The Potbelly Pixie

Queen of Wands

Here's the QUEEN OF WANDS, my second card for the Zetti Tarot deck, currently under construction by the artists of www.illustratedATCs.com.

She's been painted digitally in Photoshop, from a pencil sketch.  5x7

Alice... and Autism

I'm on an Alice in Wonderland kick lately, artistically speaking.  I think it's the femininity and weirdness of it all that appeals to me so much.  This time, I'm working on a very special project that's personal to me on several fronts -- a custom child's chair, for the NIGHT OF MUSICAL CHAIRS event, to benefit the Elliot Sylvester ATCA Fund.  Here's the backstory...

First of all... Autism is close to my heart.  In the 80's, while an undergrad at UCLA, I had the honor to work in one of the country's at-the-time leading autism treatment programs -- The UCLA Autism Project, led by Ivar Lovass, PhD -- as first a volunteer, and then a paid, junior therapist.  I took lecture classes and seminars, trained in behavior modification techniques, and spent hours one-on-one with two special clients over the course of many months, both of them under five years of age, and came to know and love and in some ways, become a part of, their families.  The things families deal with when a member is severely autistic are deep and difficult and draining, and I learned that more first-hand than most.

Second... One of my best and oldest friends in the world, Laura, has a son who's autistic -- Elliot.  He's charming and beautiful, and he's pretty severely affected with a very limited vocabulary and many of the "typical" signs and symptoms of autism.  The Sylvester family is trying to get to Massachusetts for an intensive training/treatment program called Son-Rise, offered by the Autism Treatment Center of America.  The whole shebang costs a huge amount of money -- $17.500.   Can you say, Ouch... ?

Being "normal" folk without the spare change for such a pricey venture, Laura and her husband Rick are fundraising like mad to finance their trip.  For some time, they've been selling "Elliot Art" -- greeting cards and original canvases featuring art by their son, Elliot.  But it'll take a lot of greeting cards to cover that pricetag!

Recently, Laura invited me and several of our other college friends to participate in their newest fundraiser, a silent auction to be held at Hensley's Flying Elephant Pub in Carlsbad, California (near San Diego) this July 12. (The Flying Elephant, by the way, is owned by Matt Hensley of the band FLOGGING MOLLY.  Kewl!) 

Anyhoos... me and Laura and many of her family and friends have in hand an unfinished children's IKEA chair (like the one shown below) to paint, decoupage, or otherwise customize, to be sold at the auction.  There will be music and great company and it promises to be a grand time, for a terrific, worthy cause.

And this is where my newest Alice in Wonderland piece enters the conversation! :)  Today, I completed my first EVER digital painting -- of Alice.  Yeah, I've played around before manipulating photos digitally.  But today is the first time I've scanned a pencil sketch and then fully colored and finished it with my pen and tablet (versus "polishing" an existing picture.)  And woohoo, what great (if time consuming) fun it was!  This image of a funkified, more hip/adult version of Alice is for my Alice-themed chair, and will  be printed onto fabric paper... then attached to a backing fabric, all of that to be covered by clear protective vinyl, ultimately becoming a permanent seat cushion for the otherwise wood-slatted chair seat I was given to work with.

I have lots of other plans in store for this chair -- the Alice image is just a small part of the overall theme -- all of them designed to benefit the Elliot Sylvester ATCA Fund.  Whee!!!  I'm soooooooo excited about this project.  More pictures will follow, as I work my way through this multi-step process.

For more information on Elliot, his diagnosis and treatment, Autism Treatment Center of America, the Son-Rise program for which the Sylvester family are raising funds, and/or on this special summer event -- A NIGHT OF MUSICAL CHAIRS -- please, please check out these links:

Elliot's Room
Son-Rise
Fundraising -- The Elliot Sylvester ATCA Fund
Elliot Art -- Notecards
Elliot Art -- Originals
A Night of Musical Chairs

Glory Days

Man! How fun was THIS?! Not one, but TWO music quizzes. Take. Enjoy. Relive those glory days.

I scored a Far Out
80% on theQuiz by SheGoddess: Quick Weight Loss

I was Righteous!
I scored 85% on the

Take the 80s quizby SheGoddess: Quick Weight Loss

DEATH

Scared you, didn't I? :)~

Actually, the title for this post IS appropriate... but in a figurative sense, not a literal one.  See, tonight I completed the first of three canvases for a Tarot deck project I'm part of at www.illustratedatcs.com, and the card I completed is DEATH. 

I don't know much about tarot and am participating for aesthetic reasons, and reasons of curiosity.  But I'm really intrigued by it and I've been doing some reading.  It seems in many ways to be a sort of "Rorshach inkblot test" -- a concept that's very familiar to me from my psych major years at UCLA.  In other words, the tarot deck seems more like a tool for viewing one's own inner processes, a tool onto which one projects the subconscious (via interpretation of the cards), rather than some kind of magical, mystical, witchcraft kind of thing, which is kinda what I (clearly, naively) thought about it previously.  Interesting stuff!  And there are some truly beautiful decks, from a purely artistic point of view, too.  My favorite site for browsing and learning is Aeclectic Tarot... just in case you're curious, too.

