For my Drag Queen Friends.....

Found this link at  Laura Thoughts for a Magnetic Make up Frame.
Love its simplicity to view everything you have in your arsenal and keep it up and off the table at any given time.
I think if I were to modify this, I'd not use a patterned paper like that, but rather a 50% grey colour/simple patter to REALLY see the colour for what it is. Another option would be to use a colour close to flesh tone to see how the colours should look when applied.
Another option would be to double the frames, hinge them on a mirror so it can close and add a light to the top (most likely a more intricate and involved lighting system than a top light......overhead lighting *shudder*).

Just an idea, but wouldn't be too much more work.

Japanese City Logos

Today I found this great link to Japanese City Logos through Signalnoise , AKA:  James White, amazing visual artist here in Halifax.
I don't have very much experience with the Japanese language, let alone design, so this was a new exposure for me.
I really like the simplicity of colours used for these, and the further you read into them, they suddenly become incredibly complex.
Admit it, you started thinking about how to do your hometown, didn't you? If I were to try, I'd have to somehow combine Pulp and Paper plant with golf course and farms into a logo for my home of Abercrombie.

Shit I'd Like to Try!

Found this great little link on 'How to OMBRE clothes' over at cotton and curls.

Blast from the Past

About a week ago, my mother came up for a visit and dropped off a bunch of albums from my youth since she was cleaning out the house.
Nostalgia reigned supreme for 2 days, but special mention was made for one particular envelope.
As she was sorting through it all, an envelope fell out. Her first instinct was to toss it, but it's weight was substantial enough for Mum to question what it contained. After she opened it, she remembered it and was thankful for her hesitant sorting.
A letter from one from my favorite teachers I've ever had, dated the day I graduated from elementary school, with advice for me for my entrance into Junior High. I remember the day and the letter like it was yesterday.
It's appearance happened during a time of perfect coincidences all in a row. During Grade 3, I began reading "The Chronicles of Narnia" series. At the time I was an avid dancer with my local clogging group and as I learned and mastered each new song and routine, my mother would reward me with a new book from the Chronicles of Narnia series.
After a week of consistent trials on my patience and endurance from work, someone from my office building offered me the complete set, as they were throwing them out. All the while, I was playing with working on a way to create an animatronic Reepicheap, a character from the novels. Naturally I took them home and delved again into the world of Narnia.
I've scanned it so I could share it with any of you who view this space online.

 And, still in perfect condition, in the same condition as when they were printed, here are the dollars.

Ever since I have received this letter, I have carried with me. It may seem like a silly thing to do, carrying a letter that is meant to prepare you for a time in your life that was 22 years ago, but the fact it is an artifact of my life and a big part of who I am today gives it something so much more than the paper it is written on.
It came at a time when I needed it most, though I didn't realize it.

Mum:"Do you remember when Miss Mahoney wrote you a letter the day you left Dr. W. A. Macleod---"
Lee"It was 3 pages about getting ready for the new school and she gave me 5 $1 bills 'cause they were done making them....I still have "Mr Wolf and me"...there are octopus stickers in it."
Life is funny when it throws you these neat little curve balls.
Thanks Miss Mahoney...for everything.

Fun Quote I saw online

"I'm not saying she's fat, but if I had to name the 5 fattest people I knew, she'd be 3 of them."

The Town Clock

Headpiece made for Natassha N for the Mz Gay Halifax Pageant.

Town Clock of Halifax located on Citadel Hill

Headpiece made on my kitchen counter 

(with artificial turf lined shrug on the body form in the left background)

And mounted on Natassha's head

The entire set was made for under $20, including paint, glue sticks and materials.
The clock is constructed out of salvaged foamcore (a seating chart for a charity event held by the Nova Scotia Mental Foundation), wooden dowels from the dollar store, a ping pong ball, a cat toy painted white and an old plastic bowl covered in water activated packing tape and given a faux copper finish.
The shrug is made froma hula hoop, artificial turf, glue stick and a couple toy cars from Value Village.
Total amount of materials: $18.50.  Total amount of  time building the set: Approximately 24 hours (including drying time).

Dragon Trophy Update #7 (Almost there....)

First shots of the nearly complete dragon!!! He's not entirely complete, as I still have to do his eyes, seal him, and may be going at him with an airbrush for a bit to get the shading I want.

I'm not entirely sure I'm loving the green version, he looks a little first generation GODZILLA for me.But green is a good one to start with.
It really was my first  run at a prop like this, so taking that into consideration, I think he turned out great. I'm already planing the build of the next one.
The one thing I have to say is that I learned a lot through making this one, mostly through mistakes and things that didn't think about for the process.
For example:

• Teeth: They will be made of something better than salt dough and will be installed LOOONG before I paint the mouth and  tongue. The teeth got in the way, though only the lower ones were installed, and made maneuvering the brushes almost impossible.
• Jaw: I should have made this separate and attached it later. As I applied more mache and material, the jaw line started to blend a little too much with the neck and he came out looking a bit stocikier than planned.
• Skin Texture: Was a bit rougher than I had hoped it would look....next one I'll move towards a smoother appearance and paint on a texture rather than try to make my own. This skin texture however would excel in another piece, something like a Stone/Dirt Monster or a Warty look.

Final pics tomorrow or the next day when the paint has dried and I've finished him off!