CREATING A POLYMER CLAY SNOWMAN VIDEO

Well my video editing skills definitely need work, but considering it's my first attempt at editing together a series of clips, it's not too bad. I just wish it were as clear as it was before I uploaded it to YouTube. Anyway, I hope you will enjoy checking it out. Listening to that music, while I was working on the video, brought back so many great memories. My brothers and I grew up listening to those Christmas classics, which my parents would play every Christmas season. Both of my parents are gone now, so those memories, while wonderful, were also bittersweet. That music also helped put me in the mood to create more holiday themed items.

Here's a link to the video:

Creating a Polymer Clay Snowman

New home, new camera, new loves :o)

Got my new digital camera yesterday and I'm excited to get going finally on the tutorials I've been wanting to do forever! This new camera can also record up to an hour of video in HD, so that will be something fun to play with.

In the meantime, here is the little orphan kitten we've adopted. When we moved into this house, there was a mama cat with four adorable kittens camped out at this old building next door that had been converted into a 5 unit apartment building. They soon came over to charm us. We felt sorry for them and started feeding the 5 of them. After a week, we went outside to give them some food and all of a sudden a new and very vocal little guy came running up the stairs to join them. We had never seen this little one before and it was clear he was not one of mama cat's kittens. He was obviously a few weeks younger, and she despised him on sight! He couldn't have cared less and pushed right up to the dish to eat. Mama cat had no choice, but to tolerate him. LOL

He has a little stump of a tail that clearly wasn't that way at birth. :o( Lord knows what happened to him, but it's healed just fine. For a few weeks we were sure he was a HE, then when we decided he was the one who needed us most, and we would adopt him, we started thinking he must be a she because we couldn't see any little what-nots proving he was a boy. LOL We named "her" Mischa. But once we took "her" to the vet, the vet confirmed our first impressions had been correct and it was a little boy!!! So now Mischa is Mischa Man til we figure out his new name!

The mama cat had been brought here by a woman who lives two doors down, but she'd never done anything to take care of her once she brought her here. :oP We found out from her sister, our neighbor across the street, that this was the 3rd litter she'd allowed mama cat to have. :o( She finally called animal control and they came and caught two of the kittens, mama ran off, and two little guys remain. Animal control never came back for them, so we've been feeding them ever since.

So here are the boys - the grey tabby is our little guy, the grey and white my daughter named Jade, and the black she named Jasper. ;o) Very hard to get clear pics of these guys! They're in perpetual motion! Our little man though the smallest of the three is also the most fearless. He's a real pistol. :o) The vet believes he's 3 1/2 mos., so I'm guessing his adopted bros are 4 mos. or so.



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Time to get back to sculpting! :o)

Edited to add: Mischa Man has become Milo. :o)

WORKTABLE WEDNESDAY

What's on my worktable today? Some custom orders and some adorable glass pumpkin jars I am covering with clay:

But what's on my list of things to do is growing longer by the day. Being a self-employed artist, we do it all - creating the art, photographing it, editing the photos, uploading the photos, writing up the ads, listing items for sale, wrapping, packing, shipping, billing, bookeeping, customer service, creating the website, promoting the art, and on and on it goes. I love what I do but it does get a bit daunting at times when you add on the responsibilities of being a mom, running a household, etc. I get tired just thinking about it all!

I've been enjoying working on the Halloween items. It's one of my favorite holidays to design for. Here's a cute little candy jar project I did for a magazine a couple years ago:

FRIDAY FIVE

FIVE SITES FOR SCULPTING INFO

1. Figurines-Sculpture
The website of Peter Holland, master sculptor for Royal Doulton, Royal Worcester, Coalport, Wedgewood, etc. Peter Holland is an amazingly gifted sculptor who shares sculpting tips on his website. I was thrilled when Mr. Holland left a lovely comment on my blog recently. Kind as well as incredibly talented!

2. Elvenwork Tips and Techniques
Katherine Dewey is well known in the polymer clay world. She has written a couple of books on sculpting with polymer clay and also provides tips on her website.

3. Polymer Clay Sculpting Tips and Tutorials
This Squidoo lens contains sculpting information along with links to many other sites with sculpting tips as well.

4. Dog Portrait Sculpture
This artist gives tips and techniques for sculpting a bust of a Pit Bull.

5. Learn to Sculpt a Corgi Dog
Artist Aleah Klay shows the steps involved in creating a Corgi dog in polymer clay.

All great sites! Hope you will enjoy them! Have a great weekend!

