I am entirely too satisfied with myself today.

[merimask]

Oh...my god people.  Remember that lion mask I was talking about?  Look!

I totally nailed the look of old bronze, don't you think?  These pictures are pretty good but the mask in person is even more stunning.  It really looks exactly like an old bronze mask!

 

I am so freaking happy with this mask...

I really hope Mikka is happy with this mask...I'm so crazy about it that I want to do more!  Oh, it really energizes me when I make something I really like.  ^__^

Also, since I am a busy little bee (and I am running out of big pieces of leather) I made a handfull of these charming ginkgo leaf keychains...

They are up in my Etsy shop, of course.

Meanwhile, I am really enjoying the news this weekend, for a change.  It's so uplifting!  Watching Obama move closer towards his presidency...it's a really happy news cycle to be sure.  So many hundreds and thousands of hopeful faces, you can't help but feel good about it!  I'm watching the concert on the Mall in DC (on TV...I was going to take Char but decided not to & now I'm sorry we didn't make the trip)...U2 and Bruce Springstein woo!  How cool is that? 

I took a break and took Kiba out for a long hike in the woods.  We havern't done that much this winter (three feet of snow is no fun to walk in...& then it got too cold).  Today was a balmy 22 degrees which is still cold but really, over 30 degrees warmer than it's been here all week!  I didn't even wear a hat.  It was about a 3 mile walk and I really enjoyed getting out in the fresh air.  Kiba had so much fun, too.  I wish I'd brought my camera; it was snowing lightly and the woods were just beautiful.   Kiba's all pooped out now & frankly so am I...walking in foot-deep snow is a workout! 
 

Anyway, it's back to work for me.  I have cut all the remaining leather into big projects (more cool dragons) and I'm nearly through with those.  Pictures soon!

Comments

[chibi-kaz.livejournal.com]

Wicked cool, that. You did indeed nail the old-bronze look.

OK, since I have a deadline now (March 13th), I officially ask if I can commission a mask of a russian firebird. Do you have the ability to take on this commission by that deadline?

I'm this ID at Hotmail dotcom if you want to talk this over.

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Certainly...that's plenty of time! We need to talk about your price range & you need to give me guidelines for the design (will you be wearing a hat? Do you want it to be small or large? Beak/no beak? Colors?)

so, think about it & I'll just give you my e-mail (merimask at aol dot com), & we can take it from there. ^_^

[(Anonymous)]

I'm curious to know what kind of people commission masks from you? Just people who love your artwork, or do they use them for a purpose? Inquirying minds want to know!!

[kelkyag]

I can't speak to the general case, but in this instance, being a squealing fangirl is a major contributing factor, and the mask will (have a costume and weapons made to match, not that I can do it justice and) come with me to a larp to be a character (fantasy game, magically animated statue).

Also, SQUEEEEE!

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Hee! I'm so glad you are enjoying them & using them the way they are designed to be used (I build them sturdy for a reason). This one was far & away the most successful commission design idea I've ever done...it's simply stunning (& you get to own #1!!)

[kelkyag]

A lion was the right animal. Any of the others I suggested wouldn't have had the same impact. I'm glad you like him, too!

[merimask.livejournal.com]

All kinds commission my work. Lots of people collect masks. Many use them for decoration only, but I think mine are so wearable and sturdy that I have a huge following of buyers who actually wear them. Fantasy convention goers, costume collecters, partygoers, mardi gras folks, etc... All kinds. Lost of theater & performance people too.

I totally nailed the look of old bronze, don't you think?

[pamwax.livejournal.com]

Yes actually I do. He is beautiful. I did forget to tell you though that my favorite is no longer the blue mask but the lion in your last post. Looks almost real.. Now I am not sure it just may be this fellow. I love the dragons but I really love the lions.

Re: I totally nailed the look of old bronze, don't you think?

[merimask.livejournal.com]

It really is a stunning mask. Sturdy too! No one will believe its made of leather. ^_^

[airspaniel.livejournal.com]

Wow. I think that's my favorite mask you've ever done! The colors are simply GORGEOUS!

I'd love to see how that effect would look on one of your half gear steampunk masks.

Hooray for walks and hooray for Kiba! And hooray for doing what you love, and making things you're truly proud of. ^_^

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Yes! I have to make more masks in this fashion. Until I did this one, I totally was missing the possibilities of this color treatment.

Hooray indeed...today was a pretty good day. :-)

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

Gargoyles are a frequently-seen aged statue...

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

Also...gods/goddesses and soldiers/etc. If you're looking for more statue-type subjects to try that effect on, of course, and you didn't already think of the obvious ones. :)

[charismitaine.livejournal.com]

I'd love to see how that effect would look on one of your half gear steampunk masks.

Seconded! I bet that would look really cool.

And this mask? Amazing. That technique looks absolutely incredible.

[charismitaine.livejournal.com]

Also I really love the way some of the locks of mane are cut out and curled in--that's an awesome detail.

