Two new ladies...

I don't want to flatter myself too much - but allow me this: I am getting better at faces. And - may i add: I make strange things...
I can't wait to see what I make next week!

Oh - and I've been taking a little advice from the show: Project Runway and trying to work on a story of the character as I work... I'm - still working on it. I fear I'm much more of a visual person - things just 'feel' right... words rarely take part in what I do... I have to change that :)

I want stories with my characters... it's just - that I make so very many characters... and they can't exist in a void -where do they live? how do they live? who made their clothes? Is pink hair a normal hair color where they come from - where do they come from? Where are they going... I - errr- I'm working on it ;)

I'll be back with new creations - I'm thinking little monsters and I want to work on more 'doll pairs' - I imagine I can make stories between two characters and -that- interaction would be a little less to create than a whole world.. and I would still have a tale to tell...

rainy days...

It was a weak art week, friends. I'll be back next week with a stronger showing - right now I'm putting together a story for a show in July. Building a world to explore makes many sketches - but few dolls. I'll get you some images of those in the coming week... as always.

Hope all is well out there and you're seeing a little more sun than I am.

A strange lot...

And now off to the post office with me!

Cedric the monster doll-imp-sprite-creature

I want to write something for you- I mean - give Cedric some context and make my blog more than just a photo collection... but I have to sprites waiting for meeeee... and I want to get to them while my little bit of sunlight is out.

Oh! I'll just steal what I wrote on my deviant art account: Cedric is my second attempt at a doll without a sculpted face - the first one was Marcus... Cedric though is clearly more related to my imps.

He is much lighter due to having almost no clay on his head (he has a little set of horns that are sort of lost in all the fuzz) and his big sprite-ish feet - he stands really well - I've also improved the neck/head connection... using two different wires.

I am, I think, over all happy... I want to start making some truly strange things soon... of course, I can't help myself - I am drawn ever to the cute and furry... but Cedric might be the last I make until I have some really odd creatures.

-back to work!

Sprites.

So I set about on Monday to make the first sprites... I so totally failed. I worked and worked and worked and WORKED and when I was done I had two nice looking heads with far too much detail. As I have said in the past - I find I have to balance the level of detail with that of my desire for fantastical abstraction - and I just didn't feel I could have crazy colored wild things with pointy toes and four fingernail-less fingers with much more human looking faces.... so I started again.... and I think the end results are not too bad - far closer to what I had in mind. Simple - cute- odd (of course) but that's what I do - eh?

I'd say I'm happy... can't wait to make more... I think I'll do and do just that! Brighter colors this time! Yarrr!

See you next week! :)

Now and then

...what must my poor teachers have thought of me in college... what would they think of me now!? Ahhhh to be back in the print making studio. What I wouldn't give to have access to litho stones. I'm sighing right now - can you tell?

Ah well - enough with THAT silliness- on to more!

I just wanted to share two images - one I did in college and the other, a recent commission... I fear though - that my client really wanted the first image. It was one I made of print of back in Potsdam... but I don't think many or any copies remain.

Sprites incoming...

Created three imps and a doll... all and all a good few days. I am so pleased with how these imps have turned out - I know I've said it before - but they are little limbed creatures endowed with so many of the features that I find so ascetically wonderful and endearing.

I love creating things I am pleased with. To sit back and look into their simple little faces and get to say: Hello.

I think it is something I've always wanted to do - and now I'm doing it. Creating things with worlds and stories all their own - maybe I always have - but there is something so wonderful to creating something with hands and weight. To be able to touch and sit with. I hope that doesn't sound mad. I don't think them real - but that they have a physical presence you can't deny me. In fact, I'd love to make enough creatures to sit surrounded but little pointy eared creatures- as though I'd crawled into one of my own sketches... and to some degree isn't that what I'm doing? I think I would create my army just for that. I wonder what others would see... coming up to a table decorated with sticks and branches and an army of strange little things.... I suppose it would greatly depend on the crowd. I am well aware that what I create can be considered a little bit strange - but lords on toast - why would I want to create what everyone else has made before me? Teddy bears? Bambi! NO. I shall have to continue under the ire and dismissal of so many - but I find more and more people who like what I do - who love it, even. For you I shall keep the glue heated and the wire cut.

Back next week with Sprites and wee monsters. I love -love- love the imps - but I think I've made enough for now. They're wonderful and great fun - but I think I need new faces.