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY

Today's quote:

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it.

---William Arthur Ward

I know this to be true. I had a desire to learn to sculpt. I had no idea where to even begin. I was definitely no prodigy, LOL. I remember when I was a kid and my mom would take my brothers and me to the local mall, they always wanted to check out the toy store. I wanted to spend hours in the collectibles shop. I was fascinated by the variety of figurines there. I knew, somehow, that was what I wanted to do. In a way I felt it was what I was meant to do.

It wasn't until some years later I actually began to try, and though I met with some early success, I can't say it came all that naturally. I took one very basic clay class, and the teacher did say I had natural talent, but I sure couldn't see it then! I went through tons of frustration, put the clay down and walked away many, many times, but I always had to go back. The desire to create, to sculpt, was much stronger than the frustration at not being able to do so the way I wanted to yet.

But all along I imagined myself to be an artist. I dreamt of being an artist. I held a vision of myself being an artist who sculpts with clay. In time, my reality matched my dreams.

WORKTABLE WEDNESDAY

Wow, already? It's already What's On My Worktable Wednesday again??? Oh boy.

Before I get started on that, I wanted to mention that I figured out how to keep my playlist from automatically starting as soon as anyone accesses this page. I know not everyone cares to hear it, and that some people will be listening to their own music when they come to my page and probably won't want mine interfering. So now IF you want to listen to what I'm listening to, all you have to do is click on the arrow to start, and then you can just let it play as I've got it listed, or click on any individual song to hear that one instead.

OK, so what's on my worktable this morning is a custom order. A very nice lady ordered a pin with a pair of German Shorthaired Pointers for her mom's birthday. So this morning I am finishing up the pin. The sculpting of the doggies themselves was a breeze, it's determining how to join them together without the pin being huge, or the dogs getting distorted that gave me a bit of a hassle. The customer left it up to me to decide the style of the pin.

Since the dogs are so dark, a rich liver brown, I thought a really pale soft pink pearl would look really lovely as the background. I really didn't want a lot of the background to even show, so the dogs themselves are the focal point of the pin.

So here's what I ended up with:



I'm very pleased with the finished product. :o) I have to thank my 16 yr. old web wiz daughter Caitlin for her photo editing on this pic.

So I still haven't finished the poor patiently waiting little sheepdog figurine unfortunately. Custom orders have to come first. But soon!

WORKTABLE WEDNESDAY

Starting a new weekly feature today, What's On My Worktable Wednesdays. So what is on my worktable (had to look that up to see if it is actually a legitimate word - it is!) today? Well, as usual, a mess.

I have an entire room upstairs devoted to just my crafts. You'd think that would be pure heaven for me. For a short time, it was. But then I realized that I like to be downstairs in the middle of everything, close to my daughter, the phone, the computer, the kitchen, etc. So my craft room is for the most part neglected. There are times I do enjoy being able to go up there and close the door, put on my music, and work completely undisturbed. But more often, I end up carrying stuff downstairs and working on the dining room table. I just feel too isolated up there sometimes. That's where I'm at this week.

My dining room table also doubles as my photo area. I have a small lightbox that I use for taking my photos. It's great because when I don't need to use it, it folds up like a portfolio and can be stored in the closet. It came with the small lights pictured, but the bulbs they contain really are not bright enough. It also came with a little tripod and four different colored backdrops. The whole thing with shipping cost me around $50.00. Here's a similar one on ebay if you're looking for one: Light Box.



So on my table today is the light box because I've been taking pics of polymer clay books that I plan to put up on ebay. I'm cleaning out my closets and getting rid of things I no longer need or want. Check my ebay auctions later this week if you're looking for any clay books. I'm very fussy with my books and keep them in like new condition. :o)

Included with the books I'll be listing this week are several Japanese clay books. I got them when I was invited to Plaid Enterprises' headquarters just outside Atlanta, Georgia along with 11 other craft designers to work with some products Plaid was exploring at the time. What a blast that was! We were treated extremely well by Plaid who flew us there, put us up in a lovely hotel, provided wonderful meals for us, and also paid us for the privilege of working with some wonderful products for several days. There were two very talented Japanese ladies there to work with us. I must say that the Japanese make some of the most gorgeous clay flowers I've ever seen. These books contain a vast array of lovely clay pieces in addition to the flowers. Plaid Enterprises is one of the biggest craft manufacturers in the U.S. for those who don't know.



