Go On,
Make Faces

Intuitive Face Play

A self-paced digital face-making workshop for spirit dolls, art dolls, and imaginative mixed-media figures

Want to make your own expressive little clay faces instead of relying on store-bought ones? I got you.

Join me in the studio (virtually!) and learn three playful ways to make your own clay faces for spirit dolls, art dolls, and all kinds of imaginative figures.

With step-by-step video lessons, you'll learn simple ways to shape faces, experiment with expression, and discover some wonderfully quirky little personalities of your own. Pause when you need to, replay a technique, and work at whatever pace feels right.

$97 · Start anytime · Lifetime access

Purchase the digital workshop

Please note: As this is a digital workshop, purchases are non-refundable. You’ll have continued access to these lessons.

Hands shaping a whimsical face from white Model Magic clay for a spirit doll.

Face Making Doesn’t Need to Be Scary

Faces are often what gets people stuck in doll making. They want to make something all their own, but then think there’s no way. I’ve heard all the worries: I’m not artistic, I’m not a sculptor… I have no idea how.

So what often happens is, folks find a face they like on Etsy and use it over and over and over. And I’m not saying that’s not OK. It is. But wouldn’t it be fun to learn how to make a face of your own?

It is. And I’ve got you! 

In this workshop, we'll explore three different ways to make faces, from wonderfully simple and abstract to something a little more lifelike. And you don't need to know a thing about sculpting to get started.

This is a make-along workshop, even though we're not together live. I'll take you through each technique step by step, showing you how I approach making faces and sharing little tips and tricks I've learned along the way.

You can stop the videos whenever you want, try things out, and come back when you're ready for more. Make one face or make a whole collection of quirky little characters!

Because making faces doesn't have to be scary. It can actually be one of the most fun parts of making a spirit doll.

Whimsical handmade clay face with closed eyes and wire decorations emerging from the top.

What If You Didn’t Have to Be Good at Faces?

For a long time, faces intimidated me too. But you know what changed? I stopped thinking I had to be Michelangelo and started trusting that my fingers would somehow find their way.

When I stopped trying to make a face “correctly” and started approaching clay the way I approach the rest of my art — with curiosity, experimentation, and play — things changed.

A little bit of clay became a nose. A couple of shapes suggested cheeks. An expression appeared that I hadn’t planned.

And suddenly there she was.

That's the approach we'll take in this workshop. I'll show you some simple ways to build a face, how to think about its shapes and features, and what you can do when things don't turn out quite the way you imagined.

We're not trying to become sculptors. We're learning how to make faces that have personality. And sometimes those crooked little smiles and unexpected expressions turn out to be the best part.

But Let Me Say This…

If you're after perfectly smooth, symmetrical results, a mold is a great option. Here, we’re leaving room for crooked little smiles and faces with wonderfully quirky personalities.

We’ll Explore Three Ways to Make a Face

We'll start with the easiest, most playful approach and work our way toward making a dimensional clay head. Each technique gives you something new to experiment with, and by the time you've worked through all three, you'll have a few different ways to make faces for your own projects.

1. Playful Faces with Model Magic

We’ll start with Crayola Model Magic, a lightweight, easy-to-use clay that's a great place to begin.

This clay is super fun to work with because it literally sticks to itself. We’ll grab our scissors, cut up some shapes, and voilà—a face will be born. Faces like these are perfect for bundle dolls and Tree Spirits.

Finished whimsical face made from white Model Magic clay with exaggerated features.
Sculpting a simple face from white Model Magic clay with a small tool.

2. A Simple Flat or “Mask” Face

Next, we’ll move into air-dry clay and make a mask, or flat, face. We’ll use some of the same ideas from our Model Magic face, but now we can blend the clay, soften transitions, and experiment a little more with expression.

These faces are wonderfully versatile. I’ll show you how to take a face like this and turn it into a whole head!

Sculpting details into a small handmade clay face with a modeling tool.
Handmade clay face attached to a colorful fiber-wrapped Bundle Doll.

3. Build a Dimensional Head and Face

Finally, we’ll take those ideas and make a little spirit doll face and head. Yep, you’ll be ready!

I’ll show you how I think about the basic forms beneath the face and how I add features little by little.

I'll take you through the process step by step, so you can see how the shapes come together and try them for yourself. But this still won't become a lesson in perfect anatomy or classical sculpture because that's just not how spirit dolls roll.

We’re using what we’ve learned to make a face with character. And you never know who will show up.

Sculpting the eye area of a handmade clay face with a small modeling tool.
Smoothing and blending features on a handmade clay face with a small brush.
Adding and shaping the mouth on a handmade clay face.
Finished spirit doll with a hand-sculpted clay face, closed eyes, rosy cheeks, and a deep red fiber hair.
Four-step process showing a handmade clay face being sculpted and smoothed, followed by the finished spirit doll.

Make Along With Me, at Your Own Pace

Intuitive Face Play was originally taught as a live online workshop, and now you can enjoy the complete experience through three class recordings.

You'll see me demonstrate each technique, explain what I'm doing, and share helpful tips as we go. You'll also hear some of the questions and conversations from the original class.