Back on topic, though...

Here's my finished card, DEATH.  I worked larger than usual, on a 5x7 piece of board, using inks and some paint and pencil.   When I was finished with all the hand drawn elements and coloring and fixatives, I scanned it into Photoshop and perfected it digitally as the very last step.  I'm convinced I've lost about twenty billion brain cells today, by spraying fixative in my air-conditioned -- and therefore, not ventilated -- house.  That's a big no-no.  I'll do better next time.

This deck has a due date of May 15 and will be printed shortly thereafter.   The theme of the deck is ZETTI TAROT.  The title, per se, is still undecided.  I believe there's a plan in motion to print copies of the deck professionally and make them available for purchase at a price unbeknownst to me, because that's out of my area and purview.  I'll post here when I have more details!  In the meantime, I'm having a grand time watching the deck come together.  There are some fantastic cards being produced by the artists at that site.  Can't wait to see the finished deck!

Edited 4/30/08 to add:  The due date for artwork on this project has been pushed out to mid June.  Decks will be finished (with border and backside) and printed after that.  I'm hoping to have a finished deck to share, and point you toward for purchase, in July or August. Thanks!

A Honey of a Good Time!

Got Swarm? We do!!

When we came home from our usual Saturday morning stroll through Chico's relaxed, music-filled, Farmer's Market -- and from my biannual Smog Check (ugh) -- I went inside to file my DMV/Pep Boys paperwork; the kids ran inside to play video games (grrr!); and Tim noticed some serious honeybee activity in the bushes next to our driveway.  The same driveway where we both park our cars every day, day in and day out.  The same driveway, next to which we've never noticed much (if any) bee activity at all, before today.

To his surprise, on closer examination, Tim found an entire SWARM of honeybees in a bush not more than six feet from his car.  Huge as it was -- and I do mean HUGE!  It was over a foot long from top to bottom and nearly a foot wide -- it was perfectly camoflauged and nearly invisible, except for the bees buzzing around it, whose moment and noise drew his attention.

Tim came inside to get me, telling me there was something "amazing" happening outside that I just HAD TO see, and would appreciate.  He was right on both counts.  Maybe this describes me unflatteringly as the urban dweller I am, but I admit, I've never been so close to so many bees in my life!  And they were purely and totally fascinating.  Some of them were even doing the infamous "Waggle Dance", in which one bee directs the rest of the hive toward a food source or nesting location, vibrating his body to indicate where it can be found by using the sun as a reference point for his dance.  For a better understanding of this amazing dance, check out the short YouTube video I found on the subject.

After our initial nature-loving, Animal-Planet-watching, delight over this very cool find, we both became concerned about "what to do" next.  Do we hire an exterminator?  What kind of bees ARE these, anyway?  A call to a pest control company was in order, for sure, just to get informed, and to explore options.  I didn't know who else to call, frankly.  So I phoned several companies, and awaited return messages from their technicians, out on calls.  Here's what I learned.

First...  Pest control companies don't "do" bees in California.  Which was fine with me, because I didn't necessarily want to kill them, anyway.  I know that honeybees are endangered and protected.  And apprently, when they're found on a California property, the correct place to call is the Dept. of Agriculture, who will refer you to a beekeeper.  Happily, one of the pest control companies had a keeper's name on file and referred me directly to a very competent local guy (VERY local -- like, around the block local!) who picked up right away when I called, and was as friendly and helpful as can be.  He was waaaay reassuring, especially when he told me that Africanized bees don't come this far north, which would have been my only meaningful fear about the swarm being so close to out home and our cars.  Africanized bees have a climate-imposed "border" way down south, near Death Valley, above which they haven't migrated.  Yet.  Whew!

Second, the beekeeper told me that since this gathering of bees came up seemingly over night and right under our noses (where we would have likely noticed a growing hive), the bees are almost certainly SWARMING, a colony on the move... versus building a home.  Bees migrate from old hives and seek ground for new ones from time to time.  When that happens, they first gorge themselves on food, and as a result, can only fly a short distance once they leave the old hive.  What likely happened in our case, according to the beekeeping expect I consulted, is that my swarm is between hives, and looking for new nesting ground.  Probably, the queen stopped to rest on our bush.  So the entire hive quickly swarmed around her, to protect her; they became a kind of living cocoon for her, as she gathers strength, digests her last huge meal, and rests, giving time for her scouts to find new nesting grounds for the colony.

Very cool!

It's kinda scary, too, though... I admit.  I'm definitely keeping my distance.  I've only been stung by a bee once in my life, on the tip of my finger, and it was surprisingly, miserably painful, for way longer than I thought it would be.  So I'd rather avoid THAT outcome, this time around.

