Ghoul, My Friend

Mixed media: ceramic, fabric, synthetic hair.
18.5 in. x 6 in. x 4.5 in.

“Ah…? Is this mine? My body? Ahh… Thank you...

It’s.. quite small… Are you sure this is for me? Do you realize this is a sixth of my size…? How is all of me supposed to fit into this? Ah.. I am being rude.. I thank you…

…

Is this what you think of the great Ghoul Bat-Erdene? Is this what I am to you? A tiny, feeble, disproportionate little creature? This doesn’t represent me at all! How are people supposed to be intimidated by me when I am only 12 inches tall? Listen, dear friends, I am more than the small person who built me leads you to believe! Do not listen to their lies!

Ah.. Sorry… Thank you for the body…”

Made in 2021, this was my very first piece that was shown in a gallery. Though I am mainly an illustrator, I felt that this was an opportunity to have a more intimate expression with my character, Ghoul. My characters often feel like real people independant of myself and I wanted to create a doll so that the "spirit" of the character would have a body to inhabit.

The process for making this piece was long and complicated. I made wire armature for their body and limbs and fingers, and I added ceramic clay on top, sculpting alongside a copy of Anatomy for The Artist. The detail was excruciating, if unnecessary; beneath their clothing is a detailed ribcage and boney spine: evidence of a person who doesn't know how to take care of themself.

After the completion of the sculpture, the body was broken into 5 pieces: 2 legs, 2 arms, and the torso and head. With the help of my teacher, we created plasture molds of each shape, and poured a liquid clay mixture inside. The resulting process created a series of thin, delicate, hallow ceramic pieces. The best pieces of the batch were plastered together and painted with acrylic paint.

The clothing, shoes, and hair were all handmade by yours truly. The shoes (a fan favorite) were crafted with small toy shoes that I customized. I wore the jeans with snadpaper and rubbed the shoes in dirt. The shirt has velcro in the back to allow for easy removal, and the pants have an elastic waistband. If I were to do this project again, I would make an adjustable ball jointed doll.

After the completion of this project, my sculpture teacher asked me if Ghoul and I ever fought. The way he posed this question really stood out to me; he seemed to understand how real a character can feel to its creator. He saw mine and Ghoul's relationship as concrete and as real as any friendship, which I find endlessly endearing. Of course, I told him that Ghoul and I did fight, but we've since made up.