Chester Chimp Work in Progress

As mentioned in my last post I started working in Halloween colors again and have a figure in the works that I thought you might enjoy.  Below is a picture of Chester Chimp, standing by his pumpkin friend, Percy.  (I'll show you more of Percy later.)    Chester isn't finished yet as he has many details that need to be finished on his garment, hat and extra additions to be placed in his hands.  I have found it is those additions and details that take the most time to complete, but I also think they make the pieces have more character and interest.

Chester is only the second monkey to be created in the studio, and I'm sort of liking how the little fellows are beginning to develop.  I currently do not have plans for another monkey this year, but I might have to add one to the list as this fellow gave me a great idea for another one.  Decisions, decisions. 

Hope you like the peek and I will keep you updated with his changes.

Have a great President's Day!  My boss is making me work!

Laurie

Jack-o'-Bunny and the Easter Crow WIPs

No rabbits this spring for Monkey-Cats Studio, but I did manage to get the bunny ears on a pumpkin boy, plus I finished the sculpting on an egg carrying crow.  Below is the photograph of Jack-o'-Bunny and the Easter Crow as works in progress (WIPs).

I hadn't done one of my pumpkin boys dressed to help the Easter rabbit in several years and this little character seemed to demand a pair of rabbit ears so I felt obliged to fulfill his request.  Along with the pumpkin boy I finished a crow carrying an Easter egg with his right wing.  The sculpt on this one was a bit of a challenge, but I think his little curved wing worked fine to hold the tiny egg.

Off to go do some sanding to get them ready for some paint.  I'll keep you posted!

Have a great day!!

Laurie

Works in Progress

Work continues on a group of figures destined for the Ghoultide Gathering show. I can't believe I'm down to about 40 days to get everything sculpted, painted, packed and ready to go. Time is flying!!!

I took a break from sculpting over the weekend and was able to put some base coats on a few figures and completed two heads. It doesn't seem like much when I look at the white paper mache still untouched by paint on most of the figures left on the shelves. I'd better get back to work!!!

Have a great week!
Laurie

August Already?!!

I'm not in a state of panic yet, but I have a lot of work to get done between now and October 2!! If I'm a little less frequent with posting, please understand that I'm in the studio building the inventory for the upcoming Ghoultide Gathering show in Michigan. Where has the summer gone?

These are a few of the pieces I have drying and today's scheduled sculpting includes witches and vampires. So much to do and under 60 days to get it all done.

Wish me luck!!! (I see some long days ahead in my future!)
Laurie

"Winston" Is Done, Now On To Little Squash Head

I finished "Winston" yesterday after painting his bucket, Easter egg, stockings and bunny slippers, and putting German glass glitter on his bow tie. Here he is amongst his works-in-progress buddies!!

Those silly slippers took me hours to paint, but "Winston" likes the look so isn't that really all that matters? After all, you can't name something like "Puff" and "Fluff", and not give them some detail and character.

I also decided to carry the circle motif from Winston's body onto the top border of his Easter bucket, and then painted a coordinating egg. I had some lovely Bethany Lowe tinsel that matched the German glass glitter on Winston's bow tie so I used it like Easter grass to give a cushion for the painted egg to be placed in. I think it all helps pull his look together.

"Winston" is now a happy little wabbit!!

Below, is a new little squash head I worked on last night. So much work yet to be done on him, but his head just clicked for me and that made me a very happy painter. He hasn't told me his name yet so I will have to introduce you at a later date.

We have sunshine today and we are suppose to be in the 40s so I am thrilled!! Off to the studio to go soak up some of that sunshine!

Have a great day!
Laurie

Bunny WIPs

They aren't much yet....just heads on body forms, no arms or feet to speak of, but I thought I would share with you that the bunny "wabbits" are coming next month. They will all have a smile, of course, and baskets with eggs and stories to tell so as I mix clay and watch the little faces evolve I'm having a thought that I need to make one big Easter egg piece of some sort. Hmmm.....the wheels are turning.

Not to worry, the vampire wabbit is a vegetarian too, just like all of my good little vampires and counts.

Stay tuned...more to come!

Have a great day!
Laurie

2 New WIPs

It has been a busy week in the studio making paper mache clay, making armatures for hats and then building the hats, building faces, making elf shoes and boots and making bodies. Below is my first ever Pumpkin Elf. He will be a crossover piece from Halloween into Christmas and comes with an elf hat with balls on the tips and elf shoes designed in the same manner. He carries a teddy bear and candy canes and I plan on painting him in striped stockings with a little ornamental vest. The figures don't have much of a personality punch at this point....that will have to come with the paint.

I also roughed in several snowmen this week. The little fellow below has a carrot nose and an over sized top hat. and two "stick" arms. I think he gets a scarf today... he needs it to break up that large body of his.

That's how I work. I sculpt, set a piece down, work on another, then look back on the piece I worked on earlier and let it tell me what it needs. That little bit of separation during the creative process is very necessary for me to keep moving forward in the design of the pieces.

That's this weeks peek into the studio and my artsy little mind.

Have a great weekend!
Laurie

Something new....

Sorry for being absent this past week. I was trying to sculpt and finish up some details on a few pieces and ran into a snag. I opened a new bag of paper mache mix and evidently there was more powder binder in this bag than normal because my hands started cracking and the clay was setting up within a 10 to 15 minute period of being mixed...which isn't normal!! When my hands started having a burning tingle as I put them in water I knew it was time to stop and rethink what I was doing. Because my hands needed a day out of the clay I painted yesterday and have the initial coats on two of the Haunted Harvest figures' heads....now, they aren't done, but I have a start on them and thought I would show you what I have been up to.


Lillian Lumina and Squish Squash....they are distant cousins.

Lillian has a bit more work to be done on her lips as I got carried away with her lip gloss....

and I have more layers of glazing to do on the surface of Squish Squash's head. You'll learn more about his name as the figure is completed.

Today is laundry and more painting...I told my husband we need a wife to cook and clean for us and he just smiled at me. I'm not sure what he meant with that smile and decided it was best not to ask.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the Mad Tea Party today!! (I wanted to play but other obligations got in my way!! )

Laurie

♫ Monday, Monday ♫

I have had tunes running through my head for about 5 days now. Does that mean I need to look at doing a series of performers or do I need to look to Broadway for ideas since last Friday all I did was sing show tunes? I don't know what is going on, but those little brain cells of mine are firing off jingles in my head like crazy. This morning, of course, it was The Mamas & the Papas singing "Monday, Monday" that came humming from my mouth so who knows when this will shut off. I'll count it as a good thing since I had a good weekend in paper mache.

Below is this weekends bounty of WIPs plus I loaded the bowls with Halloween eggs and balls that need to be painted. I was able to get both bowls formed and partially dried (we are so humid here that it will take days for them to really be dry even with the dehumidifier running). I was also able to cover forms for 11 bodies and started on a series of Ghoulish Garden concepts for heads this month. I also have 2 scepters started, but of course this is just all roughed out right now and things slow down as I start adding the details, but I'm feeling energized and excited to get more mache mixed to begin work again today.


Below are the 2 bowls....will they be pumpkin, cat or skelly bowls?.....hmmmm....


Below is a little squash head with a big grin wishing you a great week!!


I'm kind of thinking with that big forehead he has to be a bit of a "brain-iac"...the geek of the garden so to speak. We'll see how he evolves.

Have a great week all!
Laurie