Easter Portraits: 3 Tonner Scarletts
Showing posts with label Tonner Scarlett O' Hara doll. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tonner Scarlett O' Hara doll. Show all posts
UFDC Tonner "Return to Tara" Scarlett Repaint
I've had fever the past few days. Must be the change of weather. What to do? What to do? One look at the Tonner "Return to Tara" doll -- it's time to "return" to repainting. It's been awhile. And I think I need more practice since I've been forgetting the steps. Well, here she is with rolls on her side and a pensive look -- must be the fever.
I was also able to scan a photo of a the scene where she wears the dress. A close shot of the hairstyle shows the bun to be much bigger at the back, whereas the doll has a bun that stops chin-length. I would think it was a hair attachment that Vivien wore during the scene. She had so many hairstyles there, it must have been torture on her hair. In real life, Vivien Leigh had curly shoulder length hair, so I surmise that there must have been a lot of hair extensions and attachments during the filming.
This doll still needs some finishing touches -- or retouches if I find something else that needs to be improved (from how I see it).
To all those posting comments. I've been a hard time replying, sometimes my comments get posted, most of the time, they don't but I do really, really appreciate your comments. Thank you for joining me in this journey into Gone with the Wind.
"How could he resist?": Photoshoot with Tonner Scarlett O' Hara doll
How could Ashley resist kissing her? Here are photos from a Saturday afternoon shoot with Tonner Scarlett O' Hara wearing the beautiful Franklin Mint's "Christmas with Ashley" dress. For me this is one of the most beautiful dresses made for this doll.
I forgot to mention that this doll was sold to me by a friend from the US who got it in a garage sale. It seemed to have been played with extensively and was in dire need of T.L.C. The vinyl was not very clean and the hair disheveled. Well, a good bath, and a repaint plus good conditioner on the hair rescued this Scarlett. Now she's ready to entice Ashley again. Tsk, tsk bad girl!
Latest Doll Repaint: Tonner Scarlett 0' Hara doll
I will never get tired of Scarlett -- I guess. It's been a relationship I've had for over 20 years (hint, hint of my age). Why should I? The character taught me "gumption" at a time when I needed it most. I guess it was also the fact that she was unyielding in her want to survive, a complete disregard for what she thought was insensible and her foolishness in love.
This is Tonner's Waiting for Pa Scarlett. I actually prefer this than the brown-haired version they use for the Basic Scarlett as the black hair frames that "magnolia-white skin". Thus, it is more in keeping with the way Margaret Mitchell describes her Scarlett. This time I took more patience in repainting and wish I did the first time I repainted. Although not really that patient. I do keep retouching and retouching. I am conscious (trying to) about the layering of acrylic. My eyesight though gets in the way. It has gotten blurred after spending much time practicing. Wish I had the right solution to take out the factory paint. Wish I had more of the right brushes (oh those 20/0 and 18/0 brushes). Wish I had more patience too.
Scarlett is photographed here with available light of 9 a.m. using my 10 megapixel phone camera -- that's why it's rather blurry.
I've been thinking of getting the "portieres" dress, but it is just too expensive! But that Tonner version is really more in keeping with the Plunkett design, save for the tassels.
Life is short, a voice inside me says.
Tonner Scarlett O' Hara Repaint: "In the Mist"
Was it the elegance of this costume? The silhouette that suddenly signaled the change in era of fashion in Gone with the Wind? Was it the symbol of tragedy that it represented? Whatever it is, the final mourning gown of Scarlett worn at the last scenes of Gone with the Wind seems to have captured my attention from the first time I lay eyes on it. In it is found the irony of grace and turmoil, the mix of elegance and wildness of a woman torn and rejected. And yet, despite her sadness, she finds hope, a dark tormented figure, lying against the deep red carpet of the Peachtree Mansion's staircase.
It had been a wish (and a dream) that Franklin Mint would release this dress. At that time, no other doll could have carried it well than the Franklin Mint Scarlett. But when Tonner released in Fall of 2008 its "In the Mist" costume, collectors were awed by its elegance, smitten by its color (faithful deep purple found in the sketches of Walter Plunkett). The bustle is attached at its bottom and opens at the back for the doll to be dressed. My only gripe was the collar was closed and not open as the one we see on film. The Cameo on the collar has an amazing detail of the profile of a woman - it is not faithful to the cameo we see on film. The skirt is tight, almost forming a serpentina form. The bustle at the back is poufy and is reminiscent of the change of era from the big ballroom skirts to slimmer forms of the late Victorian era.
The train is a double layer of black on purple. It seems much longer than the one we also see on film. A large bow is attached at the top of the train (also in velvet). Completing this look is a tulle veil and dark earrings for the doll. Something we also don't see on film.
That time, no up-do-d Mrs. Butler was released. And so taking things on my hands again, I longed to have a doll as faithful to the image of Vivien Leigh as could be (at least in my eyes). Thus, the portraits of Tonner's Basic Scarlett wearing the In the Mist ensemble, repainted and wearing the In the Mist hairstyle (thanks to Eric C. of Montreal who shared with me close up shots of Vivien Leigh wearing this hairstyle).
The hairstyle is 6 rolls surrounding the crown, all pulled up, each one tied, then gathered. I had to cut the hair and leave some curls at the top. An accident with the hairdryer however caused some burns on the hair which I covered with more curls from the sides and from behind (sigh).
The doll has been repainted following the long, lost look of Scarlett. It was difficult erasing the paint. I do not have the special magic potion available in my country for that = ). It was painted with a 3/0 brush. Not the smallest as such it is not perfect as Noel Cruz or Laurie Leigh, or JACS would have made it. But I am happy.
*Screencaps from Gone with the Wind, Turner Entertainment Video
Doll Photography: Tonner Scarlett Gone with the Wind (repainted)
Here is an example of what photoshop can do. The picture on the top was shot against a mocha-colored sofa. With photoshop, the background can be changed to put the subject in let's say a "toile" background. There are immense possibilities here in terms of backgrounds. Of course it is better to have actual things behind, but for lack of a toile background (for instance), as it is a difficult material to find, one can create the material for it.
The mood of the lighting can also be fixed in photoshop. There is no need for a actual directional lighting. Everything can be controlled. And the opportunities for play and imagination can be maximized to your heart's delight.