Swim swim swimmy

I jumped on the band wagon and decided to participate in the etsy swimmy project. I took some pics with a cheap point and shoot to show the work process.
Well the first step truly was to "drink" the kool-aid and join the cult. A-hem, decide to participate. I printed the template that etsy provided, and thus began the process.
I decided to use polymer clay as my media for my entry, since PMC would be cost prohibitive, and I wasn't "feeling the love" for a collage.



+ Step one, select a collection of gold-ish colored clays. I use Fimo, Sculpy and Premo. I usually go for color over brand. In this case I went with color plus what I already had open.


+ Blend the heck out of them with the pasta maker.
Now, I dint usually go for smooth skinner-esque blends, I like my blends a little more organic, so its not all pasta machine, here in the blending process, there is some hand blending involved.


+ I rolled out a nice slab of clay on the thickest setting of the pasta machine, and then traced the template on to the clay. next step is to cut out the fish following the template. And start making lots and lots of snakes in the left over clay.


+ I like to incorporate jewels and beads and the like in my polymer clay creations. One om my favorite ways to add big shiny bits are glass baubles. I selected and placed the chosen glass baubles for the fish. I used a blue one for the eye, opaque orange for the fins and transparent swirly orange for the rest of the "scales."


+ The building of the fins was using straight snakes, and the scales were built with swirls and dots to lock in the glass baubles.

+ The fish was cured in my little toaster oven for 35 minutes at 265 degrees.


+ After the clay was cured I added an antique finish by applying a mix of acrylic paints. I used navy and green. I usually use some compination of brown, navy, purple, and black. I painted the fish thoroughly. After the paint began to dry, I began the cleaning process. First I started by wiping the paint off with a dry paper towel, followed by a damp paper towel, followed by a Mr Clean Magic Eraser. After the paint was completely dry, I used an old dental tool to scrape and clean paint from the glass surfaces.

+ The fish was sealed and polished with Sculpy glaze.

I sent the fish on its merry way after I had some better pictures taken by my friend and her swank camera.

Who wins? you or technique?

There are a few things about polymer clay I like. Well, ok a lot more than a few, but there are a few that I wonder about. There are so many things that can be done, do I really need to attempt and succeed in all of them? No.
Im a grown up, I now realize that I do not have to be good at everything, and just because its something that can be done with clay doesn't mean I have to be able to do it.
That doesnt mean there are some things that I don't try or wonder how do others get so good at it.
Case in point millfiore canes. Im not actually a huge fan. back in the day when it seemed like everyone was jumping on the cane wagon I was playing with faux ivory exclusively and figures.
Of course I didnt really consider the faux ivory a cane, since it wasn't an image running thru.
Well I gave making canes a try, the first cane I made was an ant. I made a huge cane of my tattoo (I still have about a foot of it). I made a few celtic knots, then I tried a face, or was it a flower, it was so-so at best. Nothing I fell in love with. And, so I went off and continued to make figures.
Well in the making of the figures the thought of sanding would occasionally pop up. Eeek sanding, grit, where the heck to I find 1500 grit any thing, and then a buffer? If it doesn't fit on my dremel forget about it.
Then I noticed something-Christie Friesen occasionally left visible finger prints, well if she could I can! I then passed on the sanding thing.
Well, until I went back into making canes. I tried to make a dragon, it failed miserably. I have lots and lots of scrap from the cane, so I decided that I would stick with knots. Celtic knot canes are pretty handy, and I can do them easily, and they always turn out ok, so I started making a few more. I really wanted my little knot slices to have that polished finish that is possible with out a varnish.
So....
grit...
fine grit...
brain storm!
finger nail files. I love the ones that have 4 different grits on them, I can polish just like Im buffing nails. I then use a buffing file to get the shine.
I finally got it figured out!
Now if I could only find the right polishing bits for the dremel it would go so much faster

oh and about the knots, I've tried another non knot, a celtic mermaid. Currently she is sitting in all her built up glory. she has taken several months to complete, and I will admit I am a tad intimidated to reduce her.
So who wins? me or the cane?

picture is slightly out of focus of a few of my Celtic knot canes

3rd Place!

There were something like 217 votes and 26 entries.
The winner was the adorable manatee, and the cute animal kingdom mirror was second and my Octopus guy took third place! I think thats awesome!
You can read more about it at www.pcagoe.com!

Go Vote!

NO, not election time. Its The PCAGOE Monthly Challenge time!
o look, go vote. You dont have to vote for me, but that would be nice!
I have 2 pics on the PCAGOE webpage now, the Octopus that is in the challenge, and the little scrap cat I made for the gift prize!

Demand marketing

IT WORKS!!!
Thank you everyone who went and looked, just because I said please go look.
And especially thank you those who helped in my February goal of doubling my sales!

Go buy something!

lofty goal here
I want to double my January Etsy sales this month
that means I need to sell one more lousy thing
go buy something!

http://www.zoeowyn.etsy.com

Time is an illusion

I wanna....
do this, do that, get this done, get that done, oh and take care of the family and occationally work (well not really on the work).
I have been exhausting some friends on a forum with how much I post that I do. Do I really do that much?
I decided to take a look at all I do, after all it doesnt feel like Im doing much to me: I work a few part time jobs, I sort of take care of my family (they help a lot with that), I manage to do some form of art on a daily basis, I read every day.
Yeah I guess it does seem like a lot of stuff to do, but its all little bits of stuff.I dont do things that get in the way. Frankly, I just dont have time for TV. And I have learned its not rude the do something with your hands if you are just hanging out and talking.
What does this have to do with art?
I thought I said this was an art related blog?
oh, wait. It is.
I multi task.
I keep project bags and baskets. I try when appropriate to bring something with and work on it. It may just be sketching, it may be working polymer clay, but Im doing something.
I hate "down time" when it could be productive time, like watching at swim class. I always have jewelry or clay or even canvases with me (Im just blocking them in-- no paint, not enought time).
I am constantly doing something crafty. There are no empty blocks of time, they can be filled with art.
Persistance is invloved.
Sometimes giving something up is involved. Whats sleep?
I think its safe to say some OCD is involved. Ok, a lot of OCD is involved.
So, if there is no down time how do I "read?"
Books on tape baby! (say that with an Austin Powers accent.)
Just finished some Douglas Adams stuff--yes its a repeat, but well worth it.
And the reason for the title of this post.