Shiny new designs!

[merimask]

Oh...I'm in love with my newest mask design.  Ouroboros.

This is the first one I did.  I wanted it to be snakelike only in color, so I initially chose to pattern it like a diamondback rattlesnake.  The design, though, is a bit less snake-like and a tad more dragon-like.  Also I added the fins to give the whole design a triskele shape (traditional Celtic symbol).  I was happy...but I had to keep playing...

...so I did this one, with the pattern of a Southern Copperhead (which is funny since rumdiculous was just saying how pretty those snakes are!).  I just loved the pale neutral browns against that black mask, but I wanted to keep playing so I did this...

...which I just finished today.  It's a false water viper...I have NO idea where they're from but they sure do have pretty patterns.  The monochromatic blue-grays really grabbed me.  This was a whim but now I really like it...it's growing on me.

The Ouroboros is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon swallowing its own tail and forming a circle. It has been used to represent many things over the ages, but it most generally symbolizes ideas of cyclicality and primordial unity.   I have more related ideas...one which has the serpent coiled into the symbol for "infinity" (which isn't technically an Ouroboros anymore but it'd still be pretty neat)...but that one's still in the works. 

Okay...back to work!

Comments

[rumdiculous.livejournal.com]

Those masks kick so much ass! I love the reptiles faces. And the pattern wrapping around the mask. And yay! The copperhead! So pretty!

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Thank you! They turned out exactly as hoped. I'm going to have to force myself to stop messing around with that design and get back to work, but OH it is so much fun to give in to my muse and turn out something really different. :-)

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

Have you seen the Neverending Story? (I'm sure you have.) The Auryn is two snakes twisted very prettily...sort of a multiple infiniity symbol...biting tails.

Oh, look at that...handy internet! http://www.ketzer.com/prop_replica/auryn.html Anyway, those masks really are spectacular. The contrast of the patterns and scales is very dramatic, placed against the smooth blackness of the rest of the mask. And I love the shape.

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :-) That contrast of pattern against smooth black was exactly what I was going for. Initially I thought it'd work best if the snake pattern was all earth-toned and neutral, but it works well with monochromatic grays too. There's so much more I want to do with this theme.

You're right! I'd forgotten about The Neverending Story but that's exactly what the Auryn is; intertwined Ouroboros! Neat!

That symbol pops up everywhere. It's an old alchemic symbol, so it's not surprising that it shows up in Fullmetal Alchemist (as tattoos on the Homunculi). Agent Scully got an Ouroboros tattoo on her shoulder in an episode of the X-Files, and I think it was used in the opening title sequence of that "Millennium" tv show. Hmm!

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

As much as I hate snakes (soooo much) those masks really are startlingly attractive, so they got me thinking a little and I think that mask would be even more startling if it was one of the super-high-intensity coloured snakes, like a North American King. http://digilander.libero.it/peribsen/snakes/king-NAmericanbis.jpg Or possibly one of those brilliant green ones. Um, let's see, can I find one?

Look at that, I can. Yay internet. An Emerald Tree Boa: http://www.flickr.com/photos/91562291@N00/96777827/

Uh oh. I found a whole bunch MORE very brightly coloured snakes! Just ignore me if you've seen all these before (and I assume you probably have since you likely looked through pictures before doing your masks.)

-Malayan Blue Coralsnake http://frogweb.org/Support/Controls/Thumbnail.aspx?imageurl=/Images/Species/Snakes/Calliophis_bivirgatus_04.jpg&width=400&height=270
-Albino Ball Python: http://www.for-goodness-snakes.com/images/ball_albino.jpg
-Caramel Albino Ball Python (this one is neutral but too interesting not to include with the brown and green together): http://www.for-goodness-snakes.com/images/ball_caramel2.jpg

Actually, know what? There are so many amazing snakes at that site that I'll just post the link for the whole site, like a smart person would. http://www.for-goodness-snakes.com/pricelist.html

And another site...I'll post the link for the list...you just have to click on the name of a snake and it has a picture and they all seem to be brilliant ones (all 'corn' snakes I think): http://www.moreptiles.com/cornsnake%20gallery.htm

Don't miss this one since it's PURPLE! Hehe: http://www.moreptiles.com/lavender.htm

THIS snake has one of the weirdest patterns I've ever seen: http://www.northernreptiles.co.uk/images/brazilian%20in%20water%20bowl.jpg

Okay, I'll go away now. I know, you've probably seen all those. :)

[merimask.livejournal.com]

That's a good link for references, thanks! :-) I think the picture link I used was specifically for North American snakes but the patterns of those pythons are awfully interesting too.

I saw the corn snakes before...considering it because the colors are SO pretty. Coral snakes are beautiful too. Ouroboros is a Greek word meaning tail eater...I wonder what snakes are indigenous to Greece? Hmm...

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

I was a little surprised that there were purple snakes. The albino python was cool with all that yellow...and that really strange brazillian snake in the water pot had the weirdest pattern I'd ever seen, with the white belly and the dark top and the empty circles and all that.

I'm a little uncontrollable when it comes to pelting people with image links :)

Morbid thought

[rumdiculous.livejournal.com]

Isn't a snake eating itself also a symbol of cannibalism? I was thinking I heard that somewhere...hm...kinda gross.

