Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Makin' skeletons for the Christmas party

 So I've just been busy the past week or so whipping up a new project for the local comic shop's Christmas get-together. They always hold a massive auction of all sorts of oddities, this time including my cool skull art! I'm anxious to see how much my work will bid up to. The proceeds from some of the pieces will go towards buying my mom "The Walking Dead" comic series for Christmas. She loves the TV show and said she wanted to eventually read the real story. So hopefully, I'll make some money off of the whole thing. Here's what I'm entering:

This is what I like to call my disco skull. It's been floating around since last year's Christmas, when I made it for a charity art show ran by so called "local punk artists."  Unfortunately, they didn't appreciate my donation enough to even schedule a pick up, so consequently it was never sold. However, this year it's going off to a good home  and I'll (hopefully) never have to see it again!

It's actually a pretty interesting piece because it's purely pieced together with fabric and thread but it isn't soft or "quilty" at all; the whole thing was mounted to a tiny scrap of wooden board.

For the eyes, nose and mouth I got to use one of my favorite techniques, which is reverse applique. I discovered this method when a fellow artist introduced me to the Mola art form, done by Kuna women in Panama City.

I could never quite pull off the same intricate details that they do in a real mola, but I like to think that this piece was inspired by the style. The top fabric is cut away to reveal my shiny sequin fabric remnant (which just so happened to be the exact perfect size for this piece, go figure!)


The other item I'm putting into the auction is this cool little bag I've styled. Yes, I did use a blank tote bag instead of making my own, but I feel like I added at least some value to to it because I bedazzled the crap out of it. Well, technically, they aren't bedazzles, they're studs. Much cooler looking. 








I also had some extra big pyramid studs left over from an old belt, which are always a nice touch to an otherwise boring accessory.
The hands were done with gesso, which ensures that the print will not fade or degrade much over time. I also really like how gesso is such a strong white color. It doesn't take many layers at all to get a nice bright coat, especially against dark colors.

To bring the whole bag together (literally!) I added a closure made of ribbon, beads and elastic. I also added a little tag with my contact information and a message to the new owner:


The tag doesn't lie. This bag is going towards a genuine walking dead charity.. also don't be shy, if you're the owner of this bag leave me a comment and tell me what you think!


Of course I added a few "oldies but goodies" into the mix. Also up for sale are my fishy, mustaches and skulls keychains. I'm hoping that they'll bring in a few last minute impulse buys at the checkout aisle. Speaking of which, if you're interested in purchasing an awesome keychain for yourself, be sure to check out my craft shop! ;)





The auction is tomorrow, and I'll post my results then. I hope I make something off all my hard work! For the record, I'm starting my auctions for the disco skull and bag at $5 a piece. Wish me luck. It's gonna be a gruesome Christmas.