The Craft Shack?

I'd decided to blog about the name I’ve chosen to use.  I am aware of the negative connotation that the word shack brings,  It does however make me smile, and here is why.

In 2006, my husband and I were being faced with him losing income because the housing bubble was beginning to burst.  We made a very hard decision to move to Oklahoma, where my family lives.   After about six months, my mother's husband was stationed overseas, and I took over his man shack. Everyone in the family had called it the shack, quite frankly because of its appearance.   It was originally a small one room apartment built in 1941. 

My husband and mother cleared away all the junk pilled up around the shack shortly after I took over.  The Shack has two rooms, total size about 20 feet by twenty feet.  It has a sink and fridge, and bathroom.   Everything I needed quite frankly.  The roof needed replacing and the bathroom had been gutted except the toilet, but It was a calm studio area where I could begin creating again, without dealing with my cats and their destruction.  

 While I love my animals, they are not conducive to my creativity.  Ever had your cat eat the matching glass eye that was supposed to go in the head you were creating? How about eat the hair off your sculpture while you were sleeping?  Yeah, can say they've done both to me, which prompted me to move into the shack since the small apartment we were living in didn’t allow a separate room for me to utilize as a studio area.

We've since moved back to Arizona, but I miss the shack.  I could blare my music, spend all day in there creating, have cold drinks and quick snacks,  a sink to clean for cleaning, and a bathroom all in the shack without having to leave my creative bubble.   I’ve vowed that later this year when we buy a home again, I’m building my own shack in the back yard.  

After much thought....

After much though I've changed my mind about creating master molds.  In continuing the study on facial structures, I'd be creating master's for molding for ever.   So back to creating the skull for each sculpt.

I've been working on my mermaid.  She's taken quite a change.   Originally she was going to be placed in a standing position, now she'll be laying down.  Couldnt think of anything to do with her hands.  Today I'll be crafting with my BFF, Jan.  We're planing on creating polymer clay beads, and I'll be working on more eyes.  Used up my last batch in the skulls.

Anyone have thoughts on the best place to store photos? 

Skull Musings and research

I've been working on creating anatomically correct skulls for my sculptures.  I find sculpting the skull, allows for better faces to be created.   Yesterday's free time was spent researching the different racial skull indicators.   I've posted a great reference picture I found through Google images.   I've already finished the Caucasoid male and female skull.  I’ve sculpted fixed jaw and a jaw that can be posed for open mouths.  Today, I'll work on the Mongoloid skulls, and then tomorrow plan to tackle the Negroid skull. 

The above pictures were found using Google images, I cannot remember the sources, but if you Google, Skull Indicators by race, it should pop up right away.  I vaguely remember it came off a site that was discussing anthropological identifications.   

I'm looking forward to having all of these skulls molded so I can recreate them to sculpt faces over without the tedious task of recreating a skull each time I begin a sculpture.  Happy sculpting.

 

Launching Artfire

I've spent most of today setting up my profiles on artfire.  I've linked the site above.  I'm working on a mermaid right now.  She is coming out perfectly.  I've also perfected my skull that I sculpt my faces over. Sculpting the skull has given my people a whole new dimension.  I'm thinking of making a silicone mold of the skull so I do not have to sculpt it from fresh each time.  Pictures to come soon.

New Year, New Goals new Line

Finally getting around to blogging about what I spend my free time doing, rather than just talking to my best friend and fellow crafter, Jan.   Today I began working on a new sculpture.  I'm continuing my Sexy working women line.  My first Staci, the nurse was completed a few days ago. I just need to finish her stand and then She'll be ready to sell.  All proceeds will go toward more craft stuff, cause quite frankly I want to try that.  I need to get better pictures of her, as this was taken out of the light box and just snapped so I could share her with my friend Jan.   Stacy without the nurse cap stands at 7.5 inches tall.  I'll add better photo's when I've finished her base.

I've added a few pictures of Staci above.  My sister Amanda  picked out her name.  I'm quite pleased with her. She is my first finished human sculpture since my hand surgeries and only my second sculpture at all.  My dexterity isn't what it used to be, but working in the clay seems to be helping rebuild the muscle strength.

I have found a wonderful artist to watch on YouTube.  David Lemon is a bronze sculpting artist and his videos have memorized me.  He goes by clayguy1 on YouTube.   I literally watched him for days.  Although he doesn't use polymer clay, his techniques could easily be applied to our favorite medium. I've added a link to Davids Youtube channel below.

David Lemons Youtube Channel

Here's hoping you're finding this intersting.