Kudzu's Whimzy

Shalot the Key Keeper

2009-06-25T14:36:00.001-07:00

Meet Shalot the Key Keeper. She is a very shy girl and loves her keys. I have no idea where she finds them but more and more appear in her possession all the time. Sure wish she could have found my Mustang keys a while bag. Like Geico, she could have saved me a lot of money!!

She stands nearly 18" and is built over a foil and wire armature.

Color comes along

2009-06-25T14:32:00.000-07:00

Very slowly color is finally starting to appear on the tiles. When ever I have a minute or two I pick one up and give it a coat or two. While I was working on Shalot I painted tiles as sections baked. One day it will finally be done... I'm not holding my breath.

Mosaic with Scrap Book Paper

2009-06-24T09:41:00.001-07:00

This picture isn't the greatest but it gives an idea of what I was talking about in some earlier e-mails to clay friends. The canvas board, base, is covered with scrap book paper using a spray on glue. Then the tiles are applied, leaving part of the paper exposed. The slightly crooked clock hands are clay also. Sure wish I had seen the nice metal ones Michael's has in the scrap book area before hand!!

Joint Project and New Class

2009-06-17T15:58:00.001-07:00

I was working away on Summer Got You Dragon...new mixed media class over on http://www.polyclayplay.com/ (Go check out Trish's sight! Lot's of cool stuff to see and explore...subliminal messaging now over) when the postman brought me a wonderful surprise. A dear friend of mine knew how much I love Where the Wild Things Are and decided to sculpt Max just for little old me. It was amazing how he fit right into the scene with her not knowing what I was working on! How cool is that?! Anyhow, the wonderful friend and artist who created Max is Pat Jones... http://www.mothermadebypatjones.blogspot.com/ She makes incredible teeny tiny fairies, babies and elves. There is one she did eating a cupcake that I adore!

Go here to see her work.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mother-made/

Anyhow...the new class over at Trish's sight is a fun summer mixed media piece. You will learn how to do all the sculpting, add foliage and work with resin. Shoot, there are even little goldfish in the water! The class starts July 18 and runs for four weeks (I think...) This is the first in a series of four seasonal mixed media classes. If you sign up before the end of June there is a fun Bonus project titles "How to Pickle a Dragon" for free! Can't beat that. Hope to see you there...well OK at least chat with you there!

To Long Gone

2009-06-17T15:45:00.001-07:00

It has been way to long since I have left a mark here in my little corner. Somehow life keeps getting in the way. Here is a little sneak peek at a work in progress and a couple that are done. I really enjoy mosaics. They are so much like puzzles I can't help but to want to sit for ages and cut tiles then see if I can put them together. Sigh...alas that isn't what I get to do! It takes me forever to get one done. Normally I only get to cut, bake and paint tiles in between other things. So...while that crazy dragon is in the oven I cut tiles like a mad woman......ha ha ha...evil laugh...

I Got a New Puppy....sort of

2009-03-28T09:56:00.001-07:00

Poor Floyd, he is just to goofy for his own good. He can't even seem to keep his drooly tongue in his mouth. Maybe that is because he is so happy! He really likes to play with his beat up ball and chew on his bone. I think I might have to keep him...

Lazy Louie...

2009-03-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

Meet Lazy Louie...I sure envy Louie. Wish I was out laying in the sun with nothing better to do. Little does he know, I just listed him on etsy so he might have to get up and get moving soon. Then again...

Happy Spring!

2009-03-15T15:36:00.001-07:00

Today has finally been a spring-like day. There are Robins all over the yard and the temp is near 60! Woo hoo! While I was walking around the yard looking for a sign of green I came across this little girl and her clutch of eggs. She was so proud that she picked one up to show me! I wished her luck and went on my way.

Wow! I'm teaching my first online class!!

2009-03-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

Meet Eureeka!

Eureeka is 11" tall and has a ball jointed head. She can look all around and even tell you "No!" if she doesn't like where you sit her to gaze out the window. The class for how to sculpt her will begin on April 4th. Go to: http://www.polyclayplay.com/Adventures/index.htm for all the nitty gritty. I can tell you from what I have seen, Trish has done a spectacular job setting everything up. If you are interested in joining us, Trish, Eureeka and myself, for a 4 part class on making Eureeka head on over to Trish's sight (link above) and sign up! We would be thrilled to have you.

Magellan - the naughty dragon!

2009-03-13T13:48:00.001-07:00

Magellan is an example of when a good dragon goes bad! This poor guy faught me tooth and nail while I was trying to sculpt him. From being burnt to his head falling off...what a nightmare. Anyhow, here he is in all his naughty glory. Doesn't he have that "Who me?" look...

He is about 12" tall and long. His insides are a foil core and his wings are painted fabric. It is amazing how light weight these big guys are! I better get him a collar and leash before he runs off.

Maureen Carlson

2009-03-13T13:24:00.001-07:00

Many times I have been asked how I got into polymer clay. I have two words for them "Maureen Carlson". I was a porcelain doll maker for a number of years and would get discouraged always pouring other people's artwork. Then I managed to get a copy of "How to Make Clay Characters" by Maureen Carlson back in the late 1990's. My love of clay was born. I have all of her books and always recommend them to anyone who asks me about working with clay. Many of the techniques that I use creating my dragons I learned from Maureen's teaching me through her books. Maureen has a wonderful new line of molds, for those of us who are human challenged when sculpting. They are called Puzzle Face Flexible Molds. What a joy they are! The molds are everything advertised and more. If you have never heard of or seen them check them out... http://www.weefolk.com/molds_list.htm

I have never had the pleasure of going (It is definately on my wish list!) to her Center For Creative Arts. If you live any where near Jordan, Minnesota chck it out http://www.maureencarlson.com/ Then you can tell me all about it and I can be green with envy!!

