Rumors' order is DONE...finally.

[merimask]

Holy crap.  I can't believe I finished it.  I made about 90% of these masks while recovering from surgery...do I rock or what?

I know there's not a lot of them.  It's just that they were such complicated masks (I didn't help matters by deciding to make a Frost Dragon too...y'know, as long as I had to do a Fire Dragon anyway...).

So, details details...
 

I made myself a new photo board (that's what I call 'em)...my old one was a black matboard that  was getting kinda scratched so I thought I'd try something different.  I glued a nice sheet of granite-textured paper to a foamboard.  I thought it'd be nice & neutral.  It's a little TOO neutral (I think the Fire Dragon & some others are much more striking against black) but it'll do for most subjects.

Anyway.  Fire Dragon.

My second Fire Dragon.

The Medusas.  I did a little experiment.  I shaped the green one a bit random; the snakes are generally wild.  There's symmetry in the bottom snakes but the rest is all over the place.  Then, I shaped the purple one with more attention to making the snakes match.  In the middle on the top, it has to kinda be loose but in general; symmetry.   Let me know what you think & keep in mind that the angles are maybe off so you might want to reference the group pic.


The eyes in the green snakes are amethyst.  The eyes in the purple one are pewter pearls.

I also did a new lion mask...

And a new Sun & Moon mask.

Another new thing; I bought some absolutely wonderful new ribbon...a wide organza that's very sheer.  It adds something to the masks (I used it on everything but the lion, since the lion looks too masculine for sheer organza).

So that's going out tomorrow & I'm kind of excited about it.  This is my first Mardi Gras in New Orleans!  Well...not for me but for my masks.   As I was working on the green Medusa (all green & gold with purple snake eyes...perfect Mardi Gras colors) I couldn't help daydreaming about it being worn by some beautiful woman, walking around in the French Quarter, laughing & partying & having the time of her life.  That makes me happy.  ^_^   

Comments

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

Colourful :)

I like the green Medusa, both for the colour and for the matching longer snakes at the bottom. Mind you, I think I might like the shape of the purple one better on a person, but on the wall I prefer the green.

The lion mask looks like Mufasa. And I've always liked the purple ribbon best of the purple/red option for the sun and moon mask :) I like the moon half best of all, silver and blue is just so magical.

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Thank you! That's exactly how I feel about those masks; the green one is a pretty color but the purple one is shaped better.

I should do a "night sky" mask, you know? Similar to the Sun/Moon but with just moon & clouds on one side, & the ribbon is clearing away the clouds so you can see the night sky & the stars on the other side. Hmm! Inspiration!

[ramblinsuze.livejournal.com]

You know...I'm not sure I can decide between the two Medusas. I tend to be a fan of symmetry and the purple looks stunning in it's individual shot. But there's something about the green one...it's more wild and untamed. More...snaky!

Did you always have swirlies in the sun and moon or did I just not notice it before?

I swear, I need to invest in Lasik so I could wear one of these! (Me - glasses = faceplant)

I bet these sell like hot cakes in the coming weeks. They are SO beautiful, but durable!

[merimask.livejournal.com]

I should probably standardize the way I do Medusa because that'd make it a lot less stressful, but they're kinda fun this way when I'm not sure how they'll turn out. ^_^ I'm weird.

Yep, the sun & moon always had swirls. I know, it might have been hard to see because I only pressed them in & don't carve them. This is a better picture though (I'm getting better with my photography).

I hope they do well! I'm amazed really, because I know what Rumors sells the Medusas for (over 600.00) and they sell them hand over fist, so these should be popular.

[wildwose.livejournal.com]

Once again, as a professional mask maker myself, I would really like to compliment you. Your work is unique, vibrant, and inspiring. And we make ALOT of masks. Like 100+ in a week during our Renaissance Festival. That is with 4-5 full timer folks producing. My wife and I and two apprentices. I will have to show you a stack of our production trays sometime.

I couldn't help daydreaming about it being worn by some beautiful woman, walking around in the French Quarter, laughing & partying & having the time of her life. That makes me happy.

Oh yeah, that is great. Our work has been 5 continents and been in parties at most of them. I often which I could connect with every mask we have ever sold and see "Through their eyes" if you will. It would be funny and scary I think!

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Well thank you! It's hard work 'cause...just little old me here working on these. But I do okay.

My masks go to all the places I wish I could see...Japan & Australia & so on. Maybe someday I'll get there myself (if I keep selling masks!). ^_^

[rumdiculous.livejournal.com]

I love the pearl eyes on the medusa mask. They really pop out and look eerie and yet cute. <3

[merimask.livejournal.com]

I like that too. I was going to use hematite but the pearls were a bit brighter & more vibrant. They're just glass pearls though...I hope they're plush enough to be on a mask that sells for as much as this one does. I just found out what the gallery sells them for & I'm still picking my jaw off the floor. 0_0

[zannachan.livejournal.com]

Have you tried the Swarovski pearls? I think you can get them from Firemountain, and they are really stunning, and more durable than natural pearls are. Very lovely, and definitely high class artificials. And they come in a huge variety of colors.

[a-hollow-year.livejournal.com]

I love both medusas, but the purple really POPS. ♥

[merimask.livejournal.com]

I think so too...the sigle picture doesn't really do it justice, but in the group pic the colors are true & that purple is a really vibrant plum color. I mixed it myself. ^_^

[charismitaine.livejournal.com]

Pretty! Those are awesome. You rock a lot.

I love the green Medusa--it's definitely my favorite, and I think I prefer the random snakes myself.

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

See, that's why I haven't standardized the way I do Medusa...because I think the variations are so much fun & they appeal in different ways to different people. If I made them the same way, each time, it'd be boring.

[zannachan.livejournal.com]

Wow! I thought you were supposed to be resting? But the masks are, as always, gorgeous.

I really like the green medusa, a lot. The coloring is fantastic and the snakes are denser than the purple one, and more wild. I like the purple one, too--but it has a very different feel from the green one, tamer and more, I don't know, stylized, maybe? Though I particularly like the way you shaped the bottom pair on the purple one. But they are both beautiful masks.

Having two photo boards, if you have space and they aren't too expensive, makes sense to me--a light one and a dark one, because some subjects will show up better on the dark than the light, and vice versa. With all the on-line selling you've been doing lately, it seems like a logical business expense to me.

[merimask.livejournal.com]

lol...no rest for me! The truth is I don't know how to. I took a 2 week vacation once in Miami & I went utterly nuts because I couldn't STAND not being able to work. I guess I'm driven to do what I do.

[moko-moko.livejournal.com]

That green medusa mask is inCREDible! The colors and the shapes and lines are just so in synch with each other; it's stunning. Yes, you clearly rock, lady!!