Practice makes perfect!

I've been working lately on improving my art technique, especially in my weaker areas. Drawing people is a hard task, but I hope I'm hoping to get better. Here's some hands & eyes that I've been experimenting with.

Tolkien

I love my puppy, I really do. After our first [good] dog, Goliath, acquitted this earth, I wondered if we'd ever own another dog which I could love so much as I did Goliath. Turns out, I could. About exactly a year ago we brought Tolkien home. He's a pure-breed mutt, with some chow-chow in his blood, but for the first few months of his life he looked like a fluffy rottweiler. His ears remind me of satellite dishes, and combined with the mane of hair about his face, it would be an understatement to say his head looks rather disproportional. But aside from all these quirks that make him so great, that is not the reason I love him. I love him because, in many ways, I wanna be just like him. I've never met a human being take such an amazing view of life. (True, Tolkien isn't a human, but don't tell him I said that because he still thinks he's gonna look just like us when he grows up.) He's so easily pleased. When we were gardening a few days ago, he was puzzled that we'd throw away such perfectly lovable weeds. He chose a dandelion my mom had thrown out and proceeded to pounce, mouth, shake and toss it until there was hardly anything left. To him, everything is a toy. He does have a few favorite toys of course, such as the tire, deer bone, log, tow rope and ball of string. (I think that last one used to be a baseball, but it's hard to be sure now.) Tolkien is always happy. Nothing gets him down. He loves unconditionally, makes friends continually, kisses unreservedly, and would follow you to the ