beetlegrass

Stitch Wars Strikes Back: Admiral Ackbar Finger Puppet

Finished the first puppet, Admiral Ackbar, for the Stitch Wars Strikes Back group show, so I was eager for the sun to make an appearance to be able to take some photos! Click on the images to see them larger in a pop-up window.

A felted angora sweater was used to make his sweater.

Spouting his famous saying... 

Pants have 2 stipes -- 2 gold ribbons. Cuz just 1 wouldn't do.

A contemplative Admiral Ackbar... arms become poseable through the clever and applied use of straight pins.

   

Above, left: One of Ackbar's arms. He has 6 fingers, which I made by stitching knots on top of knots. Spots are needle felted in.

Above, right: A close-up of Ackbar's vest, which is made of wool/poly felt that I felted again (makes it softer, brings the texture out). Belt is made of ribbons and felt. Medal is made of beads.

The design of this puppet and its images are © Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Aftermarket

Orange thermos, $1.

"No More Gas", 50¢, joins the collection of interesting titles -- "The Strange Woman", "The Bizarre Sisters", "Spawn of the North".

Police tape, $0. Vendor called me over, "I have something for you." Oh? Digs around in a couple bins and gives me this roll. I will also accept: gold doubloons.

These images are © Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Illustration Friday: SOAKED

When they agreed to become state witnesses, Fabriczio, Vinny and Sal thought they'd be given new identities and be moved to some exotic locale. But no: they stayed in Providence and just got umbrellas. 

Other SOAKED illustrations here.

The names, concept & design of this puppet and their stories are the property of Megan E. Jeffery.This image is © Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Stitch Wars Sketching: Darth Vader

The thing about Darth Vader that would be tricky to pull off in wool is the fact that he's mostly all black, and sometimes distinctions in black don't read all that well in a photograph, and wool is really absorbent in more ways than one. So he'd need to have some reflective pieces that bounce light back so the viewer doesn't think they're looking at a hairy silhouette. (And, yes, I went to school with a guy named Harry Silhouette.)

SO, if I make a DV, I MAY make use of some polymer clay for parts of his uniform, to 1. get some reflective things working and 2. to introduce another texture, which is what the kids are all screaming for nowadays anyways.

Another thing about Darth Vader is that there are so many ways you can go with him: Spanish conquistador, football player, haute couture... so many other visual references that can be toyed with. And that's what we like: possibilities.

Other sketchings in this series: Ewoks C3PO Princess Leia Yoda

Stitch Wars Sketching: Yoda

Secrets Revealed: I usually say, "Thanking you I am" instead of a normal "Thank you". And that's as a direct result of Yoda's influence on our culture. My excuse. Sticking with it.

Some sketches of Yoda -- apparently I'm interested in his forehead grid. He'd be fun to do as a little-little puppet, and pulling down hard on the stitches in his forehead would create those nice lumps, or, as we say in our family, "bull- jezzzzzz". I have some green roving, so this guy is a contender!

Other sketchings from this series: Ewoks C3PO Princess Leia

Stitch Wars Sketching: Princess Leia

There's all sorts of stitchy possibilities in Princess Leia's outfits and uniforms -- quilted vests, drape-y hoods, cowls, gowns, and who can forget that interesting mix of metal and fabric found in her slave costume?  

Her hairstyles, too, give inspiration -- long braids -- wrapped on the sides of her head like spirals, around the back of her head like a crown, up on top of the head like a basket, hanging like giant hoop earrings -- fun to think of how to do that in fiber and in miniature!

Other sketchings from this series: Ewoks C3PO

Stitch Wars Sketching: C3PO

To continue with yesterday's post... It's likely that I'll be making a C3PO, because there's a great opportunity here for stitch work in the indentations in metal. Above all else, since the show is called "STITCH WARS STRIKES BACK", I want to be sure that STITCHES are featured in my work. 

Also, now that I've seen the beginnings of the Star Wars saga, and thus C3PO as he was being built, I'm intrigued with the notion of creating a version of him without all his plated coverings, because WIRES can so easily be translated as THREADS, but we shall see...

For these sketches, I was just trying getting a bead on what his basic shapes are and how he fits together. As you can see, I have a hard time NOT inflicting my own ideas onto him, hence the belted top with leggings. Sassy.

Stitch Wars Sketching: Ewoks

 

I've been invited to participate in Bear & Bird's "STITCH WARS STRIKES BACK" group show, which will showcase various artists' takes on the Star Wars genre, with a fiber-y bent.

So excited about this opportunity, which has equaled: research -- via internet, watching movies, getting out books, etc. For me, the BEST way to understand something is to draw it, so I'll do a short series on some of the various characters that are under consideration.

First up: EWOKS.

Around the time that "The Return of the Jedi" came out, 1983, my parents got a Shih Tzu, whom they named "MopSee Wok", partly because she looked like a mop, and partly because she resembled an Ewok. Drawing these Ewoks, I feel like once again I am drawing the li'l comic strip I worked on in college, because Shih Tzus and Ewoks really are so similar looking... right down to their little black lips.

Will provide more info about the show as we get closer to it!

Dough, My Dear.

More money-related idioms for you today -- this time with Babycakes Jr. chiming in!

"On the breadline" is an idiom that means to be very poor, having to wait on line for food from a government agency or charitable organization.

For Babycakes Jr. however, it just means CONGA TIME after all the loaves and rolls are baked.

"Rolling in it" is an idiom that means "very rich".

Which Babycakes Jr. is. In all the ways that matter.

Someone's "bread and butter" is the way they regularly earn their money.

For Babycakes Jr., his bread and butter is bread. But not the butter.

 

"Dough" is a slang term for money, and "raking in the dough" means to receive a lot of money; to earn a large salary.

For Babycakes Jr., it's something he needs to do and does to knead.

 

To be a "breadwinner" means that you support your family with the money you earn.

Babycakes Jr. also supports his family with his bakery (but his mom and dad pull their weight, let me tell you), in part by selling Award Winning Bread!

1st place: Baguette. 

1st place: Sliced Loaf.

1st place: Unsliced Loaf with Sesame Seeds.

Unfunny note: Thought I was done shooting for the day, when I looked up and a magazine I have hanging on my wall (yes, I have magazines hanging on my wall, shut up) said, "BREADWINNER". So I had to do one more picture!

[You can click on any of these images to see them larger in a pop-up window.]

The name, concept & design of this puppet and his stories are the property of Megan E. Jeffery.This image is © Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

This Week on Big & Little: Cue Balls

Didn't get anything at the flea market today, alas!! So instead, here's some big & small junk, lovingly photo'd by none other than moi.

This image is © Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.