And here's the lovely thing about learning this way: you can pause whenever you need more time, replay a tricky bit, or watch an entire lesson before getting your hands into the clay.

You'll also get two bonus face-making videos to give you even more possibilities to play with.

There's no schedule to keep up with. Just you, some clay, and a little creative adventure.

What Can You Do With the Faces You Make?

A handmade face can become the beginning of all kinds of things: a spirit doll, stick doll, bundle doll, angel, mixed-media figure, or a character you haven’t imagined yet.

Once you’re comfortable creating your own faces, you’re no longer limited to the ones you can buy. You can start making characters that feel entirely your own.

Finished painted clay face with closed eyes, rosy cheeks, and a spiral detail.
Handmade clay face attached to a small felted angel with golden wings.
Finished felted spirit doll with a handmade clay face, wire arms, and gold wings.

The finished dolls shown here are examples of ways handmade clay faces can be used. This workshop focuses specifically on creating the faces.

What Women Say About Creating With Me

“It is an enjoyable, informative, beginner-friendly sculpting class focusing on faces. I loved exploring different mediums, new techniques, and the encouragement to express my creativity without overthinking. Highly recommend!”

— Susan

“I am so very grateful for the time spent with you in the spirit doll class. It was full of laughs, insight, freedom from rules, and an explosion of creativity. I needed that day so much.”
— Leah

“This workshop awakened unseen facets of myself. Stacy provided a calm, nonjudgmental space to explore while creating these dolls. She truly loves the process.”
— Val

What You’ll Need

You won't need a lot of fancy supplies for this workshop. We'll work with Crayola Model Magic, paper clay or DAS air-dry clay, a few basic clay tools, and some simple things you may already have around your studio.

You'll find a complete materials list with links and recommendations inside the workshop, so you can gather everything before you begin.

If you're already making dolls or working with clay, you may have much of what you need. If you're starting from scratch, plan on spending approximately $30–$40 on materials.

Is Intuitive Face Play For You?

It is if you've ever wanted to make your own clay faces but weren't quite sure how to begin. It's especially suited to beginners — no experience sculpting, doll making, or working with clay required, and you definitely don't need to understand facial anatomy.

Maybe you already make spirit dolls, art dolls, stick dolls, or mixed-media figures and want more freedom with your faces. Or maybe you just want to spend an afternoon playing with clay and see what characters show up.

You don't need to make something perfect. If you can roll, pinch, flatten, press, and play with clay, you can begin making faces. And with the recordings available whenever you want them, there's plenty of room to practice, experiment, and find your own way of doing things.

Purple handmade face framed with felted wool and attached to a pinecone doll.

Intuitive Face Play

$97 · Self-paced digital workshop

Your purchase includes three complete workshop recordings covering Model Magic faces, flat clay faces, and dimensional heads, plus two bonus face-making videos and a complete materials list.

Start whenever you're ready, work at your own pace, and revisit the lessons anytime.

Purchase the digital workshop
Close-up of a handmade spirit doll with a sculpted face, bright eyes, rosy cheeks, a nose ring, and textured blue fiber hair.

Please note: As this is a digital workshop, purchases are non-refundable. You’ll have continued access to these lessons.

 FAQ

  • No. This workshop is beginner-friendly, and no previous doll-making or clay-sculpting experience is required.

    We’ll start with very simple shapes and gradually move toward a dimensional face.

  • No. We’ll certainly be working with clay and learning how to build facial features, but it’s not a classical portrait-sculpture class.

    We’re interested in expression, character, imagination, and discovering the face that emerges — not reproducing exact anatomy or perfect proportions..

  • We’ll use Crayola Model Magic for our first playful face and either paper clay or DAS air-dry clay for the remaining projects.

    A complete materials list with my recommendations will be sent before class.

  • We’ll make three different kinds of faces during the workshop:

    A simple Model Magic face built from basic shapes, a flat or mask-style face made with air-dry clay, and a more dimensional face built over a rounded head form.

  • A mask face is a dimensional clay face made on a relatively flat base rather than sculpted all the way around a head.

    You can use it as-is in mixed-media work or attach it to a rounded form and incorporate it into a complete doll head.

  • Absolutely not. In fact, that’s not our goal. Your face may look human, whimsical, exaggerated, folk-art inspired, fantastical, or something you don’t have a name for yet.

    The point is to experiment and discover your own way of making faces.

  • No. This workshop focuses on creating faces.

    The dolls and figures shown on this page are examples of ways you might use the faces you make afterward.

  • No. Intuitive Face Play was originally taught live, and you now have access to the recordings as a self-paced digital workshop. You'll see the demonstrations and hear the class conversations, but you can work through everything on your own schedule.

  • The original workshop was approximately four hours long, divided into three class recordings. You can watch them all or take your time working through each technique.

  • Absolutely! You'll have lifetime access to the workshop, so you can return whenever you'd like to practice a technique or make a new face.

  • You'll receive access to three complete class recordings, two bonus face-making videos, and a materials list with supply recommendations.

  • Because this is a digital workshop with immediate access to the recordings and materials, purchases are nonrefundable. Please reach out before purchasing if you have questions about whether the workshop is right for you.

If you have other questions, you can contact me here.