It's Paper Mache Time!

It's that time of the year when my cats, Jake and Elwood, are in the studio chasing bits of paper mache flying about as I work.  It might actually be worse than normal due to me being behind in getting sculpted figures done for Ghoultide Gathering.  The hands are healed and I'm learning to sculpt with gloves on so that I can proceed with building an inventory of Halloween characters.  Here are some of the paper mache figures in progress below.  Can you tell this last group was a focus on cats, skelly boys and pumpkins?!!

I'm off to go mix some more paper mache clay to get back into sculpting mode for the day! 

Have a great week and weekend!
Laurie

Back to the Sculpting and Painting

I was so glad to find some gloves I could sculpt in so I could get back into the paper mache last week!  I mentioned on Facebook that I had a bad batch of paper mache that chemically burned my hands almost 2 months ago (Yes, this is the second time I have had this happen) and it really set me back in my work.  It actually hurt to run water over my hands or to try to do dishes or bath so I was doing all of this with household gloves on.  I can happily say that I am past that and Ansell, Touch N Tuff nitrile gloves are my new best friend!  They are thick enough they don't tear, but not so thick that you can't feel the surface you are working on.  You have to keep them moistened to keep the paper mache from sticking, but that is so minor when I consider it is keeping my skin intact! 

The photo above shows some pumpkin heads with a variety of faces in different sizes that I was able to sculpt while wearing the gloves.  The gloves still allowed for detail even on the small pumpkins that are less than 2.5" tall, and worked equally as well on the largest of the pumpkins that is over 5" tall (not including the stems).  They were dry enough yesterday that I was able to prime and orange coat several of them and even finish one of the small heads.

The smallest of the pumpkin heads are going to serve as toppers for two painted containers for Halloween.  I'm trying to decide if they need little crepe paper collars under their chins and I'm inclined to believe they do. 

I'm so excited to be back functioning again in the studio so I'm off to go paint details on the rest of the pumpkin fellows over the next few days.

Have a great week!

Laurie

Little Winnie Wicked

I'm in the studio finishing the painting on a few new Halloween pieces so I thought I would share one with you.  Below is s piece finished last week, "Little Winnie Wicked."   "Winnie" is a wild-haired little witch so I had to blow her bangs off of her forehead to get a shot of her face.   She obviously is a happy character.

Part of Winnie's smile is due to her beloved pumpkin, Penelope, her little companion who was the recipient of some legs created by a loving spell cast by Winnie.  Winnie felt so badly that Penelope had to roll everywhere she went, which slowed her down terribly.  Winnie was sure that giving Penelope legs that it would be the perfect solution to her movement needs.  

One would think that would lead to a happy ending, but Penelope Pumpkin became so excited with her new legs and feet that she ran and ran and ran until she became lost.  Winnie was a wreck worrying about her companion so she cast a second spell on Penelope as soon as she was found.  With a movement of her wand, Winnie gave Penelope a very long vine that could be used as a leash until she got use to her legs.

It shouldn't be long now for Penelope to be on her own again, but in the meantime, Winnie has a firm grip on her little buddy.

Have a great week

Laurie