Calm Under Tension by Gwen Gyldenege
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Art
    • Artwork
  • Sewing

Faeries and Sprites: Paper Cutting and Sculpting My Own Designs

5/29/2013

Comments

 
The Northwest Creative Spirits guild I joined October 2011 was officially closed as of Summer 2012.  Included in that was the "Pass the Paper 2012" project I participated in.  It was fun while it lasted.  I'm very grateful I had the opportunity to meet so many creative souls and learn new techniques with them. 
 The 2 photos above show part of my paper cutting process.  I discovered paper cutting in 2012, checked out several great books from the library, tried their designs, then decided to fumble my way through designing my own.  After I learned that pen sketching really freed me to create my carved stamps, I thought I'd try it for paper cutting on JoAnn's paper, one of the last ones I worked on.  

The big fairy in the upper left was my first attempt at sizing and capturing the feel of the vision from my head.  Then, I used that size to scale down (bottom left).  I just eyeballed it and used my pen to measure.  As you can see there are plenty of ghost sketches and what I preveiously would have classeified as "mistakes".  But, knowing I was only trying to capture the feel and get a line dark enough to use for cutting out, I let the "mistakes" go.  The picture on the right shows the final cut out fairy, in reverse that I put into the page as though she's just perching on the block words and running her fingers through the butterfly dust trail.  Reminds me of energy or the flow from Flowdreaming.  I was tickled to see that my cruddy looking pen sketches could help me create such a glorious paper cut.  Wow!  I did that?!  Yay!
Picture
Other projects I worked on last year included encaustic, carving more stamps, paper cutting more of my own sketches, sculpting dolls, folding origami, and working in polymer clay.  I found inspiration in areas I never knew possible. 

This guy to the left is partially finished, but he's a happy little sprite.  Good thing too.  The clay I worked with was ridiculously hard and did not warm easily.  I created him at a beach retreat and had no plans, vision, or pre-conceived notion of what my results "should" be.  And out came this magical little sprite.  "...How lovely!" to quote Madam Mimm.

Comments

Little Alters: Tea Time at the Flower and Honey Moon 

5/27/2013

Comments

 
This month I decided to take a couple classes from A for Artistic.  They're online classes on all forms of doll making - sculpted in polymer and art clay through cloth dolls. One class even shows how to make a cushion chair for your doll to lounge in.  They're very inspiring.  Since, with the alters we're working with such wee spaces, I thought these classes would prove useful.  Then, I can also use the skills learned for my other creations.   

The 2 classes I'm taking are taught by Deb Wood, "Turn that Frown Upside Down" and "Sculpting Feminine Hands and arms".  I find making hands without armatures quite easy.  But, introduce the armature and I wanted to see how someone else approached it.  That's the great part about a class, you're paying for someone else to teach you the best method so you can avoid making some of the same mistakes they did during their trial and error period.  That is something very worth paying for because it saves Gobs of time if you actually listen and follow their guidance. 
I'm fascinated by hands and holding objects at present. And, I found these super awesome doll (maybe barbie) tea cups at an estate sale and am thrilled to put them to use. I created the armature, followed Deb's instructions for creating the hand and arm, but kept it simple so I could just experiment and try.  To me, it looks a bit cartoon-y.  And the armatures were totally see through in many parts of the hand.  But I kept on with Deb's instructions and it didn't turn out too bad.  I didn't add fingernails or the other knuckle wrinkles, but I did add "meat" to the heal of the hand and the padded spot just under the first knuckles of the hands. All in all, not to shabby for the first try.
Picture
The background was created by using heavy drawing paper and yellow and green Dylusions sprays finished off with a good shaking of salt. Then, I just cut a wee bit off to use for background.  See the arm is a tight fit, so a full box would only get in the way.

Next, following a suggestion from Peg, I added a sleeve.  She suggested polymer, but I wanted to try my hand at hand-stitching and doll costuming over the polymer. It was really fun how fast this little puff sleeve went together even with the step of gathering above the cuff.  Faster and easier than I would have expected. 

I chose a wee bit of my clown pants and floral skirt bias trim so that this alter would carry a little bit of me - bright and tropical color choices to remind us of the more cheerful side of life. We see plenty of grey, let us rejoice in the experience and shifts that colors can bring.  Even if these aren't your favorite colors, what do they make you think of? I once took a painting class and only worked in colors that I didn't like.  It was hard at first, but then it yielded paintings that were beautiful even in my least favorite colors.  
For the final touch, I used more of the background paper to create little cards that will sit inside the tea cup as wishes for the receiver, Kathy.  I wish you time to unwind, day dream, rejuvenate, rest, and find your bliss.  Those are all things I feel when I take a sip of hot tea and let myself rest. I know you are always on the go.  So, this will be your reminder (from bright and colorful Gwen  to take time out for yourself and enjoy your favorite tea.  It's amazing what things occur, shift, become realized or resolved, or ideas that click into place when we quiet our mind from the tension of the world around us.
Comments
<<Previous
    Gwen Gyldenege

    Author: 
    Gwen Gyldenege

    I'm a one woman circus.  
    I'm curvy and athletic.
    ​I am a dancer.
    My last name translates 
    to "Golden Oak". 

    I'm an artist, intuitive, engineer, seamstress 
    and performer.

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Sewing in Seattle

    Archives

    December 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    August 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    April 2009
    December 2008

    Categories

    All
    Activewear
    Adventures
    Art
    Artists
    ArtOfThe20sDress
    Calligraphy
    Cartoons
    Clown
    Comedy
    Costumes
    Creativity
    Crochet
    Dance
    Dancewear
    Dingleballs
    DIY
    Fabric
    Fashion
    Fiber
    Fitting
    Food
    Funkifabrics
    Garden
    Handwriting
    Hiking Gear
    Holiday
    Humor
    Inspiration
    Interviews
    Jalie 2795
    Jalie 2795 Hoodie Sew Along
    Jalie Patterns
    Jewelry
    KiddieAdultsUnite
    Kitchen
    Kits
    Knits
    Knitting Patterns
    Lifted Gifted Higher
    Lingerie
    Littlealters2013
    Mad Men Dress Challenge III
    Marketing
    MMMay14
    Moulage
    Muslin
    Needle & Thread
    Nwcreativespirits
    Outdoor Gear
    Paint
    Paper
    Passthepaper2012
    Pattern Drafting
    Photoaday
    Photography
    Pmc
    Prayer
    Projects
    Sculpt
    Sew
    Sewforvictory
    Sewing Workout Wear
    Sew News
    Shows
    Shrinky Dink
    Sing
    Skillshare
    Social Media
    Spring
    Spring Race Challenge
    Stories
    Tutorials
    Video
    Vintage
    Voiceover
    Wardrobe Architect
    Watercolor
    Yarn

Except for sources otherwise stated beneath images or bottom of the page (Creative Commons), all images and works are copyright Gwen Gyldenege, all rights reserved.  Contact Gwen to request permission.
Photos used under Creative Commons from I Robertson, DoNotLick, Gustty, Jayson Emery, Nbepko, Gamma Man, I Robertson, Lars Plougmann, RowdyKittens, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, The Wandering Angel, VasenkaPhotography, quinn.anya, Léa Chvrl, Lost Albatross, Guttorm Flatabø, BEST PHOTO, RowdyKittens, allistair, BozDoz, tanakawho, Navicore, Bilal Kamoon, D-Stanley, Kris Krug, glasseyes view, essers, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, Alex Pepperhill, Found Animals, adactio, Office Now