Obsessive Compulsive

My birdies are starting to border on obsession for me.  I, finally, got a reasonable facsimile of a blue footed boobie finished.  I decided to forget the springs and wires and to do the feet off mandrel and pull the legs into points which I could glue to the bird!  Yes--for now, I'm relying on glue, but I'll probably look for another way to do this, too.  For now, he's just standing on a piece of wood that I had lying around.  I thought that this resembled the rocks that surrounded him in the Galapagos.

I'm getting better at this and, maybe, changing my direction from jewelry to more sculptural objects.

I'm getting faster in my glass bead making, too!  Which is good, cause my frigate--you remember, the one that was getting a makeover with some goofy feathers--well, I got impatient and tried to force some coper wire legs into him--and, of course I broke him.  So, yesterday afternoon, I rather quickly made another, better one.  I did leave the hole in his head--origionally--I wasn't planning on fessin up to breaking him.  So--He'll be a bit festive too!

I didn't know what kind of legs a frigate had so I went in search of some pics.  In the wild I saw them, either flying over our ship or perched on the ship mast or perched in the bushes as in my original photo.  I then went to do some more research and learned from Wickipedia that they do not swim and also do not walk well--which is why we saw them either soaring or perched.  One source on the internet--this one talking about the Hawaiian frigate--said that they couldn't walk at all.  Their feet are also partially webbed.  In the best photo that I could find, the feet appeared to be white in color.  I decided that I needed some brush for him to perch on and remembered some twiggy things that I made in bronze clay awhile back which didn't come out right for what I was working on at the time--a recurring theme for me, as you've learned!  So--I'm making them into a perch for my frigate.  I have to add some more metal clay and refire so I'll post pics in a day or two.  This will also keep the feet somewhat inconsequential as they seem to be in nature.

OK--another contest--my blue footed boobie needs a name.  Drop me an email at susan@goulashdesigns.com with your suggestions.  The winner gets him!  Deadline for this contest is Tuesday, January 31, 2012.  I may be giving away a frigate, too!

I'm Heartbroken!

I was extremely excited yesterday.  I had a reasonable dimensional frigate and what I thought was a fab first try on a blue footed boobie in the kiln.  Waited patiently til this AM to look at them.  I removed the boobie from the mandrel--was wondering how to do that, cause I'd used a button mandrel, making it a two-holed figure--you'll see in the photos.  It came off the mandrel fine--and then it broke!  I had heard a crunch while it was in the flame, but thought that I'd reheated it enough and corrected the problem.  Sigh!  Here is the result...and, yes, it does have to stand against a wall.  I just stuck it on some thin wires to photograph to give you the idea.  I am thinking springs as I mentioned before and probably some kind of a base as this is more of a sculpture than a bead.  Maybe a piece of dark wood or rock, to mimic the rocky beaches of the Galapagos!

And, as you can see, I'm still having trouble arranging pictures on Blogger.  Any advice will be

welcomed!

Frigate pics to follow.  Have to make some wire feet and a headdress.  It's kind of goofy looking anyway and I started too low on the mandrel so it has a hole in its head.  I'm thinking of adding some kind of feather.  Guinea hen look interesting...but maybe too flashy!

Found some on the web that look interesting--remember, we're looking for the frigate, not the boobie!

www.featherplace.com/ic/fp/item/B351/Loose-Natural-Ginnea-Economy-Package.html



What do you think?









I'm Still A Birdbrain!

Well, I actually have a pretty decent pair of blue boobie feet made.  Was ready to get on the torch today and try to make them a body.  I decided it was time to check my gas lines for leaks and found a few that I haven't been able to fix.  So it will have to wait.  I did mess up on my information on Boobie species.  There are no white footed boobies--just red.  For some photos and descriptions please visit:

www.galapagos-islands-tourguide.com/galapagos-birds.html



Interestingly enough, the red footed boobies still appear to have blue beaks!  I don't remember seeing any of those on our trip!  Here's a better pic.  Notice the touches of red on the beak and the blue eye rings.

Red-Footed Boobies, Red-Footed Booby Pictures, Red-Footed Booby Facts-National Geographic

I'm a Birdbrain!

I've got birdies on the brain.  I'm still working on my frigate.  My second one is not bad.  I think a bit better than the first.  His beak stands more at attention.  I've thought of adding some black spots to the bellies, but I think that, even when I perfect this that the flat ones are still cartoonish.  If I get a good dimensional one, I will add them with enamel.

                                                                   

Today I want to try some dimensional birdies.  I've got my button mandrel dipped for some blue boobie feet.  I'm thinking a bobbing bird for this, but I really don't think I can pull it off!  Did I post a blue footed boobie?  There are actually three kinds of boobie birds in the Galapagos:  The blue footed, the white footed and I forgot the other name!  I'll look up my notes and add some information on my next post.

Good news is, we don't have another trip planned before next summer, so I'll be able to catch up on my past, unfinished projects.  I have been even more lazy than usual over the holidays--I hope that some of you have noticed--but plan to get back on track!

Oh yes--and Happy New Year to you all!
                                                                  

Back to Seminario

I am by no means finished with birdies--I'm compelled to make the frigate magnificent, and you haven't even met the blue footed boobies yet-- but I promised you a drawing of a Seminario inspired jewelry piece.  I'm giving you my complete thought process, including two designs that I rejected.  One cause it was a section taken directly out of a Seminario sculpture (see Seminario post).  That, and, in my mind's eye--it doesn't work for jewelry.  The second was just a bad idea!

                                                          

I didn't draw it this way, but I'm thinking dimensional--the bail piece, probably a half lentil.  The bottom piece I think will probably have to have some curve to it, too...I don't know quite how, yet!  I see coordinating earrings, too!  Looking at the pendant, again, the bottom piece bothers me...needs more work!  I'm thinking metal clay for these pieces.  Silver or maybe silver and copper together.  Right now I have a lot of white bronze on hand, so I'm going to start playing with that. 

                                                            

It's My Blog...and I'll Jump If I Want To!

Yes, I'm jumping ahead again!  Today I want to make a frigate bird in glass.  These exquisite birds of the galapagos are a thrill to see in flight over the pacific.  My bead model is all puffed up in full mating ritual glory!  I'm starting with a flat bead.  If that goes well, I'll try in 3D!

This is the first time I've ever designed a glass bead on paper before I made it.  We'll see how it goes!

Resting on our ship!

                                         ...and my first frigate:  (I never promised realism)

                                                                         
                                 (it's flipped cause this side came out better--the other's not bad,  
                                    but it's missing the black on its body.)

                    Thank you to Jennifer Geldard, http://www.glassgirl.com/  for your great tutorial!
                                                  








 

Well--I Blew It!

Well--tomorrow's the last day of class and I've given up--for the time being on finishing my Egyptian inlay.  I promise I'll finish the two Egyptian pieces that I've started.  The second one may have a glass focal.  I would like to retry the inlay, but have to get away from it for awhile.

I think I'll spend next week working in glass!

My first inspiration from the Peru trip was our visit to the home/studio of Pablo Seminario.
http://www.ceramicaseminario.com/.  What a fascinating place!  We had the priviledge to meet the artist himself and he spoke about his work.  I'm thinking metal or, probably metal clay for this/these pieces.

Drawings will follow soon.

I'm thinking the feel of this piece, much smaller, in metal clay.  Pendants, earrings?  Maybe try out the new sterling silver clay.

I wish I had this piece of equipment.  Cards just don't cut it for rolling even thicknesses.  Granted, this roller would take a LOT of metal clay!

 The magnificent grounds and sculptures!