part. No sewing, no stuffing, no patterns, just decorating, dressing and embellishing. Using gesso and some fire power we will create a unique “antique” texture as a base for a hand painted artistic face. I will demonstrate how to make a mini Steampunk essential, goggles out of empty watch faces and inner tube rubber or thin leather. I believe in embracing the grunge and cherishing the haphazard which will help create a space for each of us to follow our muses. This is both a project and technique based class which you will leave with a unique piece of art as well as skills useful not just for art dolls but for assemblage work in general.
Supply List:
- A found doll preferably cloth bodied with a porcelain head and hands. (Don’t get caught up in original looks. It will all be transformed: the uglier the doll the better. Sources: thrift stores, yard sales, discount stores, attics)
- Fabric glue, sm container (I prefer Beacon Adhesives Fabri-tac Permanent Fabric Adhesive)
- A small bag of fabric scraps. Tulle, stripes, lace, etc
- Small pieces of thin leather or rubber (inner tubes work well)
- Tiny hand held 1/16 “hole punch
- A sm container of gesso
- Material for hair- yarns, ribbon, chain, string, etc
- An assortment of watch gears and parts
- Two empty watch cases to make goggles
- Buttons, charms, old jewelry, misc found objects for embellishing your doll
- An assortment of acrylic paint for face painting make sure to include a white and a black
- Paint brushes: a medium, a small, and a tiny detail brush
- A palette for paints and a water container
- A long embroidery needle and a curved needle
- Embroidery floss in both a dark and light color
- A roll of aluminum foil
- Scissors
Optional:
- Heat gun
- Glue gun
- Tiny brads for embellishing
- Thin copper for making hats
- Found object/s for your doll to sit on or live in
Teacher will provide:
- Walnut drawing ink
- Liquid Nails Adhesive
- Wire
- Misc tools
- Sm torches and butane
A Little About ME
Clarissa Callesen is a former Rodeo Princess that left behind her cowboy boots and tiara
for the wild adventure of life as an artist. She has been fortunate enough to work all of her adult
life as a self employed artist, exploring many different artistic roles including tattoo artist,
gallery owner, production potter, and currently assemblage artist and teacher
’Brien’s book, Who’s Your DADA? Written a feature article for Art Doll Quarterly, and has been published multiple times in Somerset Studio.