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It needed a little more dimension & also, the cut out areas make it more comfortable to wear. Airholes AND art! ;-)

Gorgeous mask

[musingnmeandering.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Do you suppose the happiness of this time had something to do with how well it turned it out? Your energy was positive, maybe? I know I feel like I can do anything, right now. I'm so happy to be alive now, and a citizen of this wonderful country. I too, feel renewed. Silly, eh?

Happy Inaugeration Day!
hhollyd

Re: Gorgeous mask

[merimask.livejournal.com]

You know, I think so. The news is all so good and hopefull and I just feel like a weight is being lifted from our collective backs. Seeing the train journey through Philadelphia to DC yesterday...it was so moving. All that hope & goodwill. It's a refreshing change.

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

That's great, that it turned out how you wanted it to. And I know this comment is so short it'll be hard to think of something to reply with that feels like it's worth the effort to type out, lol. I'm fine with a one word response like 'yeah' or something. :)

[merimask.livejournal.com]

LOL...you are so funny! Okay...

"Yeah."

;-)

But seriously, yes it IS good when it turns out cool, and this one was actually a pleasant surprise because I wasn't "seeing" it (it was a very clever commission). Then, as I perfected the effect with layers of paint (it's pretty cool: dark green underdye, then dark pine green paint, then a hand-mixed aqua shade drybrushed atop that, then bright metallic bronze strategically drybrushed over that, then a layer of black antique stain...)it slowly became clear to me how perfectly "old bronze" the mask looked. As I wiped off the antique stain all I could say was WOW. It's kinda rare when I'm surprised by my own work. :-)

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

Oh, THAT's it. I see, you didn't know how it would turn out to start...that's awesome! That happens only rarely to me, that I start something with a very VAGUE idea and it just takes on its own life and ends out way better than I'd actually hoped for.

But on the one-word response note...I did actually mean it. :) See, I write SB fan fiction (big shock, right) and I have a few times gotten reviews like...well here, I will paste one EXACTLY.

cute

Yep, that was the whole review. And I appreciate even that, as it is confirmation that my story was read (and liked, too, which is even better) by someone, but what do I say in reply? Basically just 'thanks'. If I want to be really wordy I can stretch it out and say "thank you". Sometimes certain replies/messages/etc just don't lend themselves to being replied to. :)

[kls-eloise.livejournal.com]

I sent a very enthusiastic comment much earlier, and LJ ate it. Here's the gist:

Looks spectacular - you nailed the old bronze look.

I think that treatment would look astonishing on your (new) green man or the medusa.

It might also make a really neat dragon plaque - the ones you did without the tails, coming out of the foliage - with english ivy for the leaves, like an old sculpture being overcome by the ivy.

There's a good chance I'm going to be ordering something in that look, I just have to decide what...

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm really thrilled with this effect. It's going to be fun to try it in another context.

A dragon statue covered in ivy would be soo cool!

I totally nailed the look of old bronze, don't you think?

[(Anonymous)]

Omigosh. That mask is amazing. If I didn't know you and the medium you work in, I would never have guessed that was leather. That mask looks ancient, as if it came out of a Minoan or Mycenaean excavation. Honest, it reminds me a lot of the mask of Agamemnon, even though that's gold and this is bronze, I mean leather..., and that's a guy and this is a lion... Oh heck, I'm not explaining it well, but I see what I see:-) Anyway, it's fabulous. (snowy)

Re: I totally nailed the look of old bronze, don't you think?

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Yes I agree...it almost looks like an artifact doesn't it? At the same time, I think I was very much influenced by my summers in Newport RI. The place is full of old mansions and old statuary. Lots of old copper/bronze too (they don't rust in the salty sea air but they DO turn exactly this shade of green). He has that kind of dignity.

[empath-eia.livejournal.com]

Oh holy shit, that's unbelievable. I've been staring at it for five minutes and am still having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that it's not metal. *___*

In any case, it's absolutely beautiful. ♥

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Hee! Thank you dear! I know...even as I was layering the paint, with every new layer the effect kept looking better & I was happier & happier with the results. It sort of surprised me too!

[zannachan.livejournal.com]

LJ ate my comment as well, but basically it said that the lion mask is stunning, and so realistic looking. And I love the ginko leave keychains--I love ginko leaves, and the keychains are great.

random paserby

[nuri-chan.livejournal.com]

you know, I clicked on your lj because I thought you looked pretty, and I'm SO glad that I did. Your masks are AMAZING, I've bookmarked your etsy store and that little dragon keychain is going to make a fantastic gift for my mother when I buy it for her birthday in march. I'm SO happy that I stumbled onto your page! You have such amazing work!

[moko-moko.livejournal.com]

this is incredible Meri! The colors used and the cool way you made that aged coppery effect is just so, so perfect.

It reminds me of this building near the state house with these fabulous giant oak doors with lion head door knocker holders, and you captured that feeling here (intentional or not, haha) wonderfully! Eeee, this is a fabulous direction, yo :3

addendum!

[moko-moko.livejournal.com]

see? see?! you go girl.

Re: addendum!

[zannachan.livejournal.com]

Hee, funny thing is that when she first said what she was doing I envisioned something similar to those, except the ones I knew were new, shiny bronze--very cool!