Lowla is a bit shy about being photographed, since she says she knows she's not a pretty Hitty. She was at a disadvantage compared to my earlier dolls for two reasons: my carving mentor, Bonnie, had to take a leave of absence, and this was an experiment using paulownia wood.Paulownia wood, if you don't know anything about it, is a step above balsa. It is very light and easy to carve, though it is denser and can bear more weight than balsa. The ease of carving is both good and bad. I think Lowla's body and limbs are the best I've done. I am very pleased with how her arms and hands look. But when it came to carving the face -- yikes!
For one thing, I didn't like her neck, but I went too far and it is now both thin and long. That's why I try to put her in dresses with trim around the neck, or I tie a piece of ribbon around her neck like a scarf.
At the angle this photo was taken, she was tipped back on her heels, so you get a very unflattering look at the roughness of her chin and the grain on her face. Her makeup (paint job) looks cakey, too, and I don't know if I will ever get the hang of painting eyes properly.
I contemplated (gasp!) beheading her and using the body for a shoulderhead, but I guess I'm like the Japanese. I found this on a blog about Japan: "Dolls after all, are no mere things in Japan, but members of the family, adopted to offer their human-like forms as hosts for the spirits and sins of their owners." I don't know about sins, but once I see a doll come to life, I can't take it away from them.
So, I may attempt to recarve her a bit and fix her paint, but Lowla will always be a loved and cherished member of the Garden Spot.
(PS: About her outfit -- the basic dress was made by Fung Hicks and was part of a round robin where it was embellished and accessories like the apron were added. It was neat to see how creative members of the Yahoo! Hittygirls group are.)