Christi Friesen

2009-03-13T13:09:00.001-07:00

I thought maybe it would be a good idea to share with anyone who stops by my little corner some information about those artist who inspire me. Christi Friesen is a very imaginative clay artist who never seems to amaze with the variety of pieces she creates. From steam punk to just plain adorable, there is something for everyone. If you are new to sculpting or been at it longer than you want to admit her books and tutorials are perfect for any level. I have always been a fan of her turtles. They all have such wonderful character, colors and style. From personal experience, I can tell you Christi is a super friendly lady who takes time to answer and encourage those who seek her out. I went outside my box, some time ago now, and sent her an e-mail telling her how much I enjoyed her books. Shortly there after I had an encouraging response and invitation to join her Yahoo group. What a fun group and place to meet other clay folks! If you aren't familiar with Christi's work I encourage you to take a look at her sight http://www.cforiginals.com/ You will be glad you did!!

Hey! That's not a dragon!

2009-03-07T18:13:00.000-08:00

Here's something a little different. I really have fun making these little gold fish jars. This one is Fred and Bob's new home. The jar used to house salsa but no more. Now it is Fred and Bob's domain...forever... because that water is resin and there is no way they can get out...ha ha ha...evil laugh...

I just wish I had rembembered to put a lip of clay around the top of the jar. Oh well, maybe some wide black ribbon would work folded over the top to cover the screw on part. Off to play...

Finally got etsy going again!

2009-03-07T12:51:00.000-08:00

I have finally re-stocked my etsy store. Mr. Dragon or better known as Flynn from the tutorial is up for adoption and so is Eco. I forgot how much time it takes to do all of that loading and waiting. Half the day is gone. Oh well, it is rainy and dreary so might as well be inside on the laptop!

Loki

2009-02-21T15:59:00.001-08:00

I took Loki out for some new pictures this afternoon and thought I would share a couple. The other pictures didn't do her justice.

Painting the Little Griffling

2009-02-19T08:25:00.000-08:00

Wanted to update how to finish the little griffling. Unfortunately I'm having tech problems again! This time with my wonderful, clear my throat, 17 year old son. He took the memory card out of my camera, wiped it, put it in his camera and I now have tons of skate videos and pics. As great as they are they aren't going to help anyone finish a griffin!! So, here goes the short and sweet of it with no pictures. Hey, your all creative people I know you will get how to do it. Paint him with washes just like the dragon. Dry brush two to three colors working from darkest to light. On browns I normally dry brush with a cream or white last. Apply sealer. You can use marabou feathers if you didn't make clay feathers. That is what I did with little Stormy. I will try to get a couple pictures of him posted soon. Right now I'm fighting a nasty cold/sinus infection so pictures may wait a couple days. Excuse me...can't stop sneezing!!! Enjoy your new griffling.

Paint and Finishing

2009-02-16T18:57:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I will post the last part of the tutorial all about painting and finishing him up. Right now my fingers are tired of typing! Enjoy!

This is the end...

2009-02-16T18:45:00.001-08:00

The tool that I am using in the first picture is made by Makin's Clay. It is a wire brush attachment. If you don't have one of these, you can easily make a fur tool. I also use the ones I have made. These are made by cutting lengths of wire and inserting them into a clay handle, bake tool and use! Brush your fur tool over the body to create a fur like texture. Don't brush his front legs or head. Take a good look at him and make sure he is to your liking. Don't worry about little clay tufts or rough spots. these can be lightly sanded off after baking. If so he is ready for the sauna! Bake him at the correct temperature and time for your clay. I bake t 275 degrees for about an hour. Th e wings only bake for about 20 minutes. Oh, a note on the wings...if you are using clay feathers don't forget to add some to the wings!! Off to the sauna...

I'll Fly Away...and steal your cookies!!

2009-02-16T18:36:00.000-08:00

Roll out a sheet of clay on the pasta machines thickest setting. Double the clay over lightly and cut out a wing shape. Smooth the edges and slightly roll over the top edges to add some interest and curve. Cut two pieces of wire about 1", I believe mine is 20 gauge. Fold the wire over in half and pinch the ends together with some needle nose pliers. Put a dot of TLS on the inner edge of the wing and lightly mash the wire into the TLS. Take a small dot of clay and cover the ends of the wire. Smooth clay in seamlessly. Repeat for other wing. Now poke holes in the the griffins back and test how the wings will sit. If they need to be trimmed or repositioned now is the time to do it.

Feathers

2009-02-16T18:30:00.000-08:00

Stormy isn't going to be covered with clay feathers. If you would prefer to cover your guy with clay here is how to do it. Roll out a sheet of clay on the pasta machines thickest setting. Cut little squares 1/2" long by 1/4" wide or somewhere around there. Doesn't need to be exact! Now form into a little feather shape and use the needle tool to apply the line work. Use a bit of TLS and apply the feather in rows starting at the lowest point and working up. Even though you are working in rows try not to make it look like ROWS. You do want a bit of a random look to it not a pattern.

Another Test

2009-02-16T18:25:00.000-08:00

Lay the front leg against the body and cut off at the proper length. Round off the end of the leg and create a tapered slope where it will attach to the body. Use the small needle tool to add texture to the foot and leg. Put a dab of TLS on the top back of the leg before attaching. Now lightly press onto body and smooth top. Pose his legs into a pleasing position. Stormy is going to have his foot propped on something.

More Toes

2009-02-16T18:22:00.000-08:00

Cut the front section of the foot into three sections. Roll each of the toes out into nice long toes. Now cut them off! No, not the whole thing but trim down so they are proportionate to the foot. Round the ends off and smoosh them back a bit to plump them up.

Chicken Feet

2009-02-16T18:19:00.001-08:00

Let's get technical...smoosh the clay down on your work surface and start forming a triangular shape at the end of the foot. Oooo, triangles! Finally got away from those teardrops!

Chicken Legs...mmmm

2009-02-16T18:14:00.000-08:00

Logs, logs, logs. I'm starting to think my method should be called the Log, Pinch and Roll Method! So with that said make another log, long and thin this time. You want the log to be a little thinner than your thumb. Now cut it into two sections about 3" long.

Attaching Those Legs

2009-02-16T18:11:00.001-08:00

This is what the finished legs look like. Don't forget those important tabs on the bottom of the thigh. They really do help secure the joining of the limbs. Brush a little TLS on the inside of the thighs and then press on to the body. Flip him over and smooth the tabs into the underside. If you would like paw pads on the bottoms of his feet you can add those to.

This Little Piggy...oh yeah...griffling

2009-02-16T18:04:00.000-08:00

To form the foot cut off the excess clay and round off the end of the foot. Use the small needle tool and mark in three toe lines. That will make four toes. Smooth the toes out to make them rounded like cute little piggies should be. To finish the toes/foot off use the larger needle tool to create an indention behind to the toes. This makes the toes stand out a bit and adds some plumpness to the foot. Remember, he's a baby plump is cute!

He's Got Legs...well he will

2009-02-16T16:54:00.000-08:00

Logs, teardrops and pinching again. The first picture shows the shape we are looking for in a leg log. It is not quite as long as the brush and flattened some with an oval shape at the end. This will make the thighs. Cut the log in half. Use the picture of the leg against the body as a guide for how to shape his back leg. It is done the same as the basic dragons legs.

Brows

2009-02-16T16:29:00.000-08:00

A nice detail is to create a little indention between the eyes to create a more defined brow line and add expression.

Do Your Ears Hang Low?

2009-02-16T16:18:00.000-08:00

Ears are cut with a cutter by Makin's clay. I use this cutter quite a bit. It is suppose to be a leaf but I use the smooth side for ears. If you don't have one, free hand a couple teardrop shaped pieces in a size you like. The clay used was rolled out on a 1 setting on the pasta machine. (the thickest setting) Gently roll the outer edges in towards the center of the ear. Mark 2 or 3 crease lines from the inner ear towards the outer ear. Flatten the inner edge and attach to the back of his head. It looks nice if you have a line...nostril, eye, ear. The ears can be put in many positions to change his expression. This little guy is going with the up ears. As soon as I turned them up I thought he looked wind blown...meet Stormy!

Blink, blink

2009-02-16T16:10:00.000-08:00

The eye lids re cut out with a small oval cutter made by Makin's clay. If you don't have one of those The oval is about 1/4" wide and 1/2" long. Shape the oval into a half moon shape with the pointer end towards the beak. Position the little moons over the eye beads. Use the end of your brush and gently roll it. Starting from the inner lid, roll towards the outside. The clay should be seamlessly joined. Go back and roll the brush again above where the lid joined the face to create a brow line. This adds expression to his face.

I Can See Clearly Now...

2009-02-16T16:05:00.000-08:00

Here come some beady black eyes...The back end of the needle tool was pushed into the head softly to create eye sockets. Then the 6mm hematite beads are wired to secure them in his head. Once the beads are wired figure your placement, roughly even with the nostrils, and insert them. Yeah! Now he can speak, breathe and see!

I can breathe!

2009-02-16T16:01:00.001-08:00

Roll out a small snake that will become his nostrils. Make sure it is tapered at both ends. Attach the snake on the back of the upper beak. Use the little needle tool and create notrils. I insert and pull down to create a teardrop shape.

Say Aaaa!

2009-02-16T15:55:00.001-08:00

Use the back end of a brush or tool of you choice and roll under the lower beak. This will create a lower jaw line. Use your x-acto and slice his little beak open. Squawk! Feed me! OK, back to business. Smooth the edges of the upper and lower beak. Pinch the end of the upper beak in both directions again giving it a refined look like a Close his mouth and use the larger needle tool to make a dot finishing the ends of the beak.

Tweak!

2009-02-16T15:45:00.000-08:00

Tweak, tweak! Time for a beak! I rounded his head a bit more with the crook between my thumb and index finger. He is starting to have a bird head. Grab a hold of some clay on the front of the head and give a pinch. You will want to pinch in both directions: up and down (shown) and across.

Wag That Tail

2009-02-16T15:42:00.000-08:00

All that clay hanging off his now refined back side needs a bit of a nip and tuck. Roll it out and create the tickness and length you think is appropriate for his tail. Now a nip and roll will do it. Roll the end to make it smooth and we have a tail!

Basic shapes...or back to the chunky log

2009-02-16T15:30:00.000-08:00

Just like in the making of Flynn, Mr. Dragon, we are going to start with a chunky log. Pinch one end and begin forming a ball shape. This will become his head. Roll the clay below the ball to form a neck. Lift this section up so he can look around, we know he can't see yet but we can pretend. For the other end; pull and roll to start forming a tail. For now it will be rough and to big but that is OK. See his big ole butt sticking up? In order for him to get that way take a finger or tool of your choice and rock it back and forth between the shoulder and hip area. Soften the curves out and shape his front and back to make them round and smooth.

How to Hatch a Griffling

2009-02-16T15:25:00.000-08:00

Back again with a new critter for everyone to make and play with. Up front I'm going to tell you the finished fellow in this tutorial is going to be different than the two supervisors up above. We are going for a mixed media sculpt, if you so choose. The clay pictured is the same old stuff I always use, Good Old Sculpey. It takes most of two sheets to form the head, body and tail. Tools are the same too. Needle tools in two sizes, X-acto, old paintbrush and a bit of Translucent Liquid Sculpey for joining limbs. Let's go!

Tutorials, dragons and grifflings! Oh, my!

2009-02-15T07:08:00.000-08:00

Due to some technical difficults...Ok the cat ran across the key board while I was downloading pictures and I lost them all. Don't know where they went or if they will return home. The camera hit the floor and well it isn't pretty. The tutorial I was working on just flew away. So due to some popular demand, ummm Tracey, the next one will be for a baby griffling. I hope to have the entire thing posted by Wednesday. Got the battery charging for my other camera as we speak. You won't believe how easy he is. The feathers take forever but easy, easy!

Loki - My birthday present to me!

2009-02-14T13:26:00.000-08:00

Introduing Loki... He is about 9" tall and has a moveable head. His wings are painted fabric and poseable thanks to wires that are used to support the fabric. I had wanted a purple dragon for quite some time but never made one. Why? I have no idea. So, when I had the idea to do a tutorial for a dragon with a moveable head Loki was born! I'm starting all the text for the tutoial tonight and hope to get it posted in the next couple days. It will cover how to make a foil core shape and the ball joint component. Happy Valentine's Day!

A Note About Propping and Baking

2009-02-11T11:34:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! It is getting cold here again and we are getting ready for a heavy snow storm in the next couple days...hmmm...does that mean I will get to stay home and clay?

A question was brought to my attention about something seen but not mentioned in the dragon tutorial...paper towel wads. When sculpting one of these long neck (and tail) creatures it is a good idea to use little wads of tissue, polyfil, paper towel or rolled up card stock to prop areas as you work. If you want that tail raised up or a foot (look at the green dragon in group photo, he has a foot up in the air and tail) it isn't just going to stay there because you want it to. While sculpting it might hold that lovely pose but once that critter goes in the sauna there is a good chance it will fall/break off. For anyone not familiar with the workings of polymer it gets super soft before it gets hard. While baking the piece the heat does what magic it needs to do for the clay to set up and become nice and hard when cool. However, while it is hot it is super, super soft and without proper "prop" raised and heavy pieces may break off. I have lost a head or two do to neglegent propping. So, take an extra minute and give him some good support under the chin, any where a tail is raised or lifted feet. A dragon sitting up on his back legs is a whole 'nother tutorial. Then we get into weighting and all kinds of crazy stuff! So for now let's just remember little wads of paper towel are our friends!

Eco Updated pics

2009-02-10T17:50:00.001-08:00

Eco wasn't very pleased with the pictures I took of her so tonight we took a couple more. Hope you like her updated "Head shots". She was pretty pleased.

Flynn joins the group

2009-02-10T17:45:00.000-08:00

Mr.Dragon has a name, Flynn. He seems to have fit right in with the rest of the gang that was born in the last two weeks.There are five more sitting on my desk that don't have paint yet. Good grief, I'm falling behind. Better pick up the pace...

Here's Mr.Dragon!!!

2009-02-10T14:45:00.000-08:00

Here he is in all his blue glory! The only thing left is to give him a name and put him on etsy. I plan on getting my etsy shop back in order sometime in the next week. Hmmm....got to think of a name!

Let's fly!!!

2009-02-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

Easiest step of them all! Once his wings are dry, either peel them off the cellophane or cut them off and lightly hit the edges with a lighter to make them smooth. Now glue those bad boys in with a bit of Super Glue (I use Loctite). Alright, he is ready to fly!!

Time to Decorate!

2009-02-10T14:25:00.000-08:00

Grab a bottle of Tulip Metallic silver. Start on the forehead. Mr. dragon is pretty simple. I made to little "horns" in the center of his forehead. Now work down his back. Make a little "horn" on the center of each spine. Go wild and put little horns where ever you want! Feet, ears tips of his clay horns. Hint - just a touch on the end of the ears and tops of the clay horns does look really nice! OK, let's see if he is ready to fly!

Wings, wings, wings

2009-02-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

What you need to make wings "my way" is pretty simple:

piece of cellophane - heavy, like is used to wrap gift baskets

20 gauge wire

Fabric paint - Tulip X-treme Paint- Asphalt

Cut two pieces of wire 2 1/2 to 3" long. Bend the wire at a 90 degree angle making one side slightly longer than the other. The reason for one side to be longer is so that you have a section to insert into the dragons back when attaching. Take the fabric paint and cover the wire, like in the second photo. Free hand the rest of the wing. The trick I use is pretty simple...start at the center of the bend. Draw a line straight down. On either side of of the center line draw another line. Hint- like a spider web. Then fill in as you want. Set them aside to dry. Drying time varies.

Varnish

2009-02-10T13:30:00.001-08:00

Here he is all ready for a fresh coat of sealer. I use Delta Ceramicoat Matte Interior Varnish. This sealer leaves a soft matte finish. I don't care for super shiny unless something needs to look wet...inside of a mouth for example. One coat does just fine, two if you feel the need. Another good thing about this sealer is that it dries pretty quick.

Need a Manicure?

2009-02-10T13:28:00.001-08:00

Pretty straight forward here. Use a liner brush and paint his nails. I used the metallic taupe for nail color. While his nails are drying take an old scruffy brush (wet) and clean the paint off of his eyes.

