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Some Tips

8/10/2020

12 Comments

 
I figured out solutions to some things that were bothering me lately, because as you know, I'm a perfectionist and 'good enough' is never good enough. So I thought I should share....

A Victorian Collar....

First Steve's collar and tie.  I just couldn't get the black ribbon to wrap nicely around his neck, or tie it in a bow, and it kept riding up over the top of his collar, so was always dissatisfied with how it looked.  Like in this recent photo....
Picture
So I wondered how it would look if I made a separate, stand alone collar with the necktie attached, that could be worn over his shirt collar. So I drew up a pattern to give it a try....
Picture
The ribbon was sewn on along the bottom edge, and it looks a bit 'lumpy' when it's laid out flat because I stitched it on with the collar curved over my fingers. I sewed a small black snap under the bow.  I think the new collar looks much more elegant, like a proper Victorian gentleman.
Picture
Steve also has a white tie, so now I need to make a second separate collar with the white bow attached.  And Rex's 'Outlander' outfit can use one too.

Hiding Doll Stands

Then there's the Fantasy photos I'm in the process of taking.  I always use doll stands to support my dolls in photos, and have gotten creative at making them disappear. So far I've managed to mostly hide the big black bases of the guy's stands, either under the edge of a carpet, or behind a lady's skirt.

But I need to shoot a scene with just the guys, so there was no way to hide all their bases.  I had been using a brown paper circle to cover Lawrence's base, but I didn't want three of them in the photo. They would stand out way too much.  So I got the idea to cut a bit off the corners of the big sheet of upholstery fabric that I use for the castle flooring.

I traced the base onto paper, added about an inch all the way around, made a paper pattern to determine where the vertical support should go, drew where the hole should go, smeared the back side with white glue, and cut the 'U' shape out after it had dried. I also used FrayCheck around the outer edges.....
Picture
Then I took a photo of two guys, one with the base covered, and one without, with the vertical supports hidden behind their legs....
Picture
Even though there is no bothering to try match the woven pattern, the fabric circle is barely noticeable.  A bit of Photoshop afterwards will make it completely invisible.
12 Comments
marianne
8/10/2020 09:55:57 am

you're just too clever

Reply
Martha
8/10/2020 10:39:40 am

Thanks! It's satisfying figuring stuff out.

Reply
Dorothy
8/10/2020 09:49:48 pm

I love how you have made the collar. It looks so natural.

And the carpet idea makes so much sense. The stand truly is hidden.

Reply
Martha
8/11/2020 12:49:59 pm

Yes, I find the new collar looks so much nicer. Plus I don't have to keep on trying to push the ribbon tie down.

Reply
Karen Collins
8/11/2020 08:08:42 am

Wow, those little changes made a BIG difference! It looks so much more realistic!

Reply
Martha
8/11/2020 12:50:38 pm

Sometimes it doesn't take much. Problem is, you just have to think of it.

Reply
Karen Collins
8/11/2020 08:13:10 am

This is such a great idea - I hate for the stands to show. Another thing to try when you don't have something like carpet would be to photocopy the floor and do the same process to match.

Reply
Martha
8/11/2020 12:52:25 pm

I have all kinds of tricks for hiding stands, but these guys in the castle setting turned out to be problematic when they are all standing out on their own.

Reply
Rae link
8/11/2020 08:30:59 am

Great tips. I never noticed the collar and tie as a problem until I saw how much better the new one looks! It's all about the details in miniature work, isn't it?

Reply
Martha
8/11/2020 12:53:47 pm

Steve's collar and tie didn't bother me last year, but I was having so much trouble dealing with it during the last photo shoot, that I thought I'd try this technique to see how that would work. And it did.

Reply
Lorraine
8/11/2020 01:11:51 pm

I believe men's collars in Victorian times were separate from the shirt, so what you have done is historically accurate as well as looking so much better. The carpet cover for the base of the stand is pure genius. And if you ever find yourself using resin shoes, I'll bet the carpet will hold them in place better than the slippery finish of the bare stand will.

Reply
Martha
8/11/2020 01:24:16 pm

Yes, I believe you are right about collars being separate back then. Live and learn.

I won't ever get those resin shoes. In fact I really need to make some more appropriate ones for my ladies to wear. You wouldn't believe what they have on under those gowns. It's just that I'm not a big fan of making shoes.

Reply



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    Author

    Martha Boers is an award-winning Canadian doll maker and costumer specializing in fantasy and historical-style costumes.
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