SEMINAR OFFERING: MODERN DOLLS
(No doll substitutions without DAGSD approval.)
The Modern Program is a course of study designed for dollmakers who wish to progress through the DAGSD learning the fundamentals and techniques for making modern dolls.
Beautiful Doll 1: 3 days
This is an introduction to porcelain dollmaking. You will learn the fundamentals of casting, Dust-free Cleaning™ of soft-fired porcelain, firing a kiln, eye cutting, the Water-base Technique™ of china painting, and assembly of a doll. You will complete one all-bisque doll available only through the seminar program, Amber (M5002), and will receive her head mold free. You will also receive a free catalog and Golden Key to Dollmaking. The hosting studio will provide wig, eyes, and all other materials to complete the doll.
Beautiful Doll 2: 3 days
From the basics you learned in Beautiful Doll 1 you will advance into assembling a doll with armatures and receive an introduction to Dimensional Doll Painting™ with china paint shading of eyes and other facial features, arms, legs, and torso. You will learn how to apply a wash to white porcelain and to paint modern lashes and feathered brows. You will complete one doll on a cloth and porcelain body and one head with painted eyes (includes wig). The hosting studio will provide the wigs for both dolls and the eyes, body, and other materials for the completed doll.
GROUP I (soft-fired)
UC556 Hillary (needs 556 shoulder plate, 556 hands, 556 lower legs and body pattern)
M1014 Giselle (needs MALS1014 mold set and P512 body pattern)
M1003 Alexis (needs MALS1003 mold set and P506 or P507 body pattern)
GROUP II (bisque-fired)
UC545 Dawn (needs 545 arms, 545 legs and 545 torso, which you can purchase)
S854 Cherry Ripe
M5001 Sapphire
Beautiful Doll 3: 3 days
This is the most advanced of the Beautiful Doll seminars. You will be introduced to Portrait Painting™ by learning how to paint more realistic and more difficult  lashes and brows, and how to give more dimension and shape to lips and eyes. You will also learn how to bevel and size greenware for paperweight eyes. You will complete one doll from Group I on the ModBod™ and will paint two heads: One doll with dark coloring and one doll with painted eyes and an overall wash. The hosting studio will provide the ModBod™, paperweight eyes, wig and all other materials for the completed doll. 
GROUP I (soft-fired)
M1001 Zelma
S828 Jasmine II (needs mold MA9001 arms & ML9001 legs)
GROUP II (bisque-fired)
S873 Angel
M1005 Angelica
GROUP III (bisque-fired)
M1007 Annikita
M1022 Franziska II May
M1023 Swiss Heidi/Peter
After completing Beautiful Doll 1, 2 and 3 you will receive the title "Certified Modern Doll Artist" and will have acquired the skills to prepare you for the Modern Doll Artist Proficiency Exam (MDAPE).
Modern Doll Artisan Proficiency Exam (MDAPE): 1 1/2 days
Prerequisites: Beautiful Doll 1, 2 and 3.
If you are interested in teaching dollmaking or earning higher dollmaking titles you can attain the title Certified Modern Doll Art Product Teacher by taking and passing the MDAPE. On the first day your instructor will review all the dollmaking techniques and procedures you learned in the Beautiful Doll seminars. You will complete a review booklet covering all topics on the exam and will use this booklet, along with the Golden Key to Dollmaking and any other relevant material, to study for the exam to be taken on the second day. The exam is normally completed by noon. You will receive your grade and certificate by mail. 
The Dimensional Doll Painting Technique (DDP)™ for creating dolls with exquisite depth and beauty is taught in all the following modern artist doll seminars. This technique, which was pioneered by Ron Booker, is a life-like style for painting modern dolls. DDP uses classic portrait painting techniques such as blending of colors, shading of features and other special details for painting the entire doll, including eyes (either painted or cut out), lips, nose, cheeks, brows, ears and many parts of the arms, legs and torso. Whether painting dolls to look realistic or to represent an idealized or stylized effect, with DDP you will be able to achieve a softness that makes your dolls special.
Painted Eye Dolls: 3 full days
Give depth and realism to these painted eye dolls by learning Ron Booker's special techniques for making eyes, as well as other facial features, come to life. Complete one doll and one other painted head.
S857 Estella Convention Doll
M1023 Swiss Heidi/Peter
S854 Cherry Ripe
M1024 Jasmine III
M1005 Angelica
M5001 Sapphire
M1007 Annikita
Advanced Painted Eyes Dolls: 3 full days
Learn the advanced techniques and procedures for creating dolls with more difficult eyebrows, lips, eye colors, skin tones and special details. Complete one doll on a porcelain, composition or ModBod™ and one other painted head that fits on a cloth body.
Prerequisite: Painted Eye Dolls.
M1021 Capri
S881 Oliver
M1025 Zelmina
M1004 Fawn/Estella Convention Doll
M1014 Giselle
M1002 Annika
Boys with Painted Eyes: 3 full days
Learn how to use Dimensional Doll Painting Technique™ to enhance your doll's boyish charms. Complete one and one painted head.
