Showing posts with label courses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label courses. Show all posts

Friday, 2 February 2018

Fairy Faraway

I confess, I am not the most patient person when it comes to doing arty stuff. For example, I am a terror for not allowing layers to dry properly and can't tell you how many pictures I've messed up through sheer impatience!


Unlike teddy bears, fairies don't take kindly to being worked on for long hours at a time, indeed, they are rather fickle creatures, preferring to reveal themselves to their creator, a little at a time.


I have come to love the process of spreading my art materials around my fairy as we consider together, what might suit her best. By listening carefully I usually find a fairy knows what suits her temperament; in case you didn't know, some fairies are fiesty, some are flitty and some, like this one, are rather thoughtful. One thing is for certain though, they all enjoy revealing their fairy personalities through the magic of colour.


And then of course, there are wings ... should they be bold and bright, soft and subtle, flittery, or still? In the case of 'Fairy Faraway', she concluded her wings should be translucent and shimmery yet motionless, because she required quietude whilst pondering her future ...


So I listened to Faraway's request and in keeping with this thoroughly modern Miss, we Googled such matters and discovered the perfect paint medium to lend her wings the beautiful soft shimmer she desired.


Lastly, Fairy Faraway whispered a little poem into my ear and I noticed with a smile, she had borrowed a few of the lines from an old poem I wrote years ago. Fairies are practical creatures and as that little poem had been gathering dust whilst discarded in the back of an old folder, she decided it was time to put it to good use, so reworked it and claimed it as her own. I didn't mind at all, after all, fairies always know best.

:-)

The 'Joynal' course referred to in my pics is an online course, run by lovely Australian artist Jane Davenport. I am currently thoroughly enjoying this lovely escape from reality ... and as you can see, I'm learning heaps of fun stuff too! 

Thursday, 5 March 2009

Haughty Helga

Here she is, my very first handmade doll! I see so many flaws, but also a little character who makes me smile. I'm almost embarrassed to tell you my first attempt at a primitive cloth and clay doll evolved into 'Haughty Helga', a pimply middle-aged housefrau! I can't quite believe that's who my first ever dolly turned out to be, but who am I to argue?!

'Haughty Helga'

You could definitely write what I know about painting and sculpting on the back of the world's tiniest stamp, so as you will appreciate, I have a long way to go with my doll making hobby. I'm impatient too, which probably doesn't help ... the kind of girl who always works on a trial and error (absolutely more error than trial) basis. So, here's my disclaimer - duly signed and sealed as I submit my very first painted lady for your delectation!

'Helga' - pre-antiquing

It was hard to convince Helga she should allow me to play with the antiquing medium, after all, as my first ever doll, she's supposed to understand my need to experiment, right? I know scumming up a lady of her maturity may have been a little harsh, but how's a new dollcrafter supposed to learn all the clever tricks otherwise? Disapproval oozed from my Helga as I smeared on the brown stuff and to be honest, she hasn't stopped looking down her nose at me since ...

'Helga'
(Shown with my lovely vintage 1940's Chiltern bear)
My very first attempt at cloth and clay dolly making!

Nope, even her new plaid skirt didn't cheer her up ... would you believe it, my very first handcrafted dolly and already I'm in the doghouse! Hmph.

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

Getting Gritty!

It was so good to finally see some Spring sunshine yesterday! I line-dried two washing loads of unmentionables ... (I can hear my sister's chuckling at 1950's housewife Paula from here!) Don't you just love the springtime freshness of line-dried laundry?! By the way mocking sisters, 1950's housewife Paula also made a delicious beef stew for dinner ... hmmn, bet you girls are drooling rather than teasing now eh?

Taking Jane's online dolly course ...

Anyway, domestic enslavement to one side, I've also been up to my eyeballs in clay and paint for several days. No, not bear making, this time I took the plunge and began work on a primitive cloth and clay dolly - what a learning curve this is proving to be! There was a point at which I despaired of ever achieving anything amounting to finesse with my clay, but with encouragment from the wonderfully generous doll crafters already on the course, I stuck at it and am pleased to report I can now almost see a flicker of light at the end of my doll making tunnel.

Jane DesRosiers Cloth and Clay Doll workshop

If you would like to learn how to make a cloth and clay dolly in primitive style, I can highly recommend Jane DesRosiers' 'Gritty Arts Studio' course ...
Jane is an excellent tutor, her course is really interesting and whatever your talents prove to be, it's fun!

Dolly's striking a pose!

I have yet to paint and dress my little prim doll and absolutely no idea of how I'll get on with that (my painting skills are usually restricted to wall emulsion!) but hopefully she'll soon be finished and I will be able to share her picture with you. In the meantime, I must put my bearmaker's head back on because I have a workbasket of pretty pink mohair bits, waiting patiently for me to whistle them up into a lovely springtime bear!

Wednesday, 6 August 2008

Coursing on.

I have been trying to catch up with my order book this week, which is why 'Bearing All' has been a wee bit on the introspective side (ie., quiet!) I've also been wearing my thinking cap (metaphorically speaking) because I've been feeling the urge to do something different. No, don't worry, I don't mean abandoning my bears, I'm simply going through my annual 'what can I learn,' phase ... it happens to me most years!

Paula's 2005 challenge goal - her driver's licence!

One year I took an Open University course in creative writing, another year I did the best thing I've ever done (with a heap of much needed encouragement from Stuart and my Mum) and learned to drive, at last! Last year I took a couple of handy online courses - a needlefelting course I still haven't put properly into practise but found very educational and a doll-making course I never did find time to complete ... I'll get there one day! I'm not quite sure what it is I'm craving this year, so I'll just wait for a lightbulb moment to show me the way; I'm sure everything will come clear soon!

If, like me, you are looking for a little creative challenge, you may find something to tickle your fancy at www.joggles.com or maybe an online bear-crafting class would be more your thing? If so, why not take a look at: http://www.kranbearys.com/EbearZ/index.htm for some great ideas.

Happy coursing!

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