[pzb.livejournal.com]

*bows to the leather goddess*

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Hee! Thank you, sweetie. :-) It just feels so good to have something turn out JUST the way I planned, you know? It's like a drug. I want more.

[pzb.livejournal.com]

It really is a drug.... I mean, I'm sitting here with a splitting headache, in nasty heat, even this late, and I WANT TO DRAW soooooo badly.... and it almost hurts to not be able to. So yeah. Drug. Oh yeah. XD

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

Yeah, sorry, it's me again. You need a lock for your LJ door to keep people like me out. ;) I'm kind of like one of those door-to-door people, whether religious or sales...except I peddle art ideas. :P

Anyway, when I got out of the shower, the pattern/colours on the kingsnake kept occuring to me because it reminded me of something...then when I was drying off (why do so many new thougths happen in the shower anyway?) I realized: it's the clown fish!

And that got me thinking. Tropical fishes are just as beautiful and brightly coloured as the most exotic snakes...have you ever made a fish mask before?

That's probably not very practical. Though I really hate snakes (even the pretty ones...I still find them horrifying, no matter how nicely coloured) I admit that they're easier to do art with since they're LONG and you can bend them (and dragons) into other shapes and make them all graphic. The only thing you could likely shape about a fish would be the fins of many types.

But still, I was curious. Ever made a fish mask before? I love fish because they're in water, and so brightly coloured...they're like water birds. And the colours are so amazing. Queen Angelfish: http://www.theoceanadventure.com/VIie02/images/queen.jpg

I couldn't believe the colour of this picture. Can you DYE fish? I mean, that's what it looks like they've done! http://www.haywardyoga.com/pictures/tropical%20fish.JPG

[merimask.livejournal.com]

You know...that's a good idea. *thinking*

*wheels turning...getting smoky in here*

Seriously...a fish mask. I don't think I've ever done one. It'd have to be "flowy" fish, like koi or Siamese fighting fish (betta...I have a few of those anyway for reference). But fish on a black mask? That'd work.

*smooch* You just gave me an idea! I'll have to send the first one to you. :-)

Also, those fish probably ~are~ dyed. I've seen dyed tetras in pet stores. I'm not sure how they dye them, though.

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

I love fish and their cool floaty-ness :) I did think they'd be tricky to make as a mask considering as how they don't bend like snakes, but the fins on a betta (there was a really nice picture of one in the bunch of pics I was looking at before, with really huge fins...he was dark blue, almost navy) are certainly flowy enough to shape at least a little, I'd think.

Ever done a white mask? The black is probably much more dramatic, but I'm just curious. Any really vivid deep solid colour would probably be cool, of course, against a bright pattern.

I really wonder how you dye a fish. It sounds mean...

Have fun! :) (Let us see it when it's done! Hehe.)

[zipis1.livejournal.com]

Those are GORGEOUS!! They most certainly appeal to my obsession with snakes (dragons, snakes, lizards...I'm obsessed with reptiles in general, I suppose. ...better make that anything with scales. I love fish, too XD). My favorite's the silver one. I really really wanna touch it. ;P

Your talent is simply amazing, m'dear. *bows*

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :-) I'm having waay too much fun with this design. There are so many beautiful snakes I want to just keep going with the different color schemes and patterns.

I like snakes too (not many of us girls do, so we're weird you and I!). When I was a kid I used to catch garter snakes up by the train tracks not too far from my house. I'd keep 'em in an old fish tank in my back yard for a week or two, until I got tired of catching earth worms for them, and then I'd let them go. Later when I got older (13) I got a job at a local pet shop. I was the only one there who was willing to handle the snakes...even the owner used to call me when she wanted to take one out to sell to a customer! I liked being the "snake girl".

S'funny though. Now that I'm older I'm actually a little crawly when it comes to snakes. I still think they're beautiful, though.

[zipis1.livejournal.com]

When I was little, I used to bring rattlers home to my mom. She was HORRIFIED. I'd never seen her make a face like that And I kept bringing her more and more because I thought she just didn't like the first snake, but surely she'd have to like one of the others. I was one of those kids who's parents expected many emergency room bills from, and/or to be eaten by an animal (I practically pet mountain lions :3).

I don't understand why people are so afraid of snakes. They're just not scary. Course, I'm sure there are people who'd find my terrible fear of spiders weird, but, well...snakes don't have all those creepy legs. ...or move so creepily. Or all those creepy eyes and their creepy bodies *shudder* Spiders are just plain creepy. Snakes are better. Yes tes they are. :P

Kinda off topic but I thought it comment worthy: I've had your website on my favorites for ages and never realized it was you until today. I was just looking at one of the masks, when I looked at the name of the site again and went, "...ZOMG it's Meri!!". I felt special :P

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Hee! That's so cute! :-) I did the same thing with Moonphased, sort of. I knew who she was but STILL I get a huge kick that "Kuro" is my LJ buddy. :-) She's so damn neat.

[firegazer.livejournal.com]

Pretty. Very pretty. My brain is shot, and that's all I can say, but I mean it emphatically. *goes off to have a big headache*

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :-) *patpat* Try some mint tea with honey. It does the trick for me every time.