~Atelier Enaibi~

“I first found Enaibi’s dolls on her blog spot, several years ago. I fell in love with the faces instantly.The body’s of Kyrielle and Breseis was the first I had seen with a small chest and large hips, which now seems to be so popular. The sculpts have a flow of line, like no other artist and are perfectly balanced. But not until I held one in my hand did I know the intense perfection and love these dolls are made with.”

“Enaibi is a wonderful artist, her attention to every detail down to the smallest nail on the hand of a doll is extraordinary. The resin of each girl is smooth as stone, every tiny detail is dealt with great care and perfection. One of the most astonishing things about Enaibi’s dolls is their sense of movement and natural motion. The dolls are sculpted in such a manner that their bodies convey a sense of constant motion as if they are alive, captured in action rather than just posing still. Their natural balance allows for the most realistic posing of any doll. Both Enaibi and her dolls are AMAZING!!” ~Grace, Jpop Dolls

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Q: Can you tell me a little about yourself and why you started sculpting?

A: My name is Enaibi, I’m French. Currently, I am a graphic designer and sculptor for one of the largest video game companies, cartoons, and comics in my Country named Ankama.

I can not say I wanted to become an artist, but this happened gradually since childhood because since the age when all children draw and play with clay, I had the good fortune to not stop. I drew during my adolescence, and my biggest aesthetic influences were  Japanese style, which is still in my eyes a reference chart.

So passionate about drawing anime and comics, I had what is called a “thunderbolt” the day I discovered the resin sculptures of my favorite characters: the resin garage kits. And what was my reaction when I learned that in Japan, people produced their own resin kits by themselves… But at this time, it was hard to get information (internet was rare), and also to understand how to sculpt and reproduce these resin sculptures became an obsession for me.

Q: When did you first learn about garage kits? What kits did you find? How did they influence your style?

A: It was when I was adolescent, about 13 years old or something around then. I used to read Anime magazines, and inside sometimes I would see resin figures. I collected these pictures, wishing one day I could have the chance to get one.

For years, it was not possible to get any (as I said, the internet was not everywhere as it is today). This is the reason why I started to create my own figures, even if I was not able to cast them in resin yet. I start sculpting figures, only with clays in the beginning. They were both original characters and beloved anime characters.

I don’t regret this time, because thanks to this situation, my imagination was stimulated: we had to imagine a way to make what we were seeing in pictures, without any explanation. It trained me, and my experience grew. A few years later,  I bought my first pound of liquid resin and silicone to mold a sculpture of a character that I had made, a dream come true; I was able to cast.

In fact, it is not garage kits that influence my style, but the Japanese anime style that I saw when I was even younger. And it is not just a question of design, but a question of the way to think too. For me, Japanese creators are looking to make modern things, modern designs. They don’t hesitate to stylize, and they know how to mix aesthetics, realism, and futurism.

Today, as a designer foremost, I base my designs on dolls drawings I made according to my own aesthetic criteria, and I build on all this experience and culture. It is for this reason that their morphology is very special and personal, evolving. I try to include things in my designs typical of drawing, graphics…Clean lines and silhouettes are my main concern.

Q: So you made garage kit-style sculptures first and then moved on to dolls years later?

A: Yes, I made several figures before dolls. I started to get really involved in doll creations in early 2005 when I saw the first one in real life.

Directly, I realized that the techniques and molding materials of a BJD were very close to that of garage kits, and soon I began to create a small BJD first to serve as a test: Cybèle, which was finished and cast in 2006.

Q: Have you created your own graphic novels or comics? And what kind of things do you do at your job?

A: I have worked on several comics, but as an independent artist, with my scenarist named Aienkei. We worked on several concepts, and today we still have comics projects.

We always wanted to propose something very professional, and Aienkei is working hard on stories, so we take our time to make new ones.

For my work office, I make illustrations and other graphic works. I especially work in the search and development section for goodies. It can be anything: toys design, demonstration items, giant figures, sewing, etc…

Q: Have you ever sold any of your dolls at this time? And do you plan on selling some of your dolls in the future, perhaps through Jpop Dolls?

A: I sometimes propose dolls to people for sale or trade, but, I don’t have any shop for the moment as I work freely, only when I want as I do each doll by myself, handmade. For the moment, this situation is very pleasant for me. I love to work 100% on each doll. They are like a part of me each time ^^

Q: You have sculpted several cat girls and an android. Do you like working on fantasy characters or human dolls most?

A: It is true; I love fantasy dolls. When I was very young (before I was 10 years old), I was drawing only animals.

I gradually added human parts to them, beginning with tiny furries, and after more human ones… they followed me, getting more and more human-shaped each year. And today, I’m still fascinated by colored bodies, ears, tails… this is the reason why I still make them!

I was able to create a special way to cast resin to allow me to make several resin colors on the same doll parts because of my love for animal girls. I’m very glad and proud of this idea.

Q: Do you have a favorite size of doll that you like to make? What do you use to paint your dolls?

A: I made several tiny dolls, I think it is because I am used to making and assembling garage kits. 1/3 sized dolls are hard to hand-cast ^^ But I really love 1/4 size dolls… in fact, I can’t say which one I prefer.

To do my customizations on them, I use pastels of course, and airbrushed acrylics. I really love to use my airbrush.

Q: Are you working on anything new right now? Can you tell me about it?

A: I never stop thinking about what could come next, concepts that could surprise people without being completely crazy. I already made several sketches, more or less stylized, but it is mostly to improve experiences, the chance to see them in resin is slim.

Photos above:Enaibi’s first doll Cybèle, Satyne and Brimbelle illustration, Kyrielle.

 Enaibi Flickr : http://www.flickr.com/photos/enaibi/