Monday, September 23, 2013

Day 126: Let's See If It'll FLY

Title: Cowtapult

Assignment: Make something that can fly and test it out.

Materials: Sculpey for Bossie, a mouse trap, paint, cork, nails, spoon, twine, cardboard and duct tape for catapult.

Inspiration: I directed SPAMALOT this summer, and we had a lot of fun with the full-size 'flying cow' gag. I realize this may not QUITE have been what Noah had in mind - but Bossie did indeed fly, and I have the video to prove it!



Doesn't she look happy to volunteer?














 Readyyyyy, aiiiiiim.......





FLY BOSSIE FLY!!




The tragic aftermath of war.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Day 125: Triangulate

Title: RavenLogo
Assignment: Only work with triangle shapes today - or make a giant triangle with a bunch of stuff.

Materials: pencil, ink and PS

Inspiration: Although feathered wings were the first thing that came to mind in terms of triangle shapes, his head turned out to be more interesting to work on, and took on a combination of mechanical and totem elements. I'd say this is a work in progress - I think I'd like to work on the wing lines more, maybe bring some red into them to balance it better.


Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Day 124: Passing Through

Title: Come to Grandma!!

Assignment: Make something seem like it is passing through a wall or other solid material that it normally wouldn't or couldn't.

Materials: Pencil, sculpey with wire frame for the hand, picture frame and PS

Inspiration: This was the assignment that jammed my gears up nearly a year ago - I'm not sure why, perhaps I just over-thought it or the well had simply run dry. In any case, I just went for it today with a good old-fashioned haunted house trope. 


Tuesday, September 17, 2013

HAS IT REALLY BEEN NEARLY A YEAR??

Hello, you crazy faithfuls who wander back every now and again, wondering if I've gotten my creative ass back into gear. And hello to the new visitors I see looking in from Germany, Belfast and Coppell, Texas! I have no idea how you found me, but I'm glad you did. If you have a second, feel free to drop a line on the comment box - I'd love to hear from you and hear YOUR ideas for potential subjects. I still have one heck of a lot of monsters to go!

As any of you who are artists know - sometimes you hit a rough patch, when nothing, but NOTHING cries out to be painted, sculpted, written or snapped, or if it does, unfortunately you just don't feel like you are the person to do it justice.

But hopefully the dark clouds are parting and my monster muses are coming back for a visit - I can't promise something every day, but here, at least, is a start.

Title:  PAPA GEDE

Materials: Sculpey, acrylic paint, a rum bottle cap for the hat, various screws and hooks, a strip of purple material for the hat band, hot glue and thread to connect the little bones and the black cock's feather, which was made from a twist-tie. He's about 3 inches high.

Inspiration: I'm going to NEW ORLEANS in November! Our first day there will be the Day of the Dead and we'll be attending a special celebration honoring the dead.


















I was urged by my friend who has been there before to bring an offering to PAPA GEDE:

"Call on the Gede when there is a serious, even life-threatening illness that needs healing, or when you have difficult questions that need sound, reliable, and honest answers. Call on GEDE when you need help with grieving, to welcome the dead to the waters of the Abyss, and when you want to enhance sexual potency or heal sexual repression. Call on him to protect young children. Offerings include peppers, pepper sauce, pepper was soaked in rum, cigars, hot creole food, black roosters, black cock feathers, sunglasses with one lens, pieces of marble from a cemetery, crosses, graveyard dust, black and violet candles."



I half jokingly told my friend I could use help with a number of those, so I'd come laden with offerings for the Old Boy!


"The vision of the GEDE appears as some nasty, degraded old drunk at a bar. But Gede is not to be degraded. He is simply above all notions of morality. He laughs at morality. He laughs at her secrets because death renders our secrets laughable. Gede feels us up. All through our lives. He is a hungry and mysterious lover who plays erotically with us throughout life and waits, cockily for each of his lovers to join him. Here he sits in his traditionally outrageous attire, tails, walking stick, and sunglasses, Lord of the Cities of the Dead. His voodoo house brings him a bountiful offering but he remains ravenous. Neither of his appetites can be appeased. He remains isolated for his is the final great mystery from which we all shy away."

And so, here is my offering to Papa G.







I truly am excited about taking part in this ceremony, and look forward to soaking in all the inspiration, color, spice and good times that New Orleans has to offer - along with hunting up some new monsters!