Also on the table is the rough start to a poor little Old English Sheepdog figurine that has been laying there patiently waiting for weeks for me to get back around to it. Ever start something full of inspiration and about halfway through it lose interest? Story of my life, :oP.



Yes that pitiful blob WILL actually become a sheepdog, someday anyway. Things go through some pretty awful looking stages as we're working on them don't they? But you have to start somewhere. Now I'm going to have to actually FINISH it to prove it actually CAN be something cute! LOL

When I'm not going to work on a piece for a while I just drape a piece of tin foil over it to keep the dust off.

As you can see, I work on ceramic tiles of various sizes that I place on top of a phone book to raise it up some so that I don't have to bend over to work, thereby straining my neck and shoulder muscles something awful. Sometimes I use two phone books stacked on top of each other to raise the tile. Just depends on what I'm working on, but it really helps to cut down on the strain on the body. I also sometimes prop my tile up on an easel if I'm working on something flat. Since the clay sort of sticks to the tile, it stays put when the tile is propped on the easel.



Since I haven't actually been working on that poor OES figurine, my pasta machine, and most of my other tools are not currently on the table. That mess in the corner contains a drawer from one of my storage bins upstairs that I hastily threw a bunch of tools in and carried downstairs. It also shows a slew of finished pieces from my recent show sitting on top of the tub I keep my family's Christmas ornaments in.



So that's my first Worktable Wednesday. Not too scintillating so far no doubt, but as I go along I hope to show you more of what I'm working on. I think it's interesting to see the stages pieces go through. Anyone starting out with sculpting shouldn't feel discouraged when they see their piece go through some of those stages! Those beginning stages can be pretty rough. It's perfectly natural. :o)

UPDATE

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since I've last updated my blog. I've been going in a variety of directions, trying to enjoy summer vacation with my daughter, amongst other things.

I am working on the sculpting tutorial, but finding it slow going for sure. There are hundreds of recognized dog breeds, so of course I can't even begin to scratch the surface in attempting to explain how to sculpt them all. So I am focusing my first tutorial on the basics of sculpting some of the longhaired breeds like Yorkies, Maltese, Shih Tzus, etc.

I've developed my own techniques over time to aid me in sculpting many different breeds, but what works for me may or may not make sense to or work for someone else. Also I don't always use the same techniques for the same breed. So it's making writing the tutorial an interesting challenge. I'm really just going to try to break it down to basics so someone reading the tutorial can get started but also develop what works best for them.

The tutorial will focus on sculpting flat pieces, just the heads and necks of the dogs, for use as pins, pendants, ornaments, etc.

Other than that, I've been on kind of a break from sculpting for ebay or anything. But now I'm gearing up to do some holiday pieces for Halloween and Christmas. My favorite!

And my daughter and I are looking forward to the Coldplay concert this weekend! WOO HOO!

I'll try to update again soon!



Recently sold Maltese pendant

Miscellaneous Ramblings

I really haven't blogged much since finishing the dog show, and on top of that, managed to delete several posts and the lovely comments I had received with them. Geeeez. Sorry about that folks!

Today I'm just in one of those moods. Feeling the need to vent about some things I guess.

For starters, custom orders. I am happy to do custom orders. But I need to fit them in with everything else I have to do, and there is a downside to doing them. I am not a machine, and I say this, not to be snotty, or unappreciative of the orders I receive, but to try to explain. I am an artist. I don't pump out mass-produced items. I don't use molds. Everything I create is one at a time, and one of a kind and begins with a lump of clay. Some people value that, some people don't. I'm also human, so I have my ups and downs. There are times I am tired, don't feel well, have too much on my plate and I'm stressed, or depressed, etc. Sad to say, the mood I'm in, or being sick can adversely effect my ability to create my art, but it's a fact. Just like writers get writer's block, there are times an artist is blocked too - which makes it difficult to get all those custom orders done! I know many people don't understand this and feel that when they order something from a "professional artist" the piece should be pumped out immediately, and unfortunately, that's not always possible! I know I'm not the only artist who goes through this, as I have artist friends as well, and it's sometimes a struggle to complete work in the time frame given, etc. I have never missed a deadline, but man sometimes it's hard!

Also the maybe not so funny thing is, I've noticed when I have forced myself to make things when in a not so positive mood in the past, the work takes on my mood! So if I'm grumpy when I'm working, I can easily end up with a grumpy looking dog, etc. LOL If I'm depressed, at times the finished piece takes on a forlorn look. It always makes me laugh when those things sell because I have to wonder if the person buying them is feeling what I was feeling when I created them! But it's not a good thing when I'm working on a custom order. LOL

So I hope people who custom order things from artists will try to understand the process and realize that we can't always work as fast as they may like, etc. As a working artist I've gotten better at being creative on demand, but there are still times when that is a struggle.

Another thing that I have to admit frustrates me is people who write to me asking me to tell them how to sculpt my creations. I have no formal art training. I taught myself to sculpt through MANY hours of trial and error over the past 20 YEARS. There were a few books along the way that helped a little bit, but there was nothing available to teach me how to do exactly what I wanted to do, especially when it comes to the dog art. But I really wanted to learn, so I dove in, and started. The first things I made were a far sight from what I create these days, and there were many many times that I threw clay across the room in frustration, or worked on something for hours just to ball it up and throw it away because I just could not get it to turn out right.

So it is rather frustrating to me that people think I can teach them to do what I learned to do the hard way, over a long period of time, in a few paragraphs in an email! I can give a few guidelines to help someone get started, but no way can I sit and type out full instructions on how to sculpt something! I also have to say that it's rather unethical to ask an artist to teach you how to create THEIR designs, so that you can turn around and profit from their hard work! Not only that, but the inference that my time is of no value, and I should spend it giving away what I have learned is rather annoying if I'm being blunt. I used to do how-to projects for magazines and I did a book for Design Originals, and I was paid quite nicely for my designs and how-to instructions. So when people feel I should spend a few hours of my time giving them that info for nothing, well it gets a little old. If people feel that is arrogant on my part, well I'm not really sorry because I must say I feel it's rather rude on THEIR part. This is my occupation, how I earn my living. If an artist chooses to teach their art, or sell published instructions, that's one thing. They are being compensated for what they're giving away.

Now please don't get me wrong because I am happy to help with general advice when I can. If someone asks me a question about baking the clay, or how not to get fingerprints all over their work, or what can they use for eyes for their characters, etc., I am more than happy to help out. I think the polymer clay community is one of the most sharing and caring there is. I've also had the same experience with the needle felting community. That is not what I am talking about. I'm talking about when someone asks me to tell them, step by step, how to create one of my designs and feels that I OWE it to them to do so!

Where does one draw the line between trying to help a fellow clay aficionado get started, and having someone take up your valuable time expecting you to make everything easier for them because they don't want to put the time in to learning that you did?? Definitely becoming a bit of a pet peeve of mine. In the past, I have spent hours typing out all sorts of information in answer to someone's questions, only to never receive even a thank you or even acknowledgement of my efforts in return. That was time I could have put towards my own PAID work, and it's frustrating to me to say the least!



See what I mean? This little Yorkie looks a bit grumpy doesn't it? LOL Still cute though if I do say so myself! (and I DO!)

Ever Evolving, Expanding, Improving

As an artist, I am always learning. Despite the fact that I have now been working with polymer clay for well over 20 years, there is always something to learn. I find my work is ever evolving, techniques are always being refined, which keeps things always interesting.

Lately I have been drawn to sculpting one of a kind figurines that are more realistic, and I am finding the process both fascinating and challenging. I absolutely LOVE sculpting with Super Sculpey clay, which is different from the colored clays I usually work with in creating my pins, and other whimsical pieces. The SS is wonderfully easy to blend, and rework. Very user-friendly! This is the clay I created my earliest figurines with as a teen years ago.

From this:



To this:



To finally this:



It is always an interesting, sometimes frustrating - especially since I have no formal art training - journey!

Creating art in clay is for me always an exercise in persistence. As I said, I've had no formal art training. I've never taken any classes in sculpting whatsoever. When I first wanted to learn to sculpt dogs, I found that there were no books available, no classes I could take, or videos I could watch. So in teaching myself to sculpt, I've learned the most important thing is persistence. Many times I have wanted to wad up the clay and throw it against the wall! But something inside of me has kept me coming back again and again. This is how I know that creating in clay is what I'm meant to do. :o) I believe it is not really me teaching myself, but that part of God I believe He puts into each one of us working with me.

Okay enough philosophizing for one afternoon. ;o)