December 24, 2013

I am the wind that strokes your cheek
the rain that cools your eyes
the sea that kisses your toes pink. 
The tree that brings you shade, 
as you too someday will be.
Remember me.
-Heather Braginton-Smith


Endurance In Christmas Time: Hymns From Nineveh:



December 21, 2013

Winter Solstice 2013

The winter solstice is almost upon us. In scientific terms, the winter solstice occurs at the precise moment when the axial tilt of earth’s polar hemisphere is the farthest away from the sun.


The longest night of the year. From now on the days get colder and colder, but the light is also returning, making our days longer. This is the original Yule. The birth of the light. It is a symbol of life, death and rebirth. 

I like this poem called "The Shortest Day" by Susan Cooper:

So the shortest day came, and the year died,
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive,
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, reveling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - Listen!!
All the long echoes sing the same delight,
This shortest day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, fest, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!!
Also, I love this old animated film from 1982, based on the book by Raymond Briggs: "The Snowman" The music is so haunting and beautiful....

December 17, 2013

"December Full Cold Moon"

December´s full moon name is the Full Cold Moon.It is the month when the winter cold fastens its grip anf the nights become long and dark. This full moon is also called the Long Nights Moon by some Native American tribes.


Oh! Silent moon, reflect on me your silver glow
and hold me safe 'til dawn.
Oh! scepter'd orb, direct on me your silent face
and keep my soul 'til morn.

Glory be. Glory be. Glory be.
You and me, you and me, you and me.
Wrapped in love, help in poise,
allow your silent voice to share my prayer.

Permit my heart...
fearlessly express its radiant glow
to light the dark.

-Stuart Wilde


December 15, 2013

Some new tiny paintings for sale on Amio.dk

I put some of my tiny painting for sale on the danish craftors site www.amio.dk.  I like these little babies! They are just 5 x 8 cm, and come with magnets on the back, so that they can hang on the fridge!! I also include a tiny easel! 








December 13, 2013

Thank you stranger and a merry christmas!

I ´m spamming you today, right? Well, I just had to share something wonderful: I´ve been looking for a used food processor for quite a while now, but without any luck. At Facebook there were this lady cleaning out her kitchen cabinets, and was giving away a lot of stuff. I was just making a little joke, and asked if she would happen to have an old food processor. The day aften another stranger wrote me in a private message, that she had one, and if I wanted it, I could have it for free!!! WOW!! My faith in hunamity is restored!! Of course I had to try it at once it was brought home, and it is just perfect for my needs! When I started sculpting Hannah, I spent an entire evening conditioning an old large packet of Kato polymer clay, and had to put lots of smoothing oil to make it softer. (I wonder if one can use baby oil in stead?)
I was so happy to see that this machine did the job in a few minutes. The food processor also warmed the clay (from the friction) as well as choppeb it into small bits! Now I can run it through the pasta machine a couple of hundred times, and the job is done!


A very special thanks to Cecilie Sommer!!

Hands, hands and more hands....

This video is an introduction to the volume and the basic shapes of a hand. I think hands are really hard to make, and found this video very helpful. 

A dollartist once told me that one of her students also had a hard time making hands, and she instructed her to make at least 2 or 3 pairs of hands every day for a week. At the end of the week, the student felt more confident and had even started enjoying to sculpt hands. I think I will do the same. 
See, I never ever practise enought, and I can easely tell that my sculpted hands are gettinng better each time I make them. 
If you have more videos or tutorials on sculpting hands, I would appreciate you sharing them with me. 

December 12, 2013

"Heaven, I´m in heaven....." Update on Hannah and a bit of this and that.

Hi, today I want to show you what makes me so happy! Today I recieved a large box of scraps of long haired  pieces of fur! I buy them from this lady. the price is very cheap too! 150 danisk kroners for 1 kg! (approx $18)  
Iordered them in mainly brown, black and grey colors, and I cant wait to make beautiful hair with it!

This fur will fit a young boy or perhaps a troll? 

Beautiful long curly hair for an old witch?

Long black 6" hair for a younger witch?

Oh - there is a cat in there.... Julie is going crazy with all the fur... Biting and licking and rolling herself in it... 

Curly light grey for an old hag?

I really love the fur. It is so nice and soft, and smells like goat ;-) Perhaps that is the reason my cat is going insane - hi hi!

Another thing to share tonight is news about Hannah. For those of you who have been following my progress with this doll, I am sorry I haven´t posted final pics of her. The reason is that there is something terrible wrong with her outfit. At the beginning I really loved it, but soon I started to really hate it....Her slim elegance was tucked away in a clumsy dress. I will make her a new very soon. Her legs are terrible too. The keep on bending a little biy out of shape. I think I will remove her stockings and quilt padding and sculpt them completely with Magic Sculpt. In this way I can´t pose her legs, but she will again look slim and femenin like she did in the first stages of her development. 
See for yourself:

She is lying on the table for easier fotographing only. She can srtanly stand on her own proudly without support.

Here is her lovely face. She still need some eyelashes, but I really like her kind facial expression. She is a good witch ;-)

Finally I would like to recommend a good book about creativity. It is a very old classic about keeping a journal, to expand ones creativity and spiritual development. It was published back in 78, but I think it is still fresh and relevant. I was wondering if perhaps blogging was the new way of keeping an journal? What do you think? 