Metallic Taupe

2009-02-10T13:21:00.000-08:00

Again...same deal. Dry brush the entire section of plates with the metallic taupe. This adds a nice shine. I use the taupe on ALL of my dragons. Silver, gold and all the others are fine but I have found that the taupe works best on all colors. Brush the tops of the toes, top of the back spines, highlight some spots on the body, knees and the face - cheeks, top of snout, end of nose, brows and ears. Completely cover with horns with the dry brushing. Don't they look pretty with that nice shine effect?

Dry Brushing the Soft Gray

2009-02-10T12:59:00.001-08:00

Same deal, this time with the soft gray. With dry brushing you always want to go from darkest to lightest color. More often than not I only highlight one side of the under belly to create a highlight. It is a very subtle difference. If it is a big difference you either have to much paint on the brush, might need a different color or you just like it that way!!

Dry Brushing the Caribbean Blue

2009-02-10T12:48:00.000-08:00

If you have never dry brushed, here is the skinny (my way) on how to do it. Take one of your stencil brushes and dip it into the paint. Just the ends of the bristles, not the whole thing. Now scrub most of the paint out onto your scrubby cloth or a paper towel will do. There should be very little paint left in the brush but enough that when you drag it over the dragon it leaves a light covering of the paint. Start with the under belly and brush across each plate. Don't get into the cracks if you can help it. We want the darker paint to show in the crevices. This adds dimensions to the piece. After his under side is all done lightly brush over the feet and move up the legs as you see fit. In the third picture you should be able to see the difference in one foot (top one) being dry brushed and the other is not. Apply dry brushing to his body as you want. i tend to only brush the tops of the back spines. Gives them a neat shaded look when all is said and done. The face is an interesting place to play. I tend to highlight the ears, brows, cheeks, top of snout and end of nose. Play about and decide what you like. I guarantee you one of mine are 100% the same.

Applying Wash

2009-02-10T12:40:00.000-08:00

First off, don't panic. I know he looks freaky right now but let me explain. To begin painting I apply a wash of my base color every where except the horns. To do this you will want to water your paint down to ink like consistency. Then use a mop type brush and cover him good. It will be messy!! Plus make sure to check for puddles under the belly and legs. Smooth those out with the brush and all is well. Now that he is all covered, prop him up a bit so some air can get under him and then the most important part....WALK AWAY!! Leave him alone and let him dry...completely. This may take some time, up to an hour. See how the paint settles into the texture? That is what we want. When the first layer is dry check him over. Are there any places the paint didn't cover? Touch up anything needing a little help. If you wish to apply another coat, go for it! The reason I paint this way is because acrylic paint on its own is thick. When is dries it creates a heavy, almost plastic like, covering. We don't want that! We want this fellow to look like this is how he was sculpted. Not like a ceramic piece. Soft washes and dry brushing do the trick. What's dry brushing you ask... that's what's next.

Getting Ready to Paint

2009-02-10T12:32:00.000-08:00

Here we go with part two. Mr. Dragon is fresh out of the sauna and ready for some color, besides being overly tan. I use an old plastic baby plate as a palette. Ummm no, I never clean it. The other supplies I use at this stage are:
one to several stencil brushes
a liner brush
a "mop" type brush
an old rag to scrub my brushes on
paint- Ceramcoat- Azure blue, Caribbean Blue, Soft Gray and Folk Art Metallic Taupe

The little guy by the paint plate is supervising. He says "Let's get to it!"

A Note about Mr. Dragon

2009-02-08T21:20:00.000-08:00

I managed to get all parts of the sculpting tutorial up. I need a nap! Anyhow, forgot Mr. Dragon was in the oven so he has a bit of a tan. Oh well, that's the neat thing about paint! Just to give you an idea of his finished size.... he is about 3" tall and about 4" long. Tomorrow I will start the painting and embellishment portion of this exercise in patience. Then maybe a break before tutorial #2! Ha ha ha.... Good-night all!

Finishing Touches

2009-02-08T21:00:00.001-08:00

Here he is all ready to go into the oven for a bit of a sauna. Does your fellow want to fly? If so now is a good time to poke a couple holes in his back for wing placement after he is all prettied up. The guy pictured is going to fly. Before he goes in the sauna check him over real good for any areas that need re-textured or any tweaking you want to add. I normally stamp the under belly with my signature stamp at this point. Boy oh boy, I was starting to think we would never get to this point!! But here we are and here he goes...into the dragon sauna for the appropriate amount of time. Normally I bake at 275 degrees for about an hour. Check your clay instructions to see what is proper for your new dragon.

Back Spines

2009-02-08T20:44:00.000-08:00

This is the second step that isn't necessary but sure looks nice. To create the spines going down Mr. Dragons back make a long thin strip of clay on the next to thickest setting of your pasta machine. Measure down the back of you dragon starting at the back of the head to as far as you want to go down the tail. To measure I normally do a dry run of attaching the strip. Mark on the strip where to cut. Each end of the strip should be tapered after you finish cutting it to size. Now that the strip is established, take a brush and apply a thin line of TLS down the neck, back and tail. Lay the strip onto the TLS so that it is standing up. To make the individual spines, gently press your needle tool (smaller the tip the better) into the strip at regular intervals. The clay will slip about a bit so try to support it with your fingers and adjust it back into place as needed. After you reach the end of the strip you can choose to leave the spines smooth or go back and texture them a bit with the needle tool. To finish up the spines take a brush and smooth any edges. Run the brush on both sides of the spines where any TLS needs to be smoothed or cleaned up.

