Sea Witch

As a Piscean and long-time lover of all watery things, this is a return to the Sea. Inspired by a wonderful documentary on the sighting of a Giant Squid by a Japanese Naturalist Tsunemi Kubodera, I began reading about the myth of Toyotama-hime, and created this sensual shape shifting self-portrait as the princess on her Selkie-like return to her sea-home.

Ophelia at the Feast of the Pale Man

Completed most of the scene now

Pan's Labyrinth has always been one of my favourite films;

 it's disturbing at times, but also magical and I love it.

The Pale Man is a gruesome and frightening character, but his feast seemed an excellent way to indulge my love of the film and display my collection of miniature foods!

This is a little bit of fun animating the pale man!

Trying out the scene inside the display case...it fits!

The Pale Man

Have completed the monstrous creature at my luscious red feast...the Pale Man

He's got 'open' joints so I can pose him in a variety of ways so he's looking a little more 'skeletal' than the one in the film...but he's close enough ;)

The Descent into the Underworld....

Those who have seen the movie will recognise who she is now of course!! 

The Pale Man is not quite finished yet...but then he will awake!!

Figures at the Feast...

Working now on some of the figures at the feast...this is the little girl and her two fairy guides...

She is OOAK 12th scale...see my hand for the size below...

This was her earlier at the sculpting stage...and the big hands of the other character at the feast...

Miniature Feast

Working on a 12th scale miniature feast...

Is looking very luscious so far :o)

Trying out the things made so far to check how much space remains...not much!! LOL

Now to make some figures...

Constructed some furniture to fit a case I have...

Tell it to the Bees

Drawing in pencil on paper...'Tell it to the Bees' 

Many cultures have mythologies about bees...

read about telling the bees here

and here

and a 3 part blog by andrew gough here!

The Curio Collector

The Curio Collector

12th scale OOAK figure

made for commission

Bee Lines

16x21inches/40x55cm

A study of bees

The drawing part I think is done, but am going to add some colour later....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2skW43HNpE

The Mad Professor

The Crazy Scientist at work is the subject of many films and books. This is the 2nd of these figures I've made...he's 12th scale and ooak.

He has 'steampunk' style goggles 

and various other pieces of mysterious equipment

 in his coat and apron and hanging from his person

A green version :o)

He's one of two figures recently completed for a commission.

Non Sine Sole Iris

Inspired by the painting of Elizabeth the 1st in 'The Rainbow Portrait' of c1600

12th scale OOAK figure dressed in orange silk and other vintage fabrics.

Durham Cathedral Sanctuary Ring

Pencil drawing on paper of the Sanctuary Ring 

Durham Cathedral

...above is an version of the replica made some years ago now to replace the ancient one which use to be on the door. The original can be seen inside the building.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durham_Cathedral

with my daughter claiming sanctuary c 2004

I did this very thing with my mum with the original in the late 1960s

Stephenson's "Rocket"

This is a 00 gauge model made up from a Dapol kit...

re-run of the old Airfix one.

It is sitting on a bit of 'track' I made from mixed-materials.

An old collector card of the Rocket as she was in later years of service.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephenson's_Rocket

decided not to use the large retaining button...which means if you run it along a bit vigorously the rod comes off the wheel...but no worries! The little pistons move with the wheels!

unfortunately the dapol kit is grey...the Airfix used to come in a yellow you could leave I guess. As I was using acrylics, this meant I had to prime the whole thing with a light coat first.