New Post... New Bear

 

Bear was just dropped off yesterday...

hours before the show opened!

Yes... his scruffy little face makes me smile!

Pre-Show Sales!

 

"The Keeper of the Keys"... my newest mixed-media raven.

Just received word from the Director 

at Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts

that he sold today; and the show doesn't open until next Friday! 

Paper Maché, theatre cloth, tissue papers and so much more...

Raven has something to "crow about"!!! 

German Mohair and black glass eyes.

Aged and grunged... giving him the well-loved look!  

"You Found Me..."

Teddy also sold today... before the Artful Giving Show opened!

Into the Light...

Two new mixed-media pieces begin to take on their own identity.

The softened images... with that added pop of color, 

found in the red window shutters... the window of your soul!

Out of the Darkness... Into the Light!

Two new mixed-media pieces... in the works.

Both are rather "dark"... at the moment!

(I'm hoping that will change... Ha!)

I'm using lines from two of E.E. Cummings' poems as my muse:

if i have made

a fragile certain song

under the window of your soul

it is not like any songs.

the singers, the others

they have been faithful

to many things which die.

the earth withers, the moon crumbles

one by one, stars flutter into dust.

but the sea does not change

and she goes forth out of hands

and she returns into hands...

the breaking of your soul upon my lips.

These lines make great one word or short phrase "snippets"

for this type of mixed-media piece, that I'm working on.

Words like: faithful, moon, dust, serene, soul...

Phrases like: fragile certain song, window of your soul, the singers,

stars flutter, earth withers...

Vellum vs. Onion Skin Paper... You Tell Me!

Well... as promised back on my May 19th post (though later then expected) 

Here are the side-by-side comparisons

Vellum vs. Onion Skin Paper

Vellum

Onion Skin Paper

                        

The photocopy ink faded and lifted from the vellum (top photo) 

when I applied the paper maché paste to adhere it... 

This is NOT good!

The photocopy ink remained sharp and smear-proof on the Onion Skin!

Vellum

Onion Skin Paper

                            

The vellum remained somewhat more transparent when layering

over other papers, than the onion skin paper (I was a bit surprised!)

Both papers offered some transparency... though the onion skin paper

was considerably more malleable when the paste was applied. 

The bottom-line: 

I'm going to be using Onion Skin Paper 

for future mixed-media pieces!  

Mixed-Media... the Progression

Dressmaking tissue paper patterns

applied to the foam board body form with paper maché paste.

Dry brushed acrylic paint added for the undercoat of the head.

The body is cut from 1/2" thick foam board (Elmer's).

The molded paper clay head shape is also traced on the foam board.

Wooden dowels are inlaid in the foam board 

by carefully cutting away some of the foam.

The dowels are hot-glued in place and then a strip of masking tape

is placed over the exposed dowel; for a smoother seam.

The paper clay head is made using a mold-making compound 

such as Amazing Mold Putty. Make a press mold of any doll head 

that you have available. (I used a doll head that I sculpted)

After the press mold is set and ready to use–– fill with paper clay 
and then immediately remove molded face, allowing it to dry.

Wood craft plaques are used for the bases of the both

the standing angel and the flying angel.

Gesso is applied to the figures, dowels and bases.

Next Time: Applying hand-dyed papers & making the wire wings!

Onionskin Paper vs. Vellum

In my last post, a very good question was asked by one of the 

Somerset Studio summer issue 2020 article readers:

"Can you tell me name and weight 

of onion paper you use with a copier?"

Well... I realized, upon checking, that the onionskin paper I have used

for these paper maché mixed-media figures is no longer available

(unless you're willing to pay an-arm-and-a-leg for 10 sheets)!

So I am experimenting with vellum, 

readily available both retail and on the internet. 

The photo above is taken against bright indirect daylight.

The onionskin has a "cockle" finish to it. 

The vellum is smoother to the touch.

These two photos (also taken against bright, indirect daylight) are

very comparable in their translucent quality.

This photo is also a good representation of the translucent quality 

of each paper... when placed over a photocopied image with words.

In a few days... I will post the results of using the vellum 

with paper maché paste, over white foam-board.

Stay tuned... Daryle

Somerset Studio Article...

I'm thrilled to share with you that two of my mixed-media pieces

are featured in the summer issue of Somerset Studio.

 The article is titled: Poetic Playfulness with Paper Maché...

The six page spread will take you through a step-by-step "how-to"

for creating a poetic mixed-media piece.

Each piece is based upon an e.e. cummings poem...

The summer issue is on sale beginning May 1st...

and is also available online at Stampington & Company.