Arms

2009-02-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

The arms are sculpted basically the same as the legs. The big differences are that they are smaller and the elbow bends in the opposite direction of the knee. Refer to the pictures for the basic shape and size of the arms. The toes and feet are exactly the same as on the hind legs, just a little smaller. When joining the arms to the body use a small amount of TLS on the inside of the upper arm to make a good seal. Blend the top of the shoulder into the body so it doesn't look just stuck on. On any areas where legs where joined re-apply texture that has been flattened out.

Tickle the Dragon

2009-02-08T19:58:00.000-08:00

This is a step that isn't structurally necessary. More of my dragons than not have "under belly armor plates". If you don't want this detail no biggy. If you do, start with rolling out a long piece of clay on the next to the thickest setting on the pasta machine. Cut a long strip that tapers on both ends. Do a test drive of how it fits before you apply. Once your under armor section is cut to the right size gently press onto the underside of the dragon starting where the jaw meets the neck and going as far down the tail as you want. I normally go about half way. Use the butt end of a brush or a larger needle tool to roll down the edges of the armor piece. This will smooth the piece into the body but not blend it in. To add the details of the armor use a fine needle tool and mark lines at the interval of your choice from top to bottom.

Let's Apply Those Legs

2009-02-08T19:35:00.001-08:00

Before the legs are attached we need to do a leg test. Set the legs against his body, decide where placement is going to be. Once you are happy with their placement use your brush and apply a little bit of TLS to the lower half of the inside lower thigh area. Gently apply legs to body. Flip him over upside down and smooth his "flaps" into his under belly. This creates a seamless joint for the legs to the body and creates a strong joining.

Texture

2009-02-08T19:29:00.000-08:00

I completely forgot to take pictures of applying the texture. If you have never applied texture to a clay piece before, no worries! It is really as simple as stamping. Choose what ever you wish to use to texture Mr.Dragon and apply texture every where you want it before putting the legs on. It is much easier to get the entire body covered with no limbs! Once they are applied it is much harder to get all those nooks and crannies. So, take a break...mash on some texture, grab a drink and we'll get back to it.

Toes, toes, toes

2009-02-08T18:45:00.000-08:00

Take the x-acto and make three slices on each foot to begin the toes. Gently shape around each toe with your fingers making it round and toe like. When I have the toes to the length and shape I think looks pleasing I take the larger needle tool and mash it into where the toe meet the foot. This little mark just gives the toe a finished look. The tools pictured are used to do the detail work on the toes. Start with the butt of a brush and make a "knuckle" on each toe. Then use the small needle tool to mark some wrinkle lines on the toes. Last is the nails. The red tool is a coffee stir straw that a "U" shape has been cut out of the end. Gently mark the nail beds with the straw on each toe. After marking is done pick foot up and pinch the nails into points. Take a look at the photo of the finished feet. Do you see how there is a "flap" of dragon flesh sticking off the inside bottom of the thigh? That is an important part! Looks weird, I know, but that is how we are going to attach the legs to the body. Trust me, you want to make sure and do this step. Here we go, more pinching and pulling. On the bottom of the thigh pinch the clay flat to make a tab on each leg. Now your hind legs are all done. Set them aside for now.

Starting a foot

2009-02-08T18:34:00.000-08:00

Left foot, right foot...let's make a foot. Back to the rolling and indenting...

Make another indention at the bottom of the calf. This will create the heel. Bend the last of the log forward. Set the leg on a flat surface and smash the "foot" area with a finger or two. Figure out if you want big feet or little feet. Cut the clay a little smaller than you want the foot. While shaping the foot gradually make the foot wider as it becomes the toe area.

Hind Legs

2009-02-08T18:21:00.000-08:00

Begin the hind legs by rolling out a log. Form one end of the log into a tear drop shape. Place the leg roll onto the hind end of the dragon's body to get an idea for the size it should be. At the place where the knee should be formed roll the log between your fingers to make a deep indention. Roll the area that will be the calf to make it proportionate to the thigh. The calf is thinner than the thigh. I'm sure you already knew that little tid bit! Bend the lower part of the leg down to start getting the final form of the hind leg.

I hear you!

2009-02-08T18:11:00.000-08:00

The small cutter pictured is made by Makins Clay. It is about an inch long. Roll a piece of clay on the thickest setting of the pasta maker and cut out two ear shapes. Ears can be shaped in many different ways. I pictured two of the common shapes I use. You can make your fellows ears much smaller or bigger it is all up to you. To add the details, roll thin logs of clay and apply to the top of the ear. Blend the top seam so it appears to be one pieces of clay. The lower edge can be left smooth or scalloped with a needle tool. Flatten the edge of the ear that will be attaching to the back of the head. Apply a small amount of TLS where you plan on attaching the ears. Layer the flattened edges of the ears to the back of the head and blend in smooth. I use the butt of a brush or larger needle tool and roll it back and forth over the area.

Applying Horns

2009-02-08T18:05:00.000-08:00

Grab another toothpick and cut a section off of both ends. The pieces are going to be used to anchor the horns to the head. Insert the pieces into the head at a place you feel is appropriate. Use a brush and apply small amounts of TLS to both toothpicks. Gently, push each horn on to a toothpick and adjust. The TLS should make a nice little seal around the bottom of each horn. If there is to much TLS use a brush and gently remove. The horn should sit flush with the head.

Making Horns

2009-02-08T17:56:00.000-08:00

What's a dragon without horns? I'm not sure but they insist that they have to have them so let's give him some. Start with a small amount of clay and roll it into a cigar styled shape. Next twist it from each end to make it look like a spiral horn. Figure out how long you would like his horns to be. Cut first one end and then lay it next to the other end and make the second cut. They should be roughly the same size.

