Finally

Finally my dragon is finished.  Sorry about the photo--but I'm shipping some pics off to Robin www.evenbetterimages.com today for some major improvements.  And I've got to start studying my camera manual--which I can't find--in preparation for my class with Doug Baldwin http://www.dougbaldwinphoto.com/ in June.  But--I digress.

I've also decided that she's pretty obtrusive to wear EVERY day, so I want to make a stand/display for her, now that I've decided that she's good enough to warrant one.

So, with my one track mind I haven't even thought about my next country to visit on my blog, but I will keep you posted and let you know how my display is coming too!

So..what do you think?

                                                                        

Ready to Fire!

My dragon's almost ready for the kiln.  I need to build up the back of the eyesocket and attach a wire to attach the eyeball to after firing and I need to add  a loop and clasp to add the chain (flames).  Then she goes into the kiln.  I'm waiting to hear back from Gordon Uyehara
https://www.facebook.com/#!/metalclay4u on the best way to fire this piece.

I hope that all the scales, teeth, etc are properly attached.

Thanks Gordon for your great metal clay tutorial and all your help.  I can't wait to get your book!  I guess this means I'm not yet done with metal clay!

                                                                            

Dragon's On the Way!

I've finally got my sketch and my ideas down on paper for my Dragon Self-Portrait
necklace.  I think I've figured out how I'm going to do it and the fire will be glass beads all the way!  Yay!!  For the body (head--as it's going to be a head only view) I'm going to use copper clay, because I want it to be dimensional and I'm not going to spend any more money on forming equipment (except for a few new hammers for fold forming...but that's for another project. 

I still need to experiment with the glass--maybe adding some black, sooty stuff (or just burn my glass, which may be easier) and maybe a bit of opaque color to make it look more fire like.

What do you think of my start?  Do you read it as fire?

                                       Here's my thought for the whole thing:    
                           

Oh yeah--I'm thinking a glass eye, too!

                                                                            

                                                                                                                                   

...and Now a Word From Our Sponsors...

Things are going slowly on my dragon.  No drawings yet.  Still I don't know if I'm going to make her out of metal clay or sheet metal.  At first I thought large flames coming from her mouth; then, I thought, "why not make the whole necklace in flames going around my neck?"
For this I'm trying glass flames/beads, or more copper with enamels for color.  Of course, I've never made glass flames, or done much enameling!

So..in a lucky twist of fate, yesterday I found and opened "The Lost Tanzania Videos"

and am publishing a few for your entertainment...

                                                                    
                                                                     Cheetah

                                                                    

                                                            Vultures
                                                              

                                                                 
                                                        The Great Migration          
                                                             

                                                             

                                                                         

                                       http://www.flickr.com/search/groups/?q=52+pairs                                           

The Shanghai Market

This is for those of you who want more travel.  Some of my best memories--and I think best photos are from the market in Shanghai.  One of these shots you will recognize:

                        My favorite picture of all time: (this and the sleeping girl in my last post!)

                                                                    
                                                  Yes...I do love this suit! 
                                 This photo was taken outside the market in Shanghai.

                                                        ...and inside the market...

                            

                        

Probably the only more interesting shopping than this was in the Shanghai? or it could've been Beijing WalMart.  Unfortunately I don't have any pics of that aside from the bags!

The Year of the Dragon

When I first reinvented this blog in September, I left the door open to revisit China.  Although that trip feels like a million years ago, I have recently felt compelled to do so.  This is the Chinese "Year of the Dragon" and I was born in the Year of the Dragon.  Coincidence?

Happily, the Year of the Dragon is considered to be the luckiest year in the Chinese Zodiac.

Though most who know me would call me a fire breather, I am a water dragon.  According to Wikipedia:  ..."water is representative of intelligence and wisdom, flexibility, softness and pliancy; however, an over-abundance of the element is said to cause difficulty in choosing something and sticking to it.  In the same way, water can be fluid and weak, but can also wield great power when it floods and overwhelms the land."

Although I am a water dragon...I envision my dragon to be breathing fire....

So..lets celebrate the Year of the Dragon!

 

                                                              I just like this picture!

My Adventure With Wine Bottle Beads...

My complete Miss Tanzania is still eluding me!  I got one, complete with boobs, I'd thought, all in one piece.  when I took her out of the kiln, part of her topknot had broken off.  I did manage to reheat her and repair her topknot and, lo and behold, when I removed her from the kiln for the second time, she had a crack between her boobs, which trailed around her back.

I have not given up on her.  I will prevail--sooner than I have on Egypt!

All is not lost, though.  I have made some lovely wine bottle ladies for She Art http://www.sheartchicago.com/ which will be there early next week for all to admire and purchase!

Wine Goddesses

For my next blog post, I'm going WAY back in time!  Stay tuned...