"The diary is the only form of writing that encourages total freedom of expression. Because of it's very private nature, it has remained immune to any formal rules of content, structure or style. As a result, the diary can come closest to reporducing how consciousness evolves." ~Tristine Rainer

December 05, 2013

Hannah has got some more clothes ;-) (Part 7)



I am making Hanna´s dress. I still need a blouse underneath, but I think I ´ve got the design right ;-)
I´m so happy to see her getting finished. I totally love her facial expression. She looks at you like she is asking you a question, or trying to figure you out. I´ll share better pics soon.

We have a dreadfull hurricane here in Denmark. They call it "Bodil" (#stormdk, #bodil). All trains stopped all over Denmark (first time ever). No bridges open and ferries cancelled. It is quite nice to stay inside and listen to the heavy wind outside. It will be interesting so see what the world looks like tomorrow!

Part 1: http://www.solannsworld.blogspot.dk/2013/10/starting-new-art-doll-please-welcome.html
Part 2: http://www.solannsworld.blogspot.dk/2013/11/please-welcome-hannah-part-2.html
Part 3 :http://www.solannsworld.blogspot.dk/2013/11/hannah-has-got-new-ears-and-hands.html
Part 4: http://solannsworld.blogspot.dk/2013/11/hannah-is-coming-along-nicely-now-with.html
Part 5: http://solannsworld.blogspot.dk/2013/11/please-welcome-hannah-part-5.html

Part 6: http://solannsworld.blogspot.dk/2013/12/please-welcome-hannah-part-6.html

December 04, 2013

Interesting video with tip for painting doll eyes


This is a very interesting video demonstrating steps for painting eyes. I loved it!

December 01, 2013

Please welcome Hannah (Part 6)

Part 1: http://www.solannsworld.blogspot.dk/2013/10/starting-new-art-doll-please-welcome.html
Part 2: http://www.solannsworld.blogspot.dk/2013/11/please-welcome-hannah-part-2.html
Part 3 :http://www.solannsworld.blogspot.dk/2013/11/hannah-has-got-new-ears-and-hands.html
Part 4: http://solannsworld.blogspot.dk/2013/11/hannah-is-coming-along-nicely-now-with.html
Part 5: http://solannsworld.blogspot.dk/2013/11/please-welcome-hannah-part-5.html

Hannah is coming along nicely, and I want to show you her progress.
I have worked on her body, and give her more qulit batting. I don´t know if she is done. She is still a bit skinny, so I won´t dress her just yet.
I have painted her face. I do acrylic washes. She has emerald green eyes now. Hannash also needs eyelashes. I have some fake one from Hong Kong and will try to use them.
Her hair is almost done. The orange color was wrong, so I changed my mind and gave her dark brown. She is just adorable, and I cant wait to make her hat and dress!



How-to make an abstract watercolor painting of a female

We are taught a creative technique at my art school, and I thought I would like to share it with you.
It is a way of starting the abstract painting, and it is also very fun to do too.
First you do a series of sketches as a  study. It can be whatever subject you want. We´ve done both flowers and a mannequin at the classes. 
Start your studies with lots of paper, a pencil and a pocket watch. You will now do 30 seconds sketches. My art teacher told us to be like ants. Trace the subject or model onto the paper and walk your pencil on the paper like an ant. You can´t go back, and you cant jump. Just walk really fast, and trace your target all around the edges. When you have done this exercise several times, put your pencil in the opposit hand and do the exercise again. You can do one minute sketches now. Keep doing this, and then try to shut your eyes. See if you can imagine the subject in your minds eye, and let your hand trace on the paper like an ant. You don´t need to worry about details. Just trace around the edges.
Your drawings will perhaps look a little like this: 


Please, don´t judge my artistic accomplishments by these sketches....

Now you are done and can choose among yoursketches and then transfer them to your watercolor paper. You can do this any way you want. I just did some freestyle sketching. Others would perhaps use a projector.  
Your drawings will only be a part of the background structure, so please don´t worry about the aesthetics. In the end, nobody will be able to see your bodies in the painting anyway. Not very much that is...
Tape your watercolor paper onto a non-absorbent surface. I taped it in four equal squares. This allows you to work on all of the squares at the same time.

Okay, now the really fun part starts. I used:
  • black ink
  • clean water to dilute and clean the brushes with
  • watercolor brush and acrylic brush. Also a very thin liner brush
  • two complementary colors (I used turquoise and red-orange)
  • salt
  • straws
  • aquarelle pencils 
  • acrylic liner (white)
  • coffee or black the (yes, that´s right. Works wonders!)
Now you start with the black ink. Just paint like you want, and add colors as you go. Blow the very wet paint with the straw to create the fun shaps and "runners". Put salt in the wet paint too. Remember to keep it there until the painting is completely dry. Then brush it off. Use the acrylic liner in the end, and keep it simple! Remember the frase: KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid!) Easy to say, but so very hard to remember ;-)
Also, remember to keep parts of the paper blank. 

Here are my paintings:


See that you dont recognize the female body anymore? I mean, there is a hand and a breast and such, but you don´t see the complete figure. I like my paintings so much that I am having them matted and glass framed! What do you think?