I was curious enough, though, to snap these few pics... and have hubby take a few minutes of videotape of this very cool, probably transient event.  The beekeeper told me if they're not gone by tomorrow he'll come by and see what he can do.  I think he expects them to move on by morning.

I'll be sorta sad when they do, interestingly.  Wish you could see what I see, today!!

More on bees, swarms, and hives, BELOW, from lasvegasnevada.gov :

Swarms of Bees are homeless bees moving from one place to another. When swarming they get tired or it gets too hot for them to fly, so the bees will find a place to rest and get out of the sun. Many times they are hanging from tree branches, street signs, fences, sides of buildings or on an object like a fire hydrant. They are like birds sitting on a wire. They just want to be left alone and rest. Since the swarm is not producing honey or caring for young bees, they will not sting unless provoked, and then usually only in extreme cases. Usually they will rest for a few hours or until late in the afternoon or the next morning. Because the bees are harmless, in most cases they are not exterminated. Safety tape is put up to advise the public of the bees and usually they leave and the tape is taken down.

Bee hives, especially those that are wild, are where the danger lies. Bees will build their hive (their home) in places where predators can not get to them such as inside sprinkler control boxes, street light poles, utility boxes in sidewalks, inside walls of buildings, inside concrete block walls and inside old hollow trees and desert plants. When the bees begin to produce honey (their food supply) and lay eggs for new bees, they will defend their home. When they believe that either their food supply is threatened or someone will kill their young, they will defend their home by stinging. In many cases the stinging can lead to hundreds of stings. Bees do not attack. They are only defending their home. Sometimes noises such as pounding the ground or tools such as lawnmowers or weed eaters will send out vibrations, which makes the bees believe someone is entering the hive to destroy it. They will send out bees to the source of the noise to defend the hive.

Bee hives are dangerous and should be removed by a professional bee removal service. It should never be done by a civilian.

Java #3

One of a set of three ATC's for a coffee-themed swap at ATCsForAll.com.

Acrylic, patterned paper, metallic pen.

Art Trader Zine -- Issue 2

Recently released on the web-->  ART TRADER ZINE, Issue 2, featuring artist trading cards and other awesome mail art, much of it from the talented folks at www.illustratedatcs.com.  It's free to view and a scrummy experience choc full of eye candy, to boot.  All you need is Adobe Reader to view it in .pdf form. 

The zine whips into a gorgeous book when printed at high resolution, which I discovered when I had the first issue printed and bound profesionally, at Kinko's.

Check it out!!

Alice, Doomed

For Kristi.

AARGH!

I have been researching how to make my own eyes (for bears, dolls, etc.) for WEEKS now -- it's very much been my project du jour for many "jours" now -- and I just keep running into one obstacle after another.  AARGH!   

Short of going the high-end, professional, extreme cost route (special plastics, equipment, pressurized curing canisters, etc.) and somehow unlocking trade secrets which, for the life of me, I can NOT ferret out on the web (and I think I've read just about every eye making tutorial out there), I'm sorta stuck, attempting to devise an at-home method for eye creation (pupil, iris, AND sclera) that produces great results, in a multitude of sizes, with a professional look, but at a starving artists price point, and with materials readily available.  Maybe I bit off a bit more than I should be chewing, huh??

My quest has proven to be somewhat, umm, problematic.

Updates to follow if and when -- emphasis on IF -- I find a satisfactory solution  Maddening!!

By the way... there's nothing wrong with the lovely glass eyes I've been using.  They're premium eyes and they make a gorgeous base for customizing.  It's just that I'm wanting to veer into new areas in my bear making, and to start making dolls as well, and I thought as part of that process I'd develop an eye making technique.  Nothing like making it as hard as possible for myself!

Many ideas flowing... I'm just waiting on the same flow in my results!

Wish me luck...

Fairest

For the EVIL WOMEN and BAD, BAD GIRLS swap at iATCs.

The Nevada City Teddy Bear Convention

As I wrote in a previous post, last weekend was the 25th annual Nevada City International Teddy Bear Convention in Nevada City, California.  The three day event was celebrating its silver anniversary and as always, the gorgeous venue -- the Miner's Foundry, a historical building -- just sparkled.  Twinkling white fairy lights encircled every window in the rugged Great Stone Hall, and bear artists were scattered everywhere with beautiful tables showcasing the most glorious bears and wares.

For a look at my many photos, please visit this link at Teddy Talk, where I've posted them, every last one.  There are also photos from Sonya Shaw (Sunnie Bears).  So much mohair-covered eye candy!

Here, though... just a wee teaser of this wonderful, wonderful show.  I plan to be back next year as an exhibitor.  As much fun as I had visiting with friends, taking my time, and shopping, I missed being on the other side of the table!

Seriously...

... I need to stop dorking around with Photoshop and pretend, pretty playthings.

Here's a little slideshow I made. 

And now, I'm leaving the house, so as to recapture what a REAL (vs. fantasty dolly) life looks like for the day. :)~

Another digital faceup

It's not just goofin'... I'm practicing my pen & tablet skills.  Honest! :)~

Here's another digital faceup for my Nabi Kiss.  It's fascinating to me how different this doll looks, depending on hair, eye color, and makeup/face painting.  The skin color hasn't been adjusted AT ALL, nor have the features.

Ooh, she's here!

And now, I will squeak like a little girl.

My first ever ball jointed doll, Nabi Kiss by Garden Of Dolls, arrived today in all her naked glory.  She's a sculpt by an independent artist here in California, which made her affordable, plus I get to give some notice and a leg up to a fellow self-representing artist.  She's a great way to get my feet wet in the hobby.  If I love it, I'll move on to costuming and maybe even sculpting my own doll.  We'll see where it goes.

Here's my girl, unwrapped and (not) staring up at me.  She's roughly 16 inches, give or take, and has "normal" skin vs. tan or white skin.  I admit, I didn't actually measure her, and she's snugged back into her cushy yellow bag right now awaiting eyes and hair and clothes and a face, so that will come later.  I think the auction said she was 43 cm or thereabouts.  Basically her face is the size of an apricot, if that helps any with scale.

I've been collecting the appropriate materials to give her a face-up (which is BJD-speak for "face paint").  It's really important to use stuff that won't harm her resin!   I'm not quite ready to sit with her at my studio table (I have to work up the courage to unstring her, so I can get her head free of her body, to paint it), so I played around a little tonight in Photoshop, using the above photograph.  The first image is more western in its aesthetic; the second, more typically Asian Ball Jointed Doll (or ABJD, for short.)

I'll for sure be using a tibetan lamb wig; maybe I'll even make it myself.  Love those fluffy, hairy things.   I have in my head that she'll have light green eyes -- and lucky me, she came with green eyes in exactly the color I wanted!, although they're not GREAT eyes -- and dark hair, probably nearly black.  Not sure why I'm leaning that way. I just am. 

Still imagineering a theme/costume for her to wear...

3 months down, 15 to go

I had my second six-week visit with my orthodontist this morning.  I'm at the three month mark; only fifteen months to go!

You know, it's kinda like redecorating a house, going in to see Dr. Hood and his staff.  I walk out with all kinds of new accessories and gizmos every time I drop by; little baggies of rubber thingamajigs and pamphlets of instructions; and an entirely new "look" draped across my pearly whites.  It's like a surprise party for my teeth.

Today, there were a few new developments.  First, I switched from a heat-activated ROUND wire to a heat-activated SQUARE wire.  This kind of wire locks into the rectangular groove in the bracket better than round wires do.  Round wires slip and slide (they're supposed to.)  Every wire has a purpose during treatment, and apparently, I'm at the copper, square, heat-activated wire phase in mine.  Next time, I'm told, we'll move to a non-heat-activated, stainless steel wire; one that's much thicker and with a lot less give.  At that stage we'll be "fixing" the teeth in place, more or less; giving the roots time to cement them back in after so much pushing and fussing about with 'em. 

For now, I still have a bit of "up and down" to fix up, and my Curve of Spee is still dipping where it should be more straight across,  and my bite is a bit open at the canines (you can kinda see thru it and there are a lot of gaps), so Dr. Hood still wants me in wires that move teeth, rather than fix them in place.  Bummer, that, because the prediction was that we'd move to stainless steel archwire THIS time.  Does that mean I'm behind schedule?  Despite being the most conscientious patient I can possibly be, my teeth have a will of their own, it seems.  I'm reminded of something i was told (or read) when I first started on this journey:  Kid teeth move as if through Jello.  Adult teeth move as if thru cement.

Amen to that.

Second, my six top front teeth are now "laced" with white wire, rather than being secured to the archwire with alastics.  That's great on the one hand because it means those teeth are in a good position (more or less) that Dr. wants to maintain.  Plus, as an added bonus, there's that much less rubber alastic in my mouth to get stained and icky, and that much less for me to change out between visits (it's not a super quick process, frankly, and it's rather fiddly.) 

On the other hand, I now have yards of white, twisted wire laced across my teeth, which I think makes them look yellower than they really are.  Oh well.  I've just about abandoned all vanity in this process at this point.  I look silly, but people are being kind, and I'm still me, and my teeth are getting fixed, so in the end, who gives a crap?  My husband Tim, always the therapist, reminds me that how I look is the least important thing about me.  And of course, even without his reminders, I know that's true.  But YOU try buying into that 100% of the time when you're wearing the entire Southern Pacific railroad line in your mouth!! :)~

Mostly, when it comes to my feelings about braces these three months out, I have but one remaining complaint:  I just want to stop collecting cheesy white gunk in my teeth!  I swear to God, no matter how much I brush and rinse and floss -- and I do both, a LOT, since getting braces; multiple times daily -- I swear, there's always some globby mass of slimy white crap waiting for me to dig out that I somehow missed, hiding in a groove or behind a bracket somewhere.  Braces, in this regard, suck major eggs.

Last, joy-oh-joy!, I get to wear RUBBER  BANDS at night, at least until my next visit.  They're wimpy rubber bands at best; I don't anticipate any pain.  Which left me wondering, why use them at all?  But apparently they'll apply just enough pressure to close the "open" part of my bite near the canines, where my smile is all "hole-y", and they'll do all this work at night, while I'm asleep -- or supposed to be! :)~

I find all of this stuff endlessly fascinating and I try to learn what, exactly, my ortho doc is DOING, and why, when I visit -- and not just have my teeth worked on while I zone out.  I'm sure I drive them a little crazy with my questions.  While I never had much urge to be a dentist (breathing stink breath all day does not sound romantic or rewarding), seriously, I think I would have made a dedicated and passionate orthodontist.  It's amazing what a little smarts about physics, combined with the right technology, can do to fix smiles -- and for some people, lives.

Anyway, enough blathering on.  Here's my three month progress shot.  I've found that the best way to "see" progress is to look NOT at the teeth themselves, but at the brackets; at their relative positions.  For example, the two lower middle teeth started out with brackets very close together, almost touching... and three months out, they've moved significantly apart, even though my teeth have NOT -- there's no gap between them.  This reflects some kind of rotation they've made over the last few months, such that the brackets ended up farther apart, but the tooth edges did not.  Interesting!  (Or maybe I'm just a geek.  Distinctly possible, that.)

The changes are small but significant when you measure from Day 1, but unfortunately they're not as visible to you folks as they are to me, because you don't have the benefit of a 360-degree view of what's been going on at the sides.  My rotated teeth are mostly un-rotated at this point (canines especially), and my upper teeth are forming into a kind of "smile" curve, rather than the odd straight-across line they had before.  I notice, too, that my lip moves across my teeth differently since they form more of an arc.  I can't wait to see/feel how it all looks and functions at the end of all this.  A certain fascination with the process has overtaken my self-consciousness, and now, I'm just curious to see the end result!!

Evil Women & Bad, Bad Girls

That's the theme of the second swap I've hosted at IllustratedATCs.com.  Cards are in from all the participants and I'll be swapping these babies out to all the players tomorrow. 

Here are the first two of my own offerings for this swap; I'm to tired to scan and post the last one.  Tomorrow!

"Naughty"
Marker, colored pencil

"Mrs. Lovett"
Graphite, colored pencil

2008 Nevada City Teddy Bear Convention

This weekend marks the 25th annual Nevada City Teddy Bear Convention!  I've been an exhibitor at this show every year since 2005, three years running... but this year am taking a sabbitical.  I'm mourning the loss of sales and the opportunity to present my "professional" face at this awesome show this year.  But I'm completely thrilled at the prospect of standing on the OTHER side of the table for the first time since I started selling bears myself.  I'll finally be able to relax and visit and take it all in without the pressures of selling.  Although, admittedly, those pressures were a pleasure; I've always enjoyed great success at the show and have met a huge handful of wonderful collectors there.  I hope I'll run into them tomorrow, when I visit with my husband Tim as a guest.

The show runs today -- Friday -- April 4 through Sunday, April 6.  It's a mere $5 donation (adults; seniors are $3; kids under 12 FREE) and the hours are as follows:

• Friday, April 4
• Noon to 5:00

• Saturday, April 5
• 10:30 - 5:00

• Sunday, April 6
• 10:30 - 3:00

Hope to see you there!!

BJD Whee!!!

So, a few cool things today.

First, my eagerly awaited copy of YOSHIDA STYLE: BALL JOINTED DOLL MAKING GUIDE arrived today from Japan.  Can't wait to dig into a good read of it.  It looks AWESOME!!

Second... After weeks of scouring every online and local resource I could find, I finally found a darling ball jointed doll (BJD) that felt just right to break me into the hobby.  She's *Nabi KISS* by GARDEN OF DOLLS and was on ebay; measures 16", so she's a good size; was reasonably priced; has "normal" skin (a natural skin tone, vs. "tanned" or "white" which are other popular colors), with lots of potential, no face-up (meaning it comes bare-faced and without paint or shading); was sculpted by a Californian (meaning she's unique); is made of resin (which is preferable to vinyl); and was positively beckoning to me.  So I bought her.  Whee!!!  My first BJD!!   I can now play in the dolly sandbox with the similarly afflicted.  I'll be conjuring ideas for her "look" and costuming over the next weeks.  Must... order... wig... eyes.  God knows, I loves me a good project I can sink my teeth into.  She'll be one, for sure.

Photo courtesy www.gardenofdolls.com

Third... if you have no idea what I'm blathering on about and would like to learn more about ball jointed dolls, check out this awesome site which explains so very much about ball jointed dolls, so well, all in one place --->  BJD - WTF. 

