Lights, Camera, Hamilton

We just could not get the lighting right on the full figure of the Hamiltons, so we bit the bullet and bought ourselves a studio light set. The early results are promising. The lighting is much, much better. A few tweaks on background light and doll and we should be there. Look at the difference between the lighting on this photo vs. the photos posted below.

In other news, we're trying to figure out what to do for a booth at the Williamsburg Colonial Faire in December. It's an indoor event due to the cold. We've done outdoor events with a fly, but not for some time (years) and it was civil war, not colonial. I'm working somewhat frantically to get dolls ready for that show, as well as the possibility of sending some on ahead with another craftsperson to show at the Williamsburg Faire in October. I'm redoing my George Washington. (Not the one I did for the Williamsburg Museum -- my other Washington -- the one I initially sent as a sample to Williamsburg.) Upon reflection, he looked too "cartoony" -- and I've progressed with the costuming to the point that I didn't like the fit of his duds.

So poor old GW got torn apart. He's being put back together pretty well now (and I'm planning to do a companion Martha W. figure -- bought some gorgeous silks for her dresses yesterday) but there was more than one moment of panic when I had resculpted his face, but just couldn't get it right. It didn't help that Emma kept coming into the studio and saying things like, "Why'd you change him? I liked him better before. He doesn't look anything like George Washington." Aargh!

But alas, he finally got an acceptable face and now he's being costumed. He's wearing a duckegg silk waistcoat, black breeches and boots. I even made him a little colonial shirt using my 18th century pattern book. My plan is to give him a wool cloak, too.

That's all for now. I gotta get back to George ...

Nina