Showing posts with label sculpture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sculpture. Show all posts

Thursday, January 22, 2009

I hereby withdraw my endorsement

No, this is not a political post. (Sorry, Stephen)
Nope, this is another fascinating arts and crafts post - hey, where are y'all going? :-)
We will get to the reason for the title of this post in a minute.- But first some personal rambling/ uh, I mean reflection...
Sunday, Alaina (the 14 year old wonder ;-?) claimed me as her personal assistant.
After church, (the kids and I leave for church at 9:30 AM- every Sunday- day of rest my eye!), Alaina informs me that she has a school project due Tuesday. They have been put into groups of three to put on an "original" Greek tragedy, and she is in charge of her group's costumes.
But... before we hit Michael's we really DO need to stop at Target- she needs more make-up, shampoo, "product" as Doug calls it. And by some wonderful coincidence, there is a "Starbuck's" in Target so the little kid's can get hot chocolate and "mom" can get a caramel macchiato.
Yes, I know I'm weak. I am Aware that we are in a recession, and that $12.00 for drinks is excessive. But if we get ourselves out of bed, out of the house,- and to church ON TIME, all when it is about 12 degrees out, I figure we have earned it.
Anyway, next stop- Michaels'. As it was explained to me,
Alaina "We all know that guys played all the girls' parts in all Greek plays, right?"
-Me: "Wouldn't that be "Grecian plays?",
Alaina: "no",
Me: "why not?"
Alaina (with the total look of disdain, only a 14 year old girl can give) "uh- because Grecian doesn't sound like a real word".
(Greek play or Grecian play?? feel free to weigh in Addie- if you agree with Alaina, I can take it- I won't tell her, but I can take it ;-)
"Yes, I know it is called a "Greek Tragedy"- but they ARE called Grecian Urns, vases, etc.,".
Alaina "anyway... since guys played the girl parts they had to wear masks- so I'm going to make masks- I want to make- like- those "Venetian masks." (yup,Venetian masks in Ancient "Greek" plays, our public school system hard at work)
Me: "sounds good to me"
"So who are your characters"?
"Aphrodite, Hades, and Apollo"
Ok, so a black mask with a crown of discount/ close-out black poinsettias with gold glitter for Hades, a white mask with purple "forget me not" stickers and a crown of purple flowers for Aphrodite, and a white mask with gold glitter paint/feathers, and a crown of some sort of branches for Apollo.- $30.00 later...
"Ok, now we have to get fabric for togas for everyone".
Me: "um-No"
Alaina:"But this is a school project, and I told them I would"
Me "tell them to each bring in a white sheet"
YES- The win actually goes to Mom this time!!!
When we get home and actually get out the play, in reality the characters are Artemis, Orion, and Apollo (hey at least she got Apollo right.)
Post-script- She recieved a 117% A+ as her grade for this project. lol
So now, the reason for this title of this post...
While at Michaels I decided to try Sculpey Bake & Bend clay. I figured if they claim that it can actually be bent it must be less prone to breaking, right?
Well, yes and no. Once it is baked it DOES bend. It does seem less prone to breaking.
But you pretty much better limit your "sculpting" to snakes, worms, and ball/marbles. any other type of "working" and the clay crumbles.
Ok, so no big deal, this clay goes into the kids' arts and crafts desk.
BUT
Then my larger greyhound bust out of SCULPEY "PREMO" clay.
Yes, I just made the eyes out of clay. I told you patience is not one of my virtues.
But when I baked it- it cracked!!!!!

Note the neck-


I glazed over the crack, but it is very noticeable! I'm really pretty sad about it.
Sorry Jen!
I told you I could not do Travis justice.
I guess I could try to make a mold, and cast a copy without the cracks,... but that can wait until I create something that is actually good enough to sell.......
Anyone in the market for greyhound art?

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Alex unplugged

Well, I was unplugged,
BUT, I shall be "unplugged" no longer!
No, I have not turned my back on all acoustically performed music....
This all started because my darling daughter Alaina had been "tidying".
Am I actually about to complain about a teenager who cleans? Well, yes I guess I am and- No, I did not mean to say " Alex unhinged"!
The problem is that when Alaina "tidies"- things go missing. Important things, like- mail correspondence, checkbooks, food, medications, AND cords/"plugs" for the computers- it's all fair game. And when you ask her if she knows where something is, more often than not the answer is, I didn't touch/move that! "I never EVEN saw that"
Well, this has been the situation the last couple of days with my cord/" plug" to download the pictures from my digital camera.
We found my dried ginger spice bottle (in the toy box), the dog treats (in with the candy), and the PLUGS in the china cabinet. YAY.
so prepare yourself fro a barrage of pictures....
"Alex unleashed"


This is another "pup" based on a picture on fellow blogger's blog.
Guesses?
This will be a greyhound bust (eventually). I will most likely will use glass eyes on this one too. (Unfortunately, that means ordering some 12 mm glass eyes through the mail- patience is NOT one of my virtues).
This Bust is made out of sculpey "premo" clay. a very different medium/ experience than using the boneware clay. It will be a more fair comparison, once it is "fired" and glazed. I'm not sure whether to try to glaze it in "true to life/ paint colors" or just glaze it white like the horse.
If you have actually stayed with me this far- PLEASE let me know your opinions!!!!

The birds that visit our bird feeder/ dog water bowl. ( These pictures were taken through our kitchen window- dog nose smudges and all :-)
With all the bluebirds we have been seeing, we should be drowning in happiness ;-)

Saturday, January 17, 2009

The News at 2:00


Our lead story today is a sad one.
I regret to inform you of the passing of Superfreak. Sources say that foul play is NOT suspected, and by all indications, he died of natural causes. The family decided to forgo an autopsy, and chose instead to perform an immediate burial at sea. -Ok, so maybe not literally at sea, in the interest of accurate reporting, lets just say that "water was involved". (Insert your own yellow journalism joke here :-)
In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be made to the National Aquarium in D.C.

NO, the next story is not about mob related intimidation tactics.


(for those of you who got the "Godfather" reference, 10 points )


Rather this is an announcement of the completion of a joint project undertaken by myself and my 10 year old daughter, Genevieve. This bust of a horse's head was created as a gift for Genevieve's friend Sarah's 10th birthday. Sarah is known to be quite the "equine enthusiast".


Please keep your computer tuned to this blog for further updates.


Good day, and may the good news be yours.
(got the WKRP reference? + 50 points.)

Thursday, January 15, 2009

artistic "dog" license


I am looking for muses/ inspiration.
If you have a greyt picture of your hound- that might make a good sculpture, will you post it on your blog- and let me know?