Live doll classes on the Internet

In a time when some of us are finding it difficult to locate a doll class to attend, or even nearby doll makers with whom to share our ideas or experiences, both good and bad, in the journey toward acquiring the knowledge and skills with which to bring into being dolls to fit our personal ideals, visionaries are reaching out via the internet to help us. It no longer matters quite so much if we don’t have a doll class or club in our own town. We have doll bulletin boards for posting our pleas for help and chitchat with cyber doll friends, and classes taught online by experienced doll makers who are leaders among us in this beloved art.

Take, for instance, Karen Welch. Karen is the promoter of the fabulous annual doll show, Les Belles Poupees, formerly known as the East Texas Doll Show. For further Information on the Les Belles Poupees Doll Shows, check out this site: http://www.lesbellespoupees.com. Not only does she pour her efforts into making this event one of the most exciting and best attended in the doll community, drawing participants around the world, but she is committed to sharing her doll making skills with others and encouraging the continued growth of the doll community.

Karen has been teaching online classes for 5 years. Participants are able to watch and hear her as she discusses the history of the doll that is being taught, and also see a step by step demonstration of how to make it for themselves. Students are not only able to communicate with her during class by posting messages on the classroom board and get their questions answered in real time, but can read the questions posed by the other students and interact with them as well. A video is made of each session and available for download shortly after each class so it can be referred to as often as need be, and Karen makes herself available between classes thru a chat room maintained strictly for the class members. Class fees are very reasonable, and the student pays for the SFGW and other supplies needed to complete the doll. Karen teaches how to make both modern and antique reproductions in her classes, and can be reached at “Karen Welch” victoriaskaren@suddenlink.net for further information about her classes.

Karen and the members at Victoria’s Place also have the only group sponsored annual online doll competition. Any doll maker is welcome to submit their work. The competition is their way of supporting the doll makers everywhere that either have no competition to enter in their area or cannot get to a show that offers competition. Based upon the firm belief that we all need our work critiqued from time to time to see how we are improving, the competition is a yearly event.

Another well known name in the doll world is Connie Zink of Land of Oz Dolls. Connie started learning to make dolls in 1978, fell in love with it and she, together with her husband, started their business in 1979. Take a peek at her website, http://www.landofozdolls.com, for more detailed information on her credentials and samples of her work.

Connie Teaches weekly doll making classes and seminars at the shop in Savanna, and also travels about the country doing other seminars on request. She works to help the industry expand and is now beginning to offer Webinars on doll making for students who aren’t able to attend her classes in person. Her “first ever on-line Webinar” is a series of classes on painting the A-11 Tete Jumeau, the second is about “Creating the Perfect Bru”, and the third class available is “In-depth Modern Eye Painting” using Expressions’ 19” April doll with Karen Welch teaching the costuming portion. Connie also utilizes CDs and workbooks very effectively in teaching her classes. For more information or to sign up please call or email Connie at 815-273-3964 or landofoz@internetni.com.

The classes taught by both of these ladies are most beneficial to those with basic experience in porcelain doll making, and are a marvelous way to expand your knowledge and skills. What I’d like to see now is something for the inexperienced newbie who wants to start learning to make her first dolls and doesn’t have anyone to help her in person, or to supplement what she might be learning from her local doll class. There seems to be a need for this type of instruction. What do you think? Would you be interested in this type of classes if they were available and reasonably priced? Please share your opinions with us here at Yakkity Yak Dolls through the comments box below. Thank you!