Interview with Dutch doll artist Susan Vervoort
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Q: Can you tell me a bit about yourself? How did you become interested in making your own dolls? What inspires you?
A: My name is Susan, I live in the Netherlands. I’ve always been creative and since childhood I have drawn all the time.
I’m a big fan of modern Japanese culture. This is the reason I encountered BJD’s on the Internet. They are so anatomically correct (also a passion of mine) and look so refined, that I was instantly in love!
At first, I only started buying BJD’s for my own collection, because I was still busy with my studies to become an illustrator. Then I started to make dolls myself. After each doll I made, I thought there where still improvements to be made on some points! So I started to practice more and more.
The shapes and faces of people around me, movie stars and pictures of people inspire me in making my female human dolls. I like to accentuate the female forms and I really pay attention to the shape of the lips.
While making my animal dolls, illustrations are my main source of inspiration. I think it’s important that my animal dolls are simply adorable creatures, almost like an illustration.
Q: Which was your first animal doll? Which was your first human doll?
A: My first Animal doll was Nibbles. But in the beginning she was not for sale. After Nibbles I made Tjiep (Dutch for a tweet of a bird) and cast her. After that I decided to cast Nibbles too.
My first Human doll is a doll named Naomi. She was never released.
The first released doll was Noortje. She is 26cm tall and has a colourful and spirited appearance. She was a one of a kind doll.
Q: Mimi is your most recent animals. When was she released?
A: Mimi was released in a rush on November the 27th, 2012. People asked for her release, because I posted pictures of her in the making. While I made a beginning of creating Mimi, I did not finish her.
In the meantime I was very busy with arranging the pre-order of Mae, but I felt sorry Mimi was just laying on my workbench just to be finished, so I decided to resume my work on her and she was released earlier than expected.
Q: You also make jewellery for dolls too. Can you tell me more about the items you make?
A: I’m also a goldsmith and I like to make sterling silver rings (with or without a stone) fit for dolls.
There are many jewellery pieces for dolls for sale but very few rings. I really like that little accent on a doll. I make other jewellery too, but only commissioned or for my own dolls until now. Previously I also made chains and crowns for my own dolls. In my opinion jewellery is the finishing touch of an outfit.
Q: Are all of your dolls cast by you?
A: Yes all the dolls previously released were cast by me. Mae will be the first doll cast by a specialized company.
Q: Will you be releasing Mae in other resin colors?
A: Mae will only be released in a pale pink skin colour at first. If there is a high demand for more Maes in a different skin colour, there is certainly a possibility I will decide to release her in different skin colours.
Q:What size of clothing and shoes can Mae wear?
A: Mae is an MSD-sized girl. She fits MSD sized shoes. MSD sized dresses for small breasts and flaring out by the hips will also fit. Clothing for the hips (like pants) are not MSD compatible so people have to get a little more creative when making it, or just ask me to do that for them.
Q: Are you working on anything new?
A: I am definitely working on new dolls. There are a few prototypes of animal dolls on my table. One of them is an owl. I almost finished Nova, an animal/human hybrid doll. I hope to present her clay model at Ldoll 2013.
I’m also working on new human doll, but it is still too early to talk about her.
Photos above from top: Nibbles, doll rings.
Enid-Art Susan’s Etsy Store
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Mae:
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Pets:
