How To Paint a Kokeshi Doll

Even though Kokeshi dolls are traditional Japanese dolls, this doesn’t mean that in order to replicate them, people need special skills. As long as they follow the normal pattern, it’s quite easy to replicate even from scratch. Obviously, in order to create similar dolls the one ones made by people who live by doing this kind of activity, there may be required several chances, but once the techniques are mastered, there should be no problem to make and paint a Kokeshi doll.

What steps should you follow in order to paint such a doll?

First of all, assuming that you already have the head and the trunk – usually, they are made from 2 different parts that eventually get glued together, but however, there are people that make the doll from a single wooden piece – all you have to do is to get the paint and start working;

Secondly, decorate the trunk with a kimono alike painting or even with textile materials. Normally, a traditional Kokeshi doll is not covered by any textile materials, but modern artists put clothes and even accessories on the trunk. Next, start painting the kimono with dragon models, cherry blossoms or even with Japanese symbols. Pay attention at the required space, since this factor is kind of limited;

The head must be painted with a single color. The only part that is allowed to be dyed in a different color is the hair. Still, it’s important to mention that the traditional ones are usually painted with a short black hair, while the modern ones are given all the sorts of hairstyles and colors.

As for the face itself, use only a thin crayon or a gentile air brush. Usually, a normal Kokeshi doll has small eyes and a small mouth as well as contoured cheeks. Next, just let the paint dry and that’s pretty much it.