OOAK Gothic Doll – Starling
A gothic rag doll with hand drawn features by Jo Hards
Starling sits on the platform at Gothville Station, watching the trains come and go. Sometimes, she sees a dark, long haired figure among the crowd of commuters and for a moment she’s convinced he’s come back, before her hopes turn to disappointment once more. Time and time again, she replays the events in her mind. One minute he was standing there with her … the next he was gone, and life would never be the same …
It’s been a long time since I picked up a coloured pencil, but I have to say it’s a medium I love working with. My previous efforts with coloured pencils have mostly been on paper, so I was excited to see what could be achieved on cloth. After a couple of practice runs, my first successful attempt at a hand drawn face was on OOAK gothic doll ‘Luna’. I was rather pleased with how she turned out and couldn’t wait to get started on another similar doll. Hand drawn features allow for much more detail and expression than button eyes, so I found this method particularly suited to more emotive subjects.
Starling is heartbroken. She has just lost somebody she loved and can’t accept that he’s gone. Her story hints at what may have happened, but is open to some interpretation. Did he simply board a train, leaving Starling and Gothville behind, or was his exit more macarbre in nature? As this is Gothville, one thing is sure. One way or another, he will be back at some point … dead or alive!
Starling and other OOAK gothic dolls can be found in the Strange Little Girls online store.
See all OOAK gothic dolls
