How to attach sculpey to plush/fur doll

[Jelayer]

I've looked around everywhere and if I've somehow missed this posted somewhere else could you please point me in that direction?  Thanks

How do you go about attaching a sculpey/clay face to a plush/furry doll?
http://wereremjiff.deviantart.com/  <-- her work is an example. She states no joints or armature skeleton are used.

There are a ton of different people who do this, but the few I've tried to ask are keeping this secret on lock down!
I've looked all over the internet and feel like I must be the only one who doesn't know how to do it!

I've tried experimenting...
I tried just gluing the sculpey to the plush, and the fur made that one a bust.
I tried gluing the sculpey to some basic cotton fabric and then sewing it on.  The fabric was clearly visible and it just looked terrible!
I tried poking holes in the clay to be able to sew it on like a button, again... we were in the "looking terrible" department.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! 

[TinfoilHalo]

I came to ask sort of the same question and ended up looking at the artist you linked.  From one of the captions on one of the pictures "Their paws/ears/faces are molded and then fixed with epoxy, sanded and colored, body is soft inside."

Not a very precise answer, but it is a starting point?

[Jelayer]

Yeah, I'm probably making this way more complicated then it is. Maybe if I shave the fur off in that section. Thanks!  I'll just keep experimenting!

[esseesee]

If, at the bottom of the head/base of the neck/hand/foot/wrist/wherever, there is a groove in the polymer clay which goes all the way round the circumference of said 'joint', and just distal to that groove is a ridge, the fabric for the limb/body/wherever can be securely attached by means of a cable tie of suitable length, colour and width. Excess is trimmed off, and excess fabric turned over to conceal the tie, and also trimmed as necessary, or fur brushed so as to disguise the tie, or mohair added with glue, or clothes fitted - whatever. You could even use glue in the groove as well as the cable tie if you didn't trust yourself to get it tight enough.

This is a very useful technique for securely and discreetly attaching solid or semi-solid extremities to a soft fabric body.

[TinfoilHalo]

beautiful description!  Thank you!

[Jelayer]

@esseesee-- Thank you so much for such a detailed explanation! You are the first person who has given me a straight answer.  Thank you so much!!

[esseesee]

Happy to be of help!

I have dissected dolls, and that is how the type of baby doll which has a soft body, but 'formed' legs, arms and head, are made. The 'brand' name ones, such as BabyBorn and Baby Annabell have this tie pretty well disguised -   the fabric portion of the limbis usually attached to the formed portion while it (the fabric portion) is inside out, so when it's turned the right way round for stuffing, the method of attachment is totally concealed. Around the head/neck, there is a casing of the body fabric through which the tie runs,  at the point where it has been pulled tight and cut off, there are usually a few firm hand stitches which ensure even the 'buckle' bit of the tie  remains concealed by a casing of fabric.

However, if you look at a cheap 'generic' soft-bodied doll, although the attachment of the limbs is usually concealed, the fastened bit of the cable tie is often very clear around the neck. It is - usually - on the side of the neck on the doll's right.

Buy a cheap soft-bodied baby doll from a discount shop or a brand name one - or several - from a charity/thrift/op shop, strip it naked and cut it apart, carefully, to see how it is constructed. Brand name ones and generic ones are constructed very differently, I have found. It's no use my posting pix, as the cable tie is white, against white or pale pink fabric, or tan or dark brown against tan or dark brown fabric.

[TinfoilHalo]

Wow another great idea!  You are so helpful!  Guess I will be hitting garage sales to try to find some baby dolls to vivisect .. which sounds creepyawesome.

[Icekibby]

I saw one artist's tutorial on this, and she glued the fur around the edges of the sculpy face parts quite neatly before stuffing.

I have added hooves to stuffed legs by having holes in the top and sewing through it into the leg, which was furry and hid the method quite well.  I think a combination of techniques is best, depending on the part you're attaching.

[NightShiftOriginals]

The way I've found that works for me is:

1: Shave down the fur away from the surface I want to attach the sculpey piece to
2: Before baking the sculpey, I'll score the backside of it with a cross-hatch pattern, to rough it up. The part I'll be gluing.
3: After painting the baked sculpey, I like to use E-6000 as my glue of choice. It's flexible and really strong.