Conceptualising a Dark Goddess

Finally a post about something other than a new doll. It feels like it's been a while!

I've been getting really inspired of late to turn my Monster High dolls into the fantasy characters I've always wanted given how hard it is for me to achieve this through the resin dolls. Plus clothing for these dolls is a lot easier to make than the larger resin scale. I already have a few designs in mind.

I'm going to be starting up a book where I put fabric off cuts and fashion designs for my characters and any inspirations I find around the net.

The first of these concepts is my Dark Goddess, Neviah. She is a bringer of death and destruction. She is also known as, "The Dark Lady", "The Shadow" and "Deathbringer".

I've done some light blushing already (doesn't show up on the photo) around her cheeks and chin and nose but I have to deepen that a little tomorrow. I still have to paint her lips and because I actually like her default eye shape, I am keeping it however I am going to go in and paint her eyes black and go in with a darker pastel around the eyes. I also need to darken her eyebrows a bit more with acrylic paint.

I found some neat little black dots which I have already attached to her head. She was actually photographed naked but with some photoshop brushes and manipulation magic, I made a quick "dress" for her. This is not her outfit concept although the sheer fabric look is.

 This bold looking lass is an Ever After High Apple White from Way to Wonderland series. She used to have this gorgeous blonde hair with pink and blue stripes that I absolutely adored however, she had the unfortunate distinction of being one of the "glue head" dolls as I've taken to calling them - that is, Mattel dolls with so much glue in their heads that they eventually seep out into the hair and just make a right gooey greasy mess. When a doll has hair like that, I get rid of it. The hair just clumps together and is unpleasant to the touch.

Initially after removing her hair, I had plans to get rid of her default face however, I've always actually rather liked it. It's such strong bold colours, sassy even. I had played with the idea of getting her a wig at some point but ... never got around to it. I was at a local craft store that is sadly closing down when I saw this vibrant red yarn that looks to me like dreadlocks. I thought it would be so perfect for her. I also got some black ones too which I might put a few strands of that in as well.

I'm not quite sure on her concept yet but the name Vixen keeps popping into my head when I look at her. I think I may make her my unabashedly unapologetic Siren from hell. Literally. She's also known as "Fury". Maybe a Demi-Goddess. I'm thinking I might paint her lower arm to give the illusion her gloves go all the way up to her elbow.

I also have plans for a Shadow Warrior, a former hero raised from the dead and now serving the Dark. Neviah's Champion with combat and necromancer abilities. I'm picturing a gem embedded in the warrior's right hand that allows for some sort of unholy dark power.

Not sure of the story yet. I'm making it up as I go along. As in any fantasy, all I know is there are the Champions of the Light and the Champions of the Dark and they're not always easy to tell apart.