For those of you more visually inclined, why not get edumacated via the graphic-novel approach?!  Check out the comic book styled BJD Guide & FAQ, here.  It's fun to read and gives great insight into the "mindset" behind BJD's, their owners, and why they're such a fun and addictive collectible.

Periwinkle Narae

Made further edits to my Narae digital faceup, and created an art card I'll keep in my gallery, available for trade as a print.

Bamboo Fun: All that, and more

I broke in my Bamboo Fun Wacom tablet today (got it for Christmas; haven't used it much yet) by taking on a digital design challenge. A doll owner at BJD forum Den of Angels was in search of a face-up design for her newly arrived ball jointed doll, and asked forum participants if they'd help her design a "look" for her 43 cm. NARAE (3/4 eyes) which was dark but not too gothic; with focus on the eyes and lashes; softish, full lips; with brow and lip piercings; and black eyebrows -- cause she'll wear a black wig.

It was super fun, messin' about with my pen & tablet... and I'm totally excited about how this turned out! Loooooove playing with this thing.  Wish I could make some money doing so.  Anybody wanna offer me a job, painting dolls digitally??  :)~

Here's the before and after, worked on a photo template provided by the owner.

And here's my final image.  Although it went way beyond what the doll owner asked for, I just couldn't resist finishing this pretty girl. 

FRUITY FRESH FASHION FUN

Given my new, passionate fascination with contemporary Japanese street style and Asian ball jointed dolls (which are often costumed in wild, vivid style: Gothic Lolita, Doll, or Cyber fashion, all inspired by the kids who inhabit the Harajuku region of Tokyo), it's maybe no surprise that Shoichi Aoki's FRUITS (2001) caught my eye while I was browsing art titles at BORDERS yesterday evening.

Certainly, I have no intention of actually dressing like these beautifully costumed Asian youths (most of them teenagers).  And for all I know, these styles are already long out of vogue.  No matter, though; the eye candy in this jam-packed, inspirational volume is extraordinary.  It's perfect, wildly original, incentive to create for artistic types of every ilk.  And what's exceptionally cool is that the "models" in these shots are all regular people, walking the streets of Tokyo... every one of them photographed against an urban backdrop that makes Japan itself a character in each image.  I think I've read and reread the book no less than ten times since I brought it home just last night.  I was supremely thrilled to find there's even a sequel, FRESH FRUITS (2005), which I'll be nabbing at my local Barnes & Noble later today.  Both books are compilations of photos taken by Aoki for his magazine of the same name (FRUITS) which has something of a cult following in Japan, or so it's written.

If, like me, you're inspired by vivid colors; foreign locales; fancy, funky costumes and altered fashions; and beauty in all its varied forms; check these volumes out.  Pretty, pretty!!

Chunky Zetti mosaic

BIG HUGE LABS is a cool place to create fun stuff from flickr photos.  You can "Warhol-ize" a photo; create a foldable 8.5x11 mini album; make widgets for use on blogs and websites; and make mosaics, as I've done here.  It's just a few quick steps if you've already got photos uploaded to flickr to go from individual shots to a grid of images like this.

Just wanted to share the entire group of my most recent Zetti chunky book pages, all together.

Process

I tried something new with my Gothic Alice triptych. Which isn't saying that much, actually, because I'm really just making this up as I go along!  It's fun to play without rules. :)

In this case, I first created a pencil sketch on paper, which I've done many times before.  The NEW part is that I then scanned my sketch into my computer and cleaned it up digitally with my pen & tablet (which I'm still learning and playing around with; so fun!) 

After making a few digital changes and erasing some extraneous marks (most of them from my dirty scanner glass; ugh) I lowered the opacity of the line art to something very light and gray, and then printed it out on nice cardstock.  Then, back to the studio table I went.  I inked over the printed lines with a very fine Micron pen, and in places, made changes, like adding fur spikes around the cat's face for one. 

Once my line art was completed for a third time (1st, pencil sketch on paper; 2nd, digital work printed to cardstock; 3rd, inked lines) I moved to the color phase and laid down layers of Prismacolor pencil, using thinner to blend for a smudgy effect.  A very, very spare use of white gel pen at the very end of things added back in highlights and accents in places where they had become obscured.  As a last step, I sprayed several coats of final fixative to my work, to prevent smudging over time.

Here's a look at how that played out.  The top image is the cleaned-up pencil sketch, ready for printing; the second image is my inked line art (which for the first time ever since I started doing ATC's, I scanned and saved to possibly recolor and recustomize for additional Gothic Alice projects); and the third image is my final artwork.

Personally, I love it when I stumble on progressions like this; for sure, one of my favorite things in the art world is the vast number of "process" tutorials, demos, books, and videos available to Joe Every Man, like me.  I learn so much from them.  Well, that, or I just enjoy myself silly taking them in; it's so fun to peek into someone else's methods and mindset.  I can highly recommend you visit YouTube and SEARCH "speed paint" whe you get a chance.  You'll see some amazing (usually digital) process art for yourself!

Gothic ALICE Triptych

Got back into art cards a bit today with some cards for a Gothic Alice in Wonderland swap.  I made them as a triptych -- my first -- all in a row, but they'll be cut apart into three separate 2.5 x 3.5 art cards before they're sent.

I also scanned and kept the line art on these, plus the triptypch at high resolution, so maybe I'll make these available as ATC prints or try to sell the entire triptych on Etsy or something.  Haven't done any of that before. 

Gotta admit, I'm loving how these turned out.

Colored pencil, ink.

BJD Fascination

As a long-time admirer of artist and OOAK dolls; a former doll convention visitor (IDEX used to regularly land in San Francisco, where I lived); and a dabbler in the creation of cloth and clay dolls myself; I've long been aware of Ball Jointed Dolls, or BJDs as they're more commonly known.  But these last weeks have seen my interest in BJD's grow by leaps and bounds, influenced by the fact that a good friend of mine (who owns a doll shop here in Chico) is now carrying these beauties, as well as back issues of HAUTE DOLL (a magazine that features them), which I couldn't help but pick up when I last visited her shop.  They're sooooooooo beautiful and inspiring, these dolls -- the best of them, anyway.  And of late, I'm really finding myself wanting to own and dress one, or maybe even to make an original, BJD myself.  Talk about a project!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yuiinc/1144462019/

I'm interested not so much in beginning a BJD collection (although they do look gorgeous in a grouping, and I'd love to have ONE), but in using them (or more accurately, photos of them) as a source of inspiration -- something beautiful to rest my eye on, in my own creative pursuits; a tangible object d'art in my midst which can remind me on a daily basis to dream and stretch and pursue the ethereal... the unusual... the different... and the extreme.  The lengths to which some people go to paint, wig, dress, arrange, style, and photograph their dolls are tremendous, and the end result of all their efforts are scenes and tableaux of breathtaking beauty and exquisite detail and strangeness and magic that I find seriously inspiring.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44053707@N00/494812929

For those who don't know anything about ball jointed dolls, I'll share what little I know -->  BJDs as a modern industry originated in Asia (mostly Japan, I think) and have been gaining in popularity as awareness of them spreads west.  Some BJDs are available in vinyl (less pricey; very durable) or resin (very expensive; most fragile; more desirable.)  They're made by a number of different manufacturers and come in a range of sizes from teensy tiny (four inches!) to truly enormous by any doll standard -- nearly three feet tall!!  Some BJDs are proportioned realistically, and others feature giant, round heads and huge eyes on tiny, slender bodies.  They're usually sold bald and eyeless (or at least, the eyes aren't installed), and sometimes they're even unassembled, and arrive as a kit you need to string yourself.  Many are available with optional hand styles/positions, different torso options (large bust vs. small bust, for example), and removable/interchangeable face plates so you can change out expressions easily.  All are strung.  Many are willowy and waif-like in their proportions, and very inclined toward a fantasy interpretation.  Here's a 60cm "Lucille" from DollsTown, as example.

http://dollstown.com/zboard/data/Lucille/lucille001.JPG

What makes these dolls so spectacular and unique and different from the dolls of my -- and likely, your -- youth is (1) their extraordinary pose-ability and (2) their customization options, even beyond what I mentioned above.  The name "ball jointed" says it all; these dolls are jointed at neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, waist, hip, knee, and ankle, which allows for a realism in posing that's truly remarkable.  Below, a page from HAUTE DOLL magazine (August 2007) featuring 16-inch resin 'Couture Savage' chalk-white Sybarites from Superdoll, illustrating just how flexible and human-like ball jointed dolls, at the top of their artform and dressed to the nines in beautiful couture designs, can be.

All concepts, designs, and layouts by Charles H. Fegen and Desmond Lingard.  Photo by Alex Howe, Charles H. Fegen and Dominique Maitre.

BJD's are generally sold naked and without face paint.  You can choose to pay extra for a face-up from the on-site factory artists when you order.  If you don't, you're able to create any look you want for your BJD, to apply "makeup" in any color(s) you choose, once your doll arrives.  This is done with acrylic paints, pastel (non-oil) chalks, and special resin sealers.   If you're interested in viewing a face-up in progress, check out this tutorial I found on YouTube (where you can search the terms "face-up" or "BJD" and find a variety of ball jointed doll videos.)