If you're not familiar with the new format of Somerset Studio, 

I encourage you to pick up a copy of this wonderful

creative and inspiring hands-on and how-to magazine!

https://stampington.com/Somerset-Studio-Summer-2020/

  

Be blessed... Daryle

Raven (Raving?) Musings...

So... how did I get here? (the process in review)

Like all of my paper maché critters...their humble beginnings 

can be traced back to recycling bins and masking tape.

Lots of masking tape!

"The Keeper of the Keys" has a newspaper and brown bag

body armature wrapped with galvanized wire (16 gauge)

and masking tape.  Did I mention... lots of masking tape?

His head will be built-up over a reclaimed Styrofoam ball.

For the the first 3 layers of his wings, I used light-weight 

recycled chip board, cut in shapes suggesting feathers.

After adhering each piece to his body with hot glue, 

they were painted with a coat of white gesso.

His beak is also chip board and masking tape. 

The eyes are 10mm black glass beads, resting in paper clay sockets. 

Shaping galvanized wire into individual "feathers"... a second layer was added and then covered with hand towel papers and watered down wood glue. 

After completely drying, they were painted with white gesso.

The tail feathers are created using the same materials as the wings.

This third and final layer of "feathers" was made by wrapping 

Osnaburg fabric around some wire and adhering it with

watered down wood glue. Small, hand-torn pieces of fabric

were also added to the upper part of the wings using the wood glue. 

These additional feathers will be painted with white gesso.

The wire feet were wrapped in masking tape and then covered

with small strips of fabric dipped in wood glue.  

The talons are sculpted using paper clay.

What's next? 

The head, back and belly will be covered with several layers 

of torn paper hand towels, soaked in paper maché paste.

When dry... I will apply heavy modeling paste to mimic more feathers

and add texture and some further detail. 

Thanks for stopping by... stay well, be blessed! Daryle

Ravens... Ravens... Everywhere!

Raven #3 begins to emerge; with the help of some newspaper...

chip-board... burlap... and a little a lot of masking tape!

Just messing around with iPiccy... love their website!

More iPiccy... Just can't get enough of it!

Be blessed... stay well... Daryle

Elijah's Raven... Update

Well... these are challenging days, to say the least!

The RRCA is deemed a non-essential business at this time

and so the gallery is closed indefinitely.

Fortuitously... Elijah's Raven has found its forever home

on the opening day of the show

via the virtual gallery tour that was offered.

In many ways, these are unprecedented days in which we live...

Stay well, take care of each other and walk by faith, not by sight.

Elijah's Raven... Ready, Set, Go!

Raven is ready... for the up-coming Associate Artists Show

at RRCA, in Millville. The show opens on March 20th!

Elijah's Raven...

Elijah's Raven... newspaper, brown grocery bags, foam-board,

wire, chip-board and masking tape... Lots of masking tape! 

Raven will carry a vintage photo, tucked in a pocket watch case,

for safe-keeping... of his travel companion.

(1. Kings 17:1-6)

Heavy modeling (molding) paste applied with a palette knife

 and some paper maché added loads of texture.

Katie wishes he'd remain "albino"... It's not going to happen! (wink)

Raven Finds a New Home!

"Raven" has found a new home... and what a story it is!

On Saturday, Katie and I dropped him off at the gallery for a show that opens next Friday. Then we stopped for a late lunch/"Valentine's Day" celebration.

Well, before we made it back home I had a FB post from Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts with his photo... stating that he'd sold... before they could even put him out on the gallery floor for the show. Crazy-Wonderful!

Raven... it is!

Layer-upon-layer...

More chip board, black annealed wire and Osnaburg fabric!

The "raven" in him seems to be emerging!

Soft annealed wire "feathers" under beak and on each wing

help to better define this guy!

Gesso covers a multitude of mishaps!

Thank you for stopping by... Daryle

CRAVEN...Crow+Raven!

Is it a CROW... or is it a RAVEN? I'm not quite sure! 

At this time... "craven" has a raven's beak but a crow's body mass.

Humble beginnings... recycled cotton insulation, paper towel tubing, 

a Styro-ball and some wire and masking tape.

a body and (big) beak emerges...

Paper clay talons and Osnaburg fabric 

for wrapping the toes and legs.

The best is yet to come... 

What a HOOT... a Year Later!

It's hard to believe... that I started working on this Snowy Owl

just over one year ago! (see the 1-1-2019 post)

I finished owl in time for the gallery show:

"Creatures Great & Small"

And although he didn't sell during the show, he did find

his forever home about a month later...

while resting in the gallery gift shop, there in Millville!

Oh... and here Owl is with "Dawg"

who also found his forever home (but during the gallery show)!

Em & Chad... (our Vermont kids) purchased him! XO XO

A Happy Ending... all the way around!

Happy New Year's Blessings... Daryle