(warning: some of today’s links are probably not safe for work)
Mask II by Ron Mueck
You’ve probably seen some of these amazingly lifelike sculptures before; they’re so mind-blowing that I think some of them are making the e-mail rounds. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around them. My feelings are a mixed bag: awe at the artists’ skill in reproducing every tiny detail; faint disgust at something that looks alive but isn’t; and puzzlement that people make stuff that can only be displayed in museums. I mean, seriously, would you want a realistic sculpture of a chubby janitor lady in your house? Or a 20-foot woman in bed? I think her bed is larger than my living room. But then, I’m a miniaturist at heart, so I guess other people might be more impressed by monumental art.
No One – In Particular: RGB by Evan Penny
It shouldn’t surprise you that most of these artists come from a background of movie effects, where they learned how to make sculptures that are indistinguishable from the real thing, at least as far as the camera is concerned. I have enough art training to know how to read the artist’s intent, but some of these sculptures leave me wondering about the borders of art. There’s a difference between the kind of photo they take in those little studios at Sears or Walmart, and the kind of photo that you would call “art”, right? One is simply meant to provide a realistic representation of its subject, while the other is meant to express something more. So, at what point do these sculptures that represent imperfect humans in photorealistic detail become art? Is it enough for them to represent an imperfect human who is expressing an emotion? Does monumental size or shockingly realistic nudity make it art?
Fragment #2 (l); Desolation (r) by Jamie Salmon
I don’t mean to disparage any of these works; as I said at the beginning, I can appreciate the sculptors’ immense talent and skill. But I just don’t think they’re for me. I’d love to hear what you think.
Woman with Child in a Stroller by Duane Hanson
For a much better roundup of these artists, visit Web Designer Depot.
The Hanging Man by Sam Jinks
Salley Mavor is coming out with a new book. I just can’t get enough of her beautiful high-relief stumpwork embroidery. Don’t you want to try some of this in polymer clay?
An active and friendly artist on Deviantart shares her process for sculpting fairies. Notice how many bakes she does. Wow.
Check out Haute Nature’s guide to making fairy houses and furniture from twigs, moss, and other bits found around the garden with your kids. Google on “twig furniture” for inspiring photos of real-life stuff.
Geez, it’s only December and I’m already longing for spring. I hate winter.
Steampunk meets Tim Burton in the work of Stephane Heureux. I don’t exactly read French, but the artist’s website seems to be pretty slim on identifying details. Nevertheless, his (or her? Like I said, slim on details) dolls, machines, suits, and everything else are a completely different flavor of adorable-creepy and something I’d like to see more of.
via CraftGossip
Everyone has a shirt or a jacket or an old school uniform that they just can’t part with. Mine is a shirt my Mom made for my late father when they were first married. Jon Coffelt takes these garments and makes little shirts from them, so you can honor your emotional attachment by displaying the shirts. Not a bad idea. Besides, his tailoring is impeccable. I’m not sure how small these are, but I know how hard it is to get miniature buttons, so I’m thinking they’re probably pretty large, in doll scale.
Dolls and puppets aren’t that different, right? So for your continuing education, today I present a link with a bunch of pages about building stop-motion animation puppets. You might find a new kind of armature you’ve never thought of before, and there are several links to discussions of materials that are rarely used for dolls, like latex and silicon. Take a look around Stopmotionanimation.com and see if you don’t get some new inspiration for your dollmaking.
Link via Shelley Noble at Notes from Halfland.
Check out Shelley Noble’s blog, Notes from Halfland, about the ongoing creation of her stop-action movie, Halfland. You can watch her amazing set as it grows from a pile of inspiration photos and craft supplies into a detailed world filled with Answer Trees, pun-a-rific sea life, and Birds in Hats. All of which are poseable in the interests of animation.
Many of her sea creatures, such as the nautilus pictured above, are donated by other artists, so if it sounds appealing, join in!
You can see more pictures of her work on her Flickr Site, and she also has a blog devoted to paper art. Must… resist… paper art… too… many… hobbies… already….
Here’s a quick and easy tutorial from PolymerClay Express. Use your clay scraps to make adorable dragons that are functional as well — they sit on your computer and eat bugs. 
Via Craftgossip
Carmen Lozar’s work is another example of “narrative sculpture” in the best sense; each piece tells you a little story with its character, pose and accessories. I love her menagerie of imperfectly mended animals, and her series of empty garments on hangers.
I had no idea you could even do this with glass. Some of her pieces have opaque finishes, while others take advantage of the translucency of glass, even becoming transparent to reveal little secrets. Can someone please explain to me the difference between flameworked and lampworked glass? This isn’t the first time I’ve been amazed by someone working in this media.
Via Daily Art Muse.
