Spiritual Warrior

This doll is for the AlteredArtEurope September challenge. I'll send it on its way to Claire in England sometime this coming week. (As always, you can click to enlarge the photos.)

I've called the doll "Spiritual Warrior". To make it simple, the back to back dolls show what's up front (though hidden behind an everyday mask) and what's behind what's up front.

The foundation for the double-doll is the Mirkwood paper doll template. You can download the template at:

www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/images/paperdoll.gif

I enlarged the doll before printing and cutting out the parts, then used the torso as a template to draw the body of the primordial goddess doll.

For the goddess, I painted the torso in four shades of blended acrylic (buff, yellow ochre, pale gold, and copper), then stamped on the spirals sign a small spiral stamp and three shades of yellow and brown inks. To complete the image, I decorated the body with various tribal transfers.

The torso on the warrior side is painted blue. I then applied a transfer and topped it with a paper tribal pattern. The legs and arms are covered in a layer of raised pattern wallpaper to give them depth and dimension. I then dry-brushed on blue and gold paint to highlight the raised elements.

One of the things I like about this doll is that when it is viewed from the goddess side, the warrior is invisible, because the legs are tucked behind the torso. The warrior's arms and legs are movable, though, so she can take a firm stance.

If you are an altered artist living in Europe, feel welcome to join the AlteredArtEurope group. You can use the link in the "links" section on the right of this page.