Steel Articulation Prototype

**Click on the picture to see the other one**

I was hoping to post my horse but I have been so busy pouring dolls, making molds, and turning pottery that I did not have a chance yet to get pictures done but I will soon,I promise!*grin*

I want to share with you my prototype for my steel articulation. I have edited the photographs since my patents are pending.This model has the holes in the body in order that I may see the precision of the movements with the compression of the springs within the body. I know there are other doll makers that like to see how other people do their work . I understand that and of course you understand that I can not share my system but I can tell you some things about it in which will encourage or discourage you.

Patita dolls has a very unique skeleton system that is held together precisely by 5 pins-That was important to me. The amount of tension is what I like to say - perfect! Why ? Because she not only holds the position but also holds it in place even when holding something with some substantial weight and the other parts do not move when one part moves.

This prototype is marked, written , broken and glued back with epoxie, and still has temporary pins because I had take it apart and put together at least 80 times( probably more) during this process. I thought to replace the parts and make a neat looking model but I changed my mind ... this one means a lot to me.... means hard work, many many sleepless nights, tears , blood but at the end much joy . I am so very proud of this because it took a lot determination and an enormous amount of dedication for me to get here. I have so many plans and ideas , it is hard to sleep sometimes but I am very privileged to have a loving family that adores me and supports my work.

If you like my dolls, please keep visiting me ... I am working many hours a day in several different projects ( including different approach to face painting ) and although they all take a long time to get done , I will get there.

I Appreciate each one of you so much and for your lovely and kind emails to me. It has been a wonderful journey.

Isabella and I

For while now I have been wanted to take pictures with my dolls but I was always leaving it for later ;However I want you to see the size comparison . I am here with Isabella. My dolls are quite petite but not too small to make sewing difficult for them.*grin*
When I made Isabella I wanted her to look young and innocent . She is just like that. I am now working on 2 new set of bodies. One is a younger girl and the other is a more fuller ( Brazilian woman is on my mind, grin) body. I have double jointed for them too. I can't wait to have it ready.
It took me some time to develop all the parts to where I felt happy . I don't think I will ever settle to one thing only , because it is not in my nature, I get bored easily and I love a challenge, plus as an artist my work is never done. I love improvements and they don't necessarily means better but ... different.
It will take me some time to show you my new dolls and all the new parts , but I will get there.
I have study the possibility to reduce the dolls to a 10" size but because my steel articulation is so precise with such perfect tension, I am not sure if I can reduce it all , perhaps I can but I have many other ideas before I get to that.
I will leave you with my very natural pictures taken by my daughter -Kate.*smiles*

Steel Articulation

For more than six months now, I have been working on a design that would provide for my dolls a perfect articulation. I first experimented with elastic, and although I was able to produce a very nice tension, I was unable to create an EXACT measurement for the size of the elastic, therefore creating a problem regarding all the dolls having the SAME amount of tension. There wasn’t any consistency with the tension, and that bothered me.

After a while, I designed a steel system for the dolls which allows for perfect tension and incredible mimicking of human movements. The skeleton consists of double twist, aircraft-grade tie wire connected by hardened, steel, swivel joints and applied tension with springs.

Patitadolls porcelain BJDs are able to stay in ANY position they are posed in. You will be amazed at how silent they are!