Base: ????

I guess, technically, this is where it all began. I created this about a year before I found out what dolling even was (I think it was around Fall, 2001). I stumbled across this rather primitive dollmaker and spent an entire afternoon making "avatars" for me and my friends. Sadly, the site is no longer operational. I wish I knew what became of it . . . did the owners go on to become great dollers?

No base

Because I have a tendency to perform a million tasks at once, I can't really say which doll is my absolute first, but I'm thinking it could be one of these two. This must have been back before I discovered you can actually use pre-made bases to make dolls. (D'oh!) As you can see, I'm a terrible freehander. Alright, be honest, I can't even trace worth a darn! Check out the shoulders - they're the size of a planet! I think the human form will always elude me . . . although the drums aren't so bad. Anyway, this was me tracing over stills from music videos of my favourite band. A band which will remain nameless, lest they find these and kick me out of their fanclub. If they, in fact, have a fanclub.

No base

Yet another tracing of a music video still. This was either done earlier than the above two or at the same time; it just looks better because I worked on it longer . . . a good six months or so of picking and tweaking. The massive torso theme is repeated, as is the crooked guitar neck, which I still have issues with to this day. Well, I wouldn't keep at this if I didn't have areas to always improve on.

Base: Xandorra's Place

I think these three were made when I was still using the "drop shadow" blending option in PS to shade. :D When you first start dolling, it's easy to get discouraged by things you feel look bad, but at the same time, you have to look at the things that worked out - no matter how small they are - and make that your victory. As weird as it sounds, just drawing those sandals gave me enough incentive to keep going after I was disappointed with everything else I drew on all three dolls.

Base: Island of Misfit Toys & Porcelain Dreams (site closed)

Another favourite band, another drop shadow shading job. The hair came with the bases and was modified by various degrees. You can totally tell which hairstyles I messed with and which ones I left alone. I dolled the same band a year later, and used the exact same outfit for the fourth member. I like putting these two dolls side by side as it shows some tangible progress, while still leaving room for improvement. I really should do a third version to see where I stand. I think I may be plateauing a bit.

Bases: Island of Misfit Toys & Swiss Cheese Army

My first two self-portraits. You can see how I "pillow emboss shade" on the first doll, which, to be honest, I still do today (just more discreetly!) I like the messy hair . . . it's actually pretty accurate. The second doll was meant to capture my mood at the time. When I first discovered this hobby, I was pretty stressed out and blue (the things around my head all had to do with my highly unsatisfying job). Dolling was my "hide away from troubles" activity for quite awhile. I'm actually less inclined to doll when I'm in a good mood.

Base: Starweaver (site closed)

It didn't occur to me to look up a tutorial on how to tool shade hair, instead I just started experimenting with different methods. With this doll, I found a method I like and I've been using it ever since (with some refinement along the way). Turns out I was just doing what everyone else was in terms of technique, which leads me to wonder if there's a sort of Jungian method of dolling.

Wow. I think about things far too much. :D

Oh yes, from the beginning of my dolling endeavour to the present day, one thing has never changed: I may be able to texture hair, but I certainly can't style it!

Base: Historical Dolls (site closed)

My very first contest entry and one of the first dolls I was truly proud of. The shading worked out really well for an early attempt. With my attention span, it's entirely possible that I would have given up on dolling mere months into trying it, but I think it was this doll that made me realize I could possibly do great things (or at least things I could be proud of) if I just stuck with it.