Everyone Needs Good Support

2009-02-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

To finally give support to that long neck, insert a toothpick into the lower end of the neck. A helpful hint would be to measure the toothpick to the length of the neck prior to inserting. Don't want 1/2" more tooth pick than neck! If needed nip off how ever much you need to prior to insertion. Once that is all done take a tiny ball of clay and fill in the hole made by the toothpick, smooth over.

Raise Those Brows

2009-02-07T15:25:00.000-08:00

Here come the brows...

Roll out a small log and taper the ends to points. Cut the log in half and do a test drive over the eyelids. Does the brow need to be cut down or is it to short? If you got it perfect first shot, well good for you! Shape the brows into comma shapes and apply over the eyelid. Use your needle tool to blend the top edge of the brow into the head. Look him straight in the eye. Did he wink at you? That's a good sign!

I See You!

2009-02-07T15:12:00.000-08:00

Eyes, eyes, eyes! It's time for him to see the world. Pick out two beads that you think Mr.Dragon would like to see out of. I use hematite. It has a nice shine to it and isn't jet black. It is a good idea to use appropriate gauge wire to create anchors for the beads to grip into the clay. Insert the eyes into the head. Use the end of the lines you created on the sides of the snout to help with placement. Sometimes looking from the top of the head also helps to align the eyes. Now, here is another choice...do you want lower lids or only top. I make them both ways. It all depends on the expression you are trying to capture. To make lower lids roll out tiny snakes and apply them around the eye. The lower lids start with two tiny balls of clay that are then rolled into logs. Flatten them out and form into comma shaped eye lids. When I apply the lids I normally line the point of the comma up with the line on the side of the snout.

Finishing the Snout

2009-02-07T14:55:00.000-08:00

Let's finish that snout. If you look at the sides of your nose or your dogs or cats or what ever creature you have around you will notice there is a bit of an indentation. On Mr. Dragon I add these details to both sides of the head by starting at the nostril and pulling up lightly with the needle tool to the place where I feel the eyes will later be inserted. After that is all done I use the tiny needle tool to make marks, starting at the nostril, and going across the snout to represent the plated look of a dragon. It's time to move up the head now and create the brows. Lay a paint brush in the center of the skull and gently create an indention on the forehead. How far down I take the indention varies from dragon to dragon. If I want the center line to go towards the nose I use the needle tool to make the indention from the top of the plates down. It isn't nearly as wide and is better suited for the narrowness of the snout. Take a good look at the head so far. Is it to your liking? Now is the time to tweak any part you feel needs a little work. If you are happy, I am, lets move on to giving him some eyes.

Jaws

2009-02-07T14:48:00.000-08:00

Once the jaw line is complete this is how it will look. To add nostrils I normally roll two balls of equal size to begin to make sure they are symmetrical. Next, smash them flat and form them into teardrop shapes. Apply to the snout of Mr. Dragon. Using the smallest needle tool you have, start at the bottom point of the nostril and make a comma shaped stroke to open the nose holes. Plus this often times makes a nice little "bump" on the end of the snout when the clay pushes up. Now he can breath!

Starting the Jaws

2009-02-07T14:41:00.000-08:00

Now that we have a mouth and nose, I begin the jaw line. Take the needle tool and make an indention that goes from, roughly where you would place the eye to underneath the chin. Smooth the edges of the jaw line with the tool of your choice.

Pinch that Nose

2009-02-07T14:28:00.000-08:00

To form the nose area he will need two pinches. First pinch the sides of the nose. Not super hard just enough to make indention's. Then grab hold of the top of the snout and inside the mouth and give a little pinch. This will form the pointy beakish ending of the nose. Now decide if you want the mouth open or close. For this tutorial his mouth will be closed. Prior to closing the mouth I form the chin area. To do this I push the lower jaw into its self just a bit to form a small ball on the end of the lower jaw. If you want a beard you would poke a hole into the chin. After baking and painting glue fibers into the hole. Shut the mouth now.

An update on the tutorial...

2009-02-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

I am working on the first tutorial non-stop at the moment. What I am going to do, to help those who want to use it, is to write the entire sculpting portion so I can load it on the blog in order of how the tutoial flows. After the sculpting portion is all done I will post it and then work a second tutorial on how to paint and embelish your dragon. I plan on having the sculpting portion all up and going by tomorrow evening. I'm breaking a sweat...good grief, what a chore. But I must admit I am having a ball doing it and hope anyone who reads or uses the tutorial has as much fun as I am making a new creature!

Open that Mouth

2009-02-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

Hooray! We are getting somewhere now. Hint: while you are working on his face support his neck well in your hand. If you don't it will stretch and ooops! his head will pop right off. Yes, I've done it plenty of times. OK, let's make him grin. Take your blade, knife or what ever tool you use to cut and start at his nose. Gently, but smoothly, cut his mouth open from the nose to the back of the snout. Sometimes looking at him from the front view helps with the cut. That way you keep it even on both sides of the head. Once you are happy with cut take a finger or tool and smooth the edges of his "lips". If you are not happy with the mouth you can always close his mouth, reshape the snout and cut again.

Great Basic Shape

2009-02-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

The fellow pictured here has a great basic shape to begin developing his personality. To achieve his fine physique he has had a little nip and tuck. As for the nips... as his head was shaped and formed I began to see proportions where off a bit. The head was a bit to big. To fix this problem I rolled his head out to make it longer and nipped off the end of the nose until I had a pleasing size/shape. It is much easier to pull and shape the head down toward the nose than shaving off cheeks and foreheads. On to tucks and such... Starting with the neck, from the base of the skull gently roll and elongate until you have a pleasing length and width for his neck. Short stubby necks can look just as good as long and thin. The options and choices are endless and completely up to you and what the dragon says he wants. Trust me, they have a say so. Do you see the way his back sort of looks like a couple of rolling hills? This helps define his shoulders from his hips. As we all know, hips tend to be bigger...hee hee! Measure down about a third of the way down the body lump and use a finger or round tool to begin shaping the body. I normally take the butt end of one of my paint brushes and rock it back and forth a bit to make an indentation. From there I use my fingers to roll and smooth the shape. The tail is refined and shaped by rolling him in my hands. Yep, I hang him upside down and roll that tail between my palms. You might prefer another way and that's just fine. Once you get a nice fluid looking form from his back end to the end of his tail you can decide if he needs another nip. More often than not I end up hacking off some of the tail to make it more proportionate. However, if you want a tail that is a foot long...go for it! Are you ready to make him smile? Good, here we go!

Pinching his Head

2009-02-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

Let's give that head ball some shape. Grab the sides of his head and give him a nice little pinch. This will begin to form what will become the eye sockets. Once you have a nice indention and have smoothed and worked the cheeks a bit to make them proportionate; begin to roll and form the snout into a nice long shape. Think about the way a croc or gator's snout is shaped.

Basic Shape

2009-02-07T10:51:00.001-08:00

To start making our basic dragon form work your hand down a little ways on one end of the log. When you decide where you want the head to begin pinch the clay and then roll between your fingers to form a ball on one end of the log. Flip the log to the other end and roll until you have a nice taper.

Whoa Nellie! Here we go

2009-02-07T10:38:00.002-08:00

Well folks, here is my first installment of "How to Birth a Dragon Without to Much Pain and Very Little Blood". I have a bad habit of sticking myself with the pointy needle tool, hint...don't do that it hurts. Condition your clay how ever you like and then start rolling it a bit. I start with a chunky log shape roughly formed out of the amount of clay I want to use for his head, neck, body and tail.

A Note on Tools

2009-02-06T10:22:00.001-08:00

Before I get down to the nitty-gritty of just how one of these creatures is "born" I thought I would talk about tools for a minute. This photo shows exactly what I use to make a small dragon, no more...no less. Pretty easy. I use plain old Super Sculpey for 95% of my sculpts and then paint them with acrylic paints. You can use what ever you want. This list is just to let you see what I use. There is no right or wrong in any case. 1. 2 needle tools, one is thin like a sewing needle and the other is larger. The larger one is made by Amaco and the little one is so old I have no idea where it came from. 2. exacto knife 3. TLS - translucent liquid sculpey 4. couple small paint brushes - I use the paint brushes for multiple uses. The round end is great for smoothing and joining legs/arms to body. The bristle end I use for smoothing and applying TLS. OH! Plus the round end makes a great texture tool! 5.Speaking of texture tools.... See those super attractive ...ha ha... little nubs of twisted clay laying and standing near the box? Those are my super important texture tools. You can use anything your heart desires to make a texture tool. The purple one has some beads that are simple leaf shapes, great scales when you mash it into the clay over and over in a pattern. The red one has seed beads mashed into it. The "o" pattern the seed beads make adds great detail, especially on sea dragons or fish. My favorite is the orange one that is laying down. I used it and the round end of a paint brush to texture Eco. That one contains tiny gravel. I put a thin layer of TLS on my clay nub and then gently mashed in the tiny pieces of gravel. Then the nub is baked for the appropriate time.(same way beaded ones where made) The last all important texture tool is the flesh colored one...my signature stamp. That one is a very simple stamp I made from a thin rolled snake that was shaped into my initials...SRG. Hint, hint make sure you apply the letters reversed! First time I made one I wasn't thinking and was all happy, happy then realized, ooops! I ended up with a reversed stamp. 6.wire, beads for eyes, wire snips, and needle nose 7. and last but not pictured... toothpicks! I do work on a ceramic tile which is sitting on a Lazy Susan. Nice and easy to get to all sides without having to pick that bad boy up all the time. And let me tell you, sometimes those dragons get rather unruly while you are working on them! Picking them up over and over makes them want to move thier necks and tales all over. Especially right after you finally get it where you want it! When working on LARGE dragons it isn't so much a problem because they are built over a solid foil and wire armature. OK, I've rambled enough and must be off to work. Tonight I will try to get some photos and the first couple steps ready for "birthing a dragon". Don't worry, it's pretty simple. So warm your hands up and get ready to roll, roll and shape some clay.

Meet Eco

2009-02-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

Eco finally spread her wings this morning and was happy to be outside. Poor girl had been stuck sitting on my work desk for the last couple days waiting patiently.

She is about 11" tall and has painted fabric wings. She was sculpted over a foil and wire base. The neatest part of all about her is that her head is ball jointed. She can nod yes, shake no and look all around. She did complain that she wished it was spring so it would be nice and green outside. She thought she would take better pictures against a bright green background.

Just getting started...

2009-02-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

Today is one of those days where you wake up and feel inspired. You want to change the world and make things better. Then you have to go to work and all that good intention flies out the window... I'm going to try to hold on to it and get going on this here blog. I am a dragon maker. I've tried lots of other things and haven't been to successful...insert frustrated snort here... But, when it comes to dragons and my own little minions of "Hell Spawn" I have a ball. With this blog I plan on sharing my creatures with whom ever would like to stop by and check them out. Thanks to some motivations from www.followingtrolltracks.blogspot.com (Check Dolores out she is a great sculptress!) and that inspiration I seem to have found I also plan on trying out posting some free tutorials on how I "birth my babies". Thanks for stopping bye...