Process of mythical wooden doll making

The process of mythical doll making is totally organic process by the use of natural material. West Bengal Khadi & Village Industries Board (WBKVIB) provide machine to the artisans for general use. Machine name- Rale machine, used for cutting of the wooden log.

Raw materials

1. Seasoning of a wooden log, name of log – paltae, mohaneam, suvaul , mango.
2. Use color Acrylic color, fabric color, Asian paint primer color, gala polish.
3. Use the gum for use fill the crack in the wood.
4. Soil and cow dung mixture.
5. China clay and water mixture.
6. Use gala, tarpin oil.
7. Use Touchwood for polish.
8. Fevicol Moisture curing adhesive.

Use the tools:

1. Cutting the log,beam (Hand saw)
2. Use for cutting branches- (Hand saw)
3. Cutting of wooden planks- (Hand saw)
4. Normal use - (Hand saw)

Use various type of chisel ½ “, 1/4”, 1”, half-round big and small size chisel, Mortise chisel

Production process of a wooden owl

Step- 1

Cutting pieces of wood are used to cut the basic shape of the owl, by the hand saw, they are skilled worker and they don’t use any measuring tap, and drawing pencil. Sometimes use for pointing.

Step- 2

This basic structure of owl goes for seasoning, for the seasoning needed time minimum 6 to7 month. It will depend upon the quality of wood. As per quality needed seasoning of wood. They pack the basic structure of a doll into a sag, and take in the air.

Step -3

Now it is ready for chiseling and ready to make the shape of the owl, by the use of tools chisel and hammer. Most of the work they do by the chisel then don’t use a hammer because the wood goes to be soft. So it is easy to make the curving.

Step- 4

After that is making a mixture of Cow dung and Soil, is gives to up on the wooden structure, It layer will give smoothness and purity to the doll, for that case we use it for puja. The dolls are dried out under the sunlight. If sunlight focus is not powerful, at the time of rainy season then they are use heat of cooking Chula or stove.

Step- 5

Next is making a layer of china clay upon the layer of common clay and cow dung mixture. At first china clay is a dip into the water bucket minimum time for that is 6 hour to 1 day. As needed they are making the mixture thickness water and china clay. By the use of a cloth, they are given the layer of the mixture upon the structure of the doll.

Step- 6

Now the doll is read to applied primer. after drying primer color is apply acrylic and fabric color as needed. Now as per their choice they are creating ornamentation upon the doll. after that it is ready for sell.

Production process of wooden king and queen -

Step- 1

At first, as per the size of wood, it may be 2”, 4”, 6”, 8” hich is a standard size of the production process. I discuss the production process of wooden dolls. The underside of wooden piece is needed to making equal because of free-standing .now they are started to making basic structure curving from the wood.

Step- 2

For this standard size doll making, they are don’t use any sandpaper smoothing by the chisel, if the doll is big size then they are using sandpaper for smoothing. Opposite side of the doll is needed to make a whole which will be helpful for hanging purposes. Only which doll will be natural color only that doll needs to smoothing.

Step- 3

Now upon the wooden structure of the doll is to give a layer of soil and cow dung mixture. It will be given because of surface smoothing of wood and color attached beautifully.

Step- 4

Next is to make a protective layer of china clay, which we can say it is the first color layer. After that to give a second layer of primer color.

Step- 5

Now they apply to the various type of color upon the doll and making various type of ornamentation upon the doll.

The production process of Krishna Idol

Step- 1

The piece of wood is needed for curving for making the basic structure of Krishna.

Step -2

Now is needed to making the hand of the doll which is will be attached from externally by the nail.

Step- 3

After attached the hand the dolls are will be smoothing by the cow dung layer mixture.

Step- 4

After fixing the cow dung layer next is needed to give the layer of china clay which will be Permanent layer.

Step- 5

Now by the brush they are doing color on the doll and making ornamentation on it as per their choice.