M1023 Swiss Heidi/Peter II
M1004 Fawn Convention Doll
M1021 Capri
M1015 Connie
M1016 Charlie
M1017 Candy
S881 Oliver
Rochard: 3 days
In the mid-1800's French doll maker Edmond Rochard made dolls whose shoulder plates were decorated with necklaces made of embedded see-through jewels with French scenes underneath. You will enjoy using this imaginative technique to embellish your modern dolls. Complete one doll on a cloth or leather body and one other shoulder plate or shoulder head. Note: The seminar may also be designed for you to complete one doll and a wig.
S853 Tosca
S857 Estella
S854 Cherry Ripe
S870 Eve
M4001ST Daisy Garland
Lady Dolls: 3 full days
Paint these sophisticated young ladies and learn how to assemble their shapely bodies, which are designed for fashionable costumes. Complete Two dolls.
S870 Eve
S853 Tosca
S857 Estella
M4001ST Daisy Garland 
Poppets: 3 full days
These 5" all-bisque wonders will dance and play throughout your house! Learn simple techniques for painting these small dolls and discover how to string them with one piece of elastic in order to "pop" different arms and legs on in seconds. Complete four dolls. Wig furnished for one doll.
M3001ST Poppet Set
Sisters: 3 full days
Paint and assemble a beautiful young lady and her little sister. Their endearing features and wonderfully sculpted bodies will steal your heart. Complete one doll from each group.
Group I
M4001ST Daisy Garland Set
Group II
S847 Lisbeth
M5001 Sapphire
Young Lady Doll and Costume: 3 full days
Paint and assemble a fashionable young lady and costume her in a soft, flowing dress. Try out special painting techniques to give your doll a wonderful glow, and learn tips for costuming modern dolls. Complete one dressed doll.
M4001ST Daisy Garland Set
M1003 Alexis
Ethnic Dolls: 3 full days
Learn how to use different colors of slip and overall washes to create dolls with exotic coloring. Also learn the colors to use to paint realistic features on darker colored dolls. Complete one doll at least 23" tall and two other finished heads.
M1025 Zelmina
M2001 Kata
S873 Angel
M5001 Sapphire
S853 Tosca
M1020 Meili
M4003 Vito
M4002 Katarina
M2003 Danru
Father Christmas: 3 full days
Paint any of these dolls as Santa or Father Christmas and create a costume appropriate for the season. Learn how to make a mohair wig and beard. Complete one dressed doll.
SC300 Axel
M4003 Vito
OZ001 Himself
Beautiful Babies: 3 full days
They are cute and cuddly, and you will enjoy painting their winsome expressions. Complete one doll on a cloth body and two other finished heads.
M2001 Kata
M2002 Nick
S847 Lisbeth
S846 Carolin Bebe
S849 Katie
M2003 Danru
Fantasy Fairies: 3 full days
You'll think you stepped into a fairy tale when you create these lovely all-bisque creatures. You can assemble them with various leg combinations to have them dancing, kneeling, flying, and engaging in other enchanted activities! Assemble Tanzey and Odelle and two Tiny Fairies. Wig and eyes furnished for one large doll.
S864 Tanzey
S865 Odelle
S871 Tiny Fairies
Expressions: 3 full days
Bring photos of your children or your favorite shots from magazines or books to learn how to paint realistic facial features and expressions. Discover the portrait painting techniques of brow placement, mouth shape and the combination of light and shadow to create your masterpieces in porcelain. Complete one doll on a cloth or ModBod™ and two other finished heads.
M1001 Zelma
S881 Oliver
M1024 Jasmine III
M1014 Giselle
M1021 Capri
M4001 Daisy Garland
M2001 Kata
S849 Katie
M1002 Annika
M1023 Swiss Heidi/Peter II
Mechanical Dolls or Walking Dolls: 3 full days
Paint modern doll artist heads and discover how to attach them to the FMB14 mechanical body or the FWB14 "walking" body. When your doll is complete you will have loads of fun deciding what activities your modern mechanical or walking doll will be engaged in. Complete one doll on the FMB 14 composition body or the FWB 14 composition body and finish two other heads.
Convention Doll May
S873 Angel
M1023 Swiss Heidi/Peter II
M1021 Capri
M1007 Annikita
S881 Oliver
M1025 Zelmina
M1024 Jasmine III
Christmas Specialty: 3 full days
Our top-notch instructors will work with you to design and customize a seminar with a Christmas or holiday theme. Your seminar could be centered around snow or tree-top angels, carolers, music boxes, sleigh rides, etc. The possibilities are endless.
Also see Father Christmas above.
Claire Contrasts: 3 full days
Paint and decorate two imaginative variations of Claire (SC246), a 10" statuette of the bust of a beautiful young lady on a 4 1/2" wide base. Claire can be created with either cut out eyes or modern painted eyes. In this seminar you can learn many different painting and decorating techniques, including lace draping, porcelain roses or marbleizing. Your finished Claires can be used as hat pin holders, wig or hat stands or simply as beautiful conversation pieces. You are limited only by your imagination!
Jewels, Lace and Roses: 3 full days
Learn how to lace drape and how to make porcelain roses and jewelry for your modern dolls. Also learn other techniques such as applying glazes and decals, painting with gold and other lusters, and how to use Rochard Paste china paint for a three dimensional effect. Complete two dolls, one on a cloth body and one on a porcelain body. Choose one doll from group I and one from group II. 
Group I
S855 Hanna
S857 Estella
M4002 Katarina
Group II
S864 Tanzey
S865 Odelle
S870 Eve