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Barbie as Lois Lane
I keep meaning to post pics of this custom that I made as a Christmas gift. I'm kind of stuck on one of my Mego customs, so I've been on a Barbie kick. This was intended to resemble some of the designer Barbie packaging, where the box replicates a scene the character is in, or artwork they're known for. It was kind of inspired by the Fay Wray from King Kong Barbie Mattel made a while back, with the doll sitting in the giant gorilla's paw. I used artwork from the cover of Lois Lane, Supermans Girl Friend #1, where Lois is a witch. The box was supposed to be shrink-wrapped as well, but when I used it, the box started to buckle and I didn't know what else to do, so I called it a diorama instead.
My sister-in-law collects Lois Lane comics, and when I thought about doing a project like this, I knew she'd love it, especially since this year she also decided to give her daughter HER first Barbie
The Box:
I don't have the capability to do high-quality printing like some of the packaging whizzes here, so I resized images from the comic with a little trial and error, printed them, then touched them up with paint and ink. I used craft foam to make the moon, and to raise some of the details. The skyline in the background is just a strip of posterboard I cut random building shapes out of.
As soon as I gave my s-i-l the box, I started noticing things I could have done better. Ideally, I like like to make boxes like this out of something sturdier, so they'll withstand being shrink-wrapped. Either that, or find a source for the large clear plastic boxes that some of the newer dolls come in, so I can just make inserts to fit.
The outfit was made from scratch, using old Barbie clothes as templates and modified patterns.
The shoes were generic boots that I cut to the style I wanted, and roughed up with sandpaper so they'd hold the paintjob. Then I applied a topcoat of Mod-podge. I think I had posted that as a tip here before.
I rerooted the head and made the hat from scrap fabric, plastic, interfacing, ribbon, and a buckle from the parts box.
The broom is a piece of dowling with rattan glued on.(I'll have to check the spelling - it's that shredded paper that looks like straw.)
I used fishing line to sew the doll onto the box insert, then duct taped the back. Here are a few photos of the doll up close and the finished display.
My sister-in-law collects Lois Lane comics, and when I thought about doing a project like this, I knew she'd love it, especially since this year she also decided to give her daughter HER first BarbieThe Box:
I don't have the capability to do high-quality printing like some of the packaging whizzes here, so I resized images from the comic with a little trial and error, printed them, then touched them up with paint and ink. I used craft foam to make the moon, and to raise some of the details. The skyline in the background is just a strip of posterboard I cut random building shapes out of.
As soon as I gave my s-i-l the box, I started noticing things I could have done better. Ideally, I like like to make boxes like this out of something sturdier, so they'll withstand being shrink-wrapped. Either that, or find a source for the large clear plastic boxes that some of the newer dolls come in, so I can just make inserts to fit.
The outfit was made from scratch, using old Barbie clothes as templates and modified patterns.
The shoes were generic boots that I cut to the style I wanted, and roughed up with sandpaper so they'd hold the paintjob. Then I applied a topcoat of Mod-podge. I think I had posted that as a tip here before.
I rerooted the head and made the hat from scrap fabric, plastic, interfacing, ribbon, and a buckle from the parts box.
The broom is a piece of dowling with rattan glued on.(I'll have to check the spelling - it's that shredded paper that looks like straw.)
I used fishing line to sew the doll onto the box insert, then duct taped the back. Here are a few photos of the doll up close and the finished display.
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