Cloth dolls range in complexity from simple canvas craft projects to ornate and highly collectable works of art. On the simple side, a set of Sharpie markers is all you need to transform a plain fabric doll into one with a face and other recognisable human characteristics. Sharpies come in a range of colours and tip sizes, which allow fabric doll makers flexibility in the intricacy of their designs.

  • Cloth dolls range in complexity from simple canvas craft projects to ornate and highly collectable works of art.
  • On the simple side, a set of Sharpie markers is all you need to transform a plain fabric doll into one with a face and other recognisable human characteristics.

Draw eyes. The eyes are in the centre of a person's face, and therefore are the foundation from which to space the rest of the doll's features. Use a fine tip marker to trace two football-shaped polygons onto the face, and then use a thicker-tip marker to fill in the iris in your desired colour. Add eyelashes using quick upward strokes, and two gently arched lines above the eyes as eyebrows.

Draw an "S" shape starting over the brow of one eye and swooping under the other. This will be the nose.

Draw a small "V" shape under the bulb of the nose. Draw a soft upside-down "U" directly below the "V," leaving a bit of space. These denote the centre of the lips. Draw gently sloping lines on either side of the tips of the "V," then connect those lines to the tips of the "U" shape to create a closed mouth. Red and pink are two popular colours to fill the doll's lips.

  • Draw an "S" shape starting over the brow of one eye and swooping under the other.
  • Draw gently sloping lines on either side of the tips of the "V," then connect those lines to the tips of the "U" shape to create a closed mouth.

WARNING

Felt-tip Sharpie markers have a tendency to bleed. To keep lines as clean as possible, make light, quick marks. Letting a marker tip linger on the doll's fabric surface can result in blotchy marks and colour bleeding.