Of course, there are are professional face-up artists to whom you can send your doll and who, for a fee, will customize it to your heart's desire.  A few of the more spectacular face-up artist sites I've found online include this one (French, which I can't read, but luckily the pictures speak for themselves -- check out the face-up and spectacular dragon tattoo on this doll!)...  this one (Russian?)... and this one.  Just below is a face-up on a Narae Classic BJD that I found at xtremedolls.com, that really appeals to me.

http://www.xtremedolls.com/images/narae.jpg

Doll eyes are sold separately, too.  Although most dolls come with eyes, they're considered more or less throwaway by the BJD connousieur, or so it seems.  Since BJDs usually arrives bald or with a less-than-ideal wig, you can also choose any hair you'd like from the huge variety of wigs available in wool, mohair, synthetic, or even real human hair; long, short, funky -- you name it!  There's an entire cottage industry of BJD wig manufacturers.  And since BJDs also arrive naked, you're left to dress your doll in whatever manner suits, too.  Seamstresses and designers of extraordinary talent abound and can custom design the attire of your dreams, if it doesn't already exist.

Some people dress their BJDs as gorgeous fashion models or sexy vamps or as "normal" people, often teenagers which is generally the age group represented by these dolls (although some dolls are younger and some, more mature.)  For me, though, it's the truly COSTUMED dolls -- the ones dripping with embellishments and folds of glorious, imaginatively designed fabric, or dressed to fantasy themes -- that hold the most appeal; the dolls that are thoroughly Goth or Lolita, or are dressed in period attire, like the gorgeous Marie Antoinettes featured in the August 2007 issue of fashion doll magazine HAUTE DOLL, the cover of which is shown below.

For a heaping dose of costumed BJD eye candy, I encourage you to visit the INCREDIBLE website of ARCADIA DOLLS, choc full of the most sumptuous themed costumes and props -- all designed, styled, and photographed by two Spanish, doll-collecting sisters whose hobby turned into a cottage industry.  Some examples of their fabulous work and superb photography, directly below:

As you can imagine, the total cost of owning even one of these beauties can quickly spiral into something absolutely astronomical, with dolls costing $500+ each and shoes at $50; elaborate costumes at $250; and so on.   There's even perfectly scaled, exquisitely made furniture -- especially upholstered sofas and chairs -- made especially for BJDs.  All those pricey accoutrements are the reason why I, personally, don't yet own one; it's just too, too pricey for my budget to handle all at once.  But that day is coming soon... I hope.  I'm narrowing my choices and doing lots of research, and in terms of what appeals most, I think I'm settling on either a Narae Classic or a Unoa Lusis.  I'm still trying to figure out all the options in ordering -- size, skin, cost, variables, how to (it's not easy!) -- but that's okay.  All that background research, all that time spent, gives me extra time to save.

What are your thoughts on ball jointed dolls?  Do you have one, or a yen for one?  If you do/did, how would you dress and display it?  Do you have any favorite BJDshops or sites to share?  Please add your comments!!  I'll treasure every resource you can provide.

In the meantime, enjoy the pretties I've posted... and do consider getting yourself a subscription to HAUTE DOLL magazine, whether you're a fashion doll fanatic or not.  Man-oh-man, the inspiring, glorious, textile-rich stuff it contains.  <sigh>

http://tanyastyle.com/gallery.html

Top 20 Favorite Films

One of my forums today had a thread asking, "What are your Top 20 Favorite Films?"  I had the impulse to list every brainiac, foreign thing I'd ever seen, to highlight my learned and literary leanings.  But the truth is, I like to yuk it up when I'm escaping into a film... or be scared witless... or watch something that's kinda, ya know, sexy. ;)

Anyhoos... Here are my Top 20 (give or take a few) Favorite Films of All Time -- the films I could watch over and over and over again and never get bored. 

What are YOURS??

In no particular order...

• 1.  French Kiss
• 2.  Amelie
• 3.  The Sure Thing
• 4.  Little Miss Sunshine
• 5.  The Princess Bride
• 6.  Lord of the Rings -- the trilogy
• 7.  Pirates of the Caribbean -- the trilogy but esp. #1
• 8.  Sixteen Candles
• 9.  The Illusionist
• 10. Pan's Labyrinth
• 11. Office Space (TPS reports, Swingline staplers; love it!)
• 12. Quills
• 13. Inside Man
• 14. Shawshank Redemption
• 15. Seven
• 16. Alien(s) -- the quadrilogy
• 17. Monster House
• 18. Nightmare Before Christmas
• 19. Silence of the Lambs
• 20. Life as a House
• ------------------------------
• (21. Fried Green Tomatoes)
• (22. Master & Commander)

Dry!

These were wet last night so I couldn't scan them.  Last two Zetti pages for this particular swap!

HAPPILY EVER AFTER, for eraserqueen, who wanted vintage images with wings

GOT BLOOD?, for amerasu, who loves all things Goth

What I made today

Two more chunky Zetti pages.

THE BEST PIES, for Sarah.

L'ENFANT TERRIBLE, for Harriet.

Places I've been

Found another way cool widget while trolling FaceBook today; TripAdvisor's "Cities I've Visited" map.    A fun diversion. And informative, too!

The favorite cities listed at bottom, by the way, aren't in order.  San Francisco would for sure be first.

1. Paris, France
2. Venice, Italy