Dragons and Pirates

Look who I found flying around my garden the other day! Duncan the Dragon.

He's not as fierce as he looks, quite cute actually. He was a little tricky to complete as he has so many bits and pieces, by the time I got towards his legs and talons I was running out of places to hold him without squashing something else!

My only other success of the weekend has been my Pirate! This is the first model I have ever made standing up (not me, him) and until he actually came out of the oven and stood on his own two feet I was very sceptical. The sounds of jubilation coming out of the kitchen on Sunday night would have confused a passer-by.

He has been on the pillage, he has loot hanging out of his pocket and is holding a very valuable gold locket. He also sports a very fetching gold earing.
A closer look at his face, a handsome brute isn't he, right down to the scar along the length of his nose. Hope you like him.

Fantasy Folk

Phew, it has been a busy Easter Weekend trying to compose faces out of Fimo clay, and until now I have never been very successful, but in buying the right tools (as opposed to make do ones), and a book, and a patient partner, who did not moan about me sitting with the dinning room table cluttered full of clay for the weekend and with a little bit of patience thrown in, I think I just may be getting the hang of it.

This was my practice piece. It is not supposed to resemble anyone but have been told he looks vaguely familiar, poor soul!

This Wizard took me approximatley 4 hours to complete, I was really pleased with the result. It was also my first go at using an armature of wire, this was inserted up through his neck and went right to his toes. Previous models have usually had their heads held on with cocktail sticks, it works. Because his arms are so close to his body, no wire was required to hold them steady.

A close up of his face.

This is my Jester, very colourful, sitting holding his Jack-in-the-Box, which is just a little face on a piece of coiled wire stuck in his box. No armature was used on this peice, the main body and head were made out of one block of clay, first rolled into a ball and then gently rolled between thumb and index finger to form a divide for the head and body.

All in all not a bad weekend, clay wise that is.

Jobsworthy's

I have over the last month or so created some of the models for friends depicting their occupations, so far we have, a painter and decorator, a fireman and a pidgeon fancier. On the horizon there is to be a doctor, a hiker and possibly a plasterer. My customer service person could also fit into this catagory as could the teacher.




A couple of years ago I made two little monks for my sister, she collects wizards and dwarfs etc, so the Mad Monks fit into her collection quite nicely.

Singing from his hymn book, the hardest part of this model was getting his hood to ‘flow’ correctley.

This ‘naughty’ monk has had a little too much of the communion wine!

Winsome Witch pictured here was a special favourite with her multi coloured tights and snazzy star dress. She did not remain in my collection for very long, she was bought for a birthday present.

Christmas is an excellent time to show off your talents with Fimo, you can make tree ornaments, candle holders etc, the sky is the limit.Last year I discovered a new type of clay, Sculpey Ultralite and once baked this can actually float and will not bend the boughs of your tree. The angel is an example of a tree ornament that I made last year. These were incorporated onto Christmas cards. It being so light it does not bend your cards.

The Santa, I could not bear to put him away, so he sits on a shelf all year round.

If after looking at this blog you would like to contact me, please email judith.walton@talk21.com and please add your comments, I would be very interested to read any.

From Small Beginnings

HI
My name is Judith and I live in Bishop Auckland with my partner Steve and Oskar, our Rough Collie.
I first became interested in using Fimo Clay approximately 5 years ago when I picked up a book and began flicking through the pages describing the theory behind the craft and how to model and sculpt various items, It gave me the inspiration to ‘have a go’.
My first attempt turned out better than expected and as the story goes ............. I have not looked back. You can see some of my first attempts here.
As you can see one begat another and another and another ............... till I had filled a couple of shelves in the conservatory and there they lived quite happily until the decorating started and they were confined to the attic, I really must liberate them and give them some fresh air once again.

Freddy pictured here, sitting by Millie, did have an ice cream but he seems to have lost it, just in case you think he is licking thin air!

As pretty as a princess.

This is Pansy, along with her pet frog, Fraggle.
They make a hansome couple with her luxurious violet hair and dusky pink dress. Her tights are colour co-ordinated to match her hair and the flowers around her band. Fraggle is a lovely shade of green (he matches her tights). This now sits on my desk at work along with Mickey (in the yellow jumper above). They have also aquired a couple of critters to keep them company.

Pugsley and Peter , you can decide which is which. He guards my desk! gerroff that stapler ................

From Cowboys to Teenagers

I get my inspiration in many different forms, this is the result of watching a country singer on TV, it gave me a germ of an idea and this is the end product. Rather like his fetching stetson.

This rather tomboyish teenager reminds me of when my youngest was in her teens, (rather like a Kevin). She could always be found with a skateboard or skates, whizzing up and down the road.

More of the same

I created this model when I worked in a large customer services department, it 'lived' on my desk for quite a while and it attracted many comments from visitors to the company.

This was made as a present for my sister-in-law, you can probably make a wild guess at her occupation.