You've been Bopped Badge!

Many thanks to the Hauntingly Hallowed Madame Heather Robertson ! She has created for me this delightfully Dastardly little "Bopped Badge of Dastardly Delight" with the photo of the famous..er.. infamous Miss Pennythistle...Queen of Gawdy Delight..and major Pain in the Patoot!

Miss Pennythistle will be making the blog rounds to bestow her seal...so be sure to check your comments to See if she's bopped you!!

Thank you again Heather for you delightfully devilish and creepy creative imagination!!

Haunt On!

Gail

Miss "P" The Drama Queen!

Well... What can I say...here she lay..every bit the Drama Queen!
After expressing her sentiments about how the "Undead" are getting more attention than Moi, Miss Pennythistle keeled over this afternoon, and is trying her very best at looking like the rest of the little undead ones.
I have to say...she's pretty convincing! I may have to toss a little earth on her!! Happy Hauntings!
Gail

Neither Hair nor There

When I walked into the studio this morning, I found Beatrice and Miss Pennythistle in heavy converstion about which hair color Beatrice should have. It was so intense even the fairys got in on it! Miss Pennythistle thinks one should always stand out in a crowd and be the center of attention! While Beatrice prefers the color of her hair to match the color of her eyes..a phantomly pale almost non existant blue. The ghostly little fairy thinks it should be something similar to her own pale locks, but I don't think either Miss pennythistle OR Beatrice could give a care what she thinks!

Who do YOU think will win out?!

Happy haunting!

Gail

Beatrice: The Creation of a Ghostly One

AAhh..Look what Miss Pennythistle found in my studio! A Disembodied Head! And not just any old disembodied head...but one belonging to a little Ghostie named Beatrice Baudelaire!

I started Beatrice with a totally different idea in mind for her (a new type of ghostly being I wanted to try)...but she has a mind of her own, and decided she was to have a regular body like all the other little ghosties. And since she has creepy little teeth, I decided to give her what she wanted. She did manage to draw blood with a very sharp sculpting tool when I was creating her, so best not to mess with her!

Desperately in need of some sort of skeletal structure I created one for her using armature wire. I strengthened her joints with plumbers apoxie...Love this stuff! Especially the Loctite brand. It's just like apoxie sculpt but it hardens in under 5 minutes....for instant gratification!

(Miss Pennythistle has disguised herself as the roaming gnome..like we wouldn't notice!)

Here Beatrice has her new legs and creepy little hands. Her little teeth don't show in the photo but they are there...all the better to gnaw on things with! In fact I'm not so sure it was the sculpting tool that drew the blood..maybe a tiny bite? Ouch!

Miss Pennythistle (aka the roaming gnome) helps out holding her choice of hair for Beatrice...I dunno...I think Little Beatrice may have a say in this!
Happy Hauntings, Gail

My little Creatures

Ball Jointed Humpty Dumpty Class Niada 2009

"What happened to Humpty after the fall?.....His brains were scrambled and he couldn't recall"!!

I'm doing a class at NIADA in 2009 in Arrowmount Tennessee, and thought since there is such a big interest at the moment in ball jointed dolls, that I would do a class on basic ball jointing.
Since the class is only 2 days, and to do a full doll is really intensive, I thought a little ghostly Humpty would be the perfect victim to practice on!
I sculpted this piece using La Doll, and air dry clay (or natural stone clay, as it states on the package) It comes from Japan, but is available here in the states. It is what alot of the japanese artists that make bjd's (ball jointed dolls) use.
I picked La doll over using the polymer clays as I am finding that there are just to many strength issues..or lack of it..., with the amount of tension that the stringing puts on the polymer clay. Its not to bad if your just stringing arms and legs, but I find that to string the head along with the rest, results in too much tension, and therfore cracks in the clay where I had no Idea there was any weakness.
Doll Artist Sharon Dube, kindly suggested reinforcing the inside of the polymer with apoxie sculpt, which I think is a great idea, but haven't had a chance to try it yet.
(These are the problems I have experienced, and may not reflect the results other artists have incountered.) If any one else has any ideas I would love to hear from you!

Anyway, I think this is why the Japanese use the La Doll or Porcelian, or reproduce in resin. But, just doing a ooak (one of a kind) doll, I'm finding I have much better luck with the La Doll. The Japanese also use what they call "wood powder" which is like dry fine sawdust but has a glue in it, that activates when mixed with water.It's then mixed into the La Doll to strengthen it. I don't know why they don't import the wood powder along with the clay, but I've never been able to find it in the US and have had some of my kind Japanese artist friends send it to me. Okay..I'm rambling.... back to the class!
By learning the ball jointing system in humptys legs it will give you enough information to be able to do arms also, as they are done the same way.

Here is Humpty in progress, with the ever helpful Miss Pennythistle!

Dark Blessings, Gail

Fellow Travelers from the Other Side

Ghostly Good Mourning to all my SpOOktacular friends and Fellow Phantom Followers!


My Friend and fellow artist Mo'a Romig Boyles, has included me on her wonderful Dia De Bloglandia Post!


Thank you Mo'a!


Check out her charming blog and wonderful creations!



Also, A Tip of the Ghostly Top Hat and big Thank you, to the Heavenly Heather, for including my "Ghosties" in your incredibly creative blog.....check her out!

AND..... Big Ghostly Gratitudes to Beth Robinson of Strange Dolls, for helping to get the word out there !! You'll injoy her spOOktacular Strange Dolls! Our Dolls stare eternally at each other across the page in the new book "500 Handmade Dolls by Lark Books
Thank you all so much!
(I hope I haven't left anyone out...Please send a kindly phantomly word if I've missed you, I try to keep up, but sometimes I find I've left my brains boiling a little to long in the cauldron)!!

OoHHH..And not to Miss Adeles Spooky Art...It's SpOOkTacuLar!! Merci Miss SpOOky!

AND... Last but Not Least... a SpOOkTacuLar "BIG THANK YOU" to all who Watch,... Follow,... comment,.... and are other wise lurking around dark and decrepit corners, peaking into my Dark Whimsical World...I know your there..you know who you are...!!! Come out..Come out.. Where Ever You Are..The Ghosties want to play!!!!

Have a SpOOktacular Day,
Dark Blessings Gail