3d- Tideswell Arok

Link to full image!

Been throwing myself at 3d again. It seems to go better each time I try, much like successive zerg rushes at poorly defended bunkers :)

I rarely post here about things not related to art- that's what livejournal is for! But! I wanted to link to this radio station- Radio Krutushka . It is a worldmusic station that ranges from traditional folk music of all stripes to more modern adaptations of the same. Perfect for a little midwinter escapism, and plus, if I post it here my mom will be able to find it. Hi mom! :)

A happy new year to all of my watchers! I hope it brings the peace and wellbeing we are all hoping for. A little prosperity wouldent hurt either ;)

Krampus

I was determined to get something done for ArtOrder, and now that school has subsided for a month or so I finally have my chance! So here's my take on Krampus. My inspiration was from the Christmases I spent at my grandmother's house in rural new hampshire. Unlike most of the people I know who grew up with disney movies and such, Fae and faeries have always scared the hell out of me. On the occasions where my mother would boot me outside to walk about in the woods or something, I would try to spot every ring of toadstools as quickly as possible lest I step into one and get trapped in some horrible nightmarish servitude to fickle, wicked and yet childish masters. TVTropes has a great list of it here.

Anyway.

The idea here is that the things that truly frighten us aren't necessarily big hulking musclebound figures brandishing crude implements o' hurt. Sometimes it is also the frailty of things that terrifies us, the fact that even as a somewhat dessicated, elderly looking figure is still more than we can handle. That those skeletal and fleshless arms, those claw like digits could so easily stick us in a crude, all-too-small sack made of a dead sheep and not only carry us about but restrain us and give several other of our peers the same treatment.

on a side note, I'm aware that most depictions of Krampus borrow heavily from the wild man fur costume thing. I felt that took away from the vulnerable quality too much, but tried to add it back in just a little via the sheepskin pack.

Bookbinding part two

A shot of my deconstructed children's book. It was an illustrated abridged version of Narnia, now it's Aslan's head. It's mounted on a wood board I varnished. This piece will be shown at the Museum of South Florida spring of 2010.



Clamshell box built to house Lizardmen :) I thought it would be cool if the box opened up into a battlefield for you to display a few units on. The air plant in the middle shot dropped out of a tree and hit me on the head as I was photographing so it became impromptu terrain XP The book is coptic stitch and contains illustrations and notation on the different types of lizardmen in the box along with some personal stuff.

Lastly, a japanese stab book for Kaitlin Reid :) I have yet to paint the cover. The crane charm was folded by Jason Keller and then varnished by myself, and I attached it to rope and constructed the tassel.

Bookbinding projects

One of my bookbinding projects was to make a set of three codexes that were housed in a book box. I wrote the books as well, the yellow book is about the history of cider and cider recipies, then there is a honeycomb one about mead and a red one about wine. It was fun, though a lot of work. I was one of the very few and the proud that critique day, pouring rain too I might add.

The back of my final project, a codex with a folio of art from each of the classmates. It's a quarterbound french stitched codex.

Shot of most of my dummy book projects lined up. From left to right- tunnel book, tunnel book, french stitch codex, coptic stitch, pamphlets, buttonhole book, piano hinge book.

Tunnel book. :) It's a sea serpent! Tunnel books are totally a pain in the butt to make, but they are pretty cool when they are done.

Digital figure painting

If possible, I'd love to forgo oils in class and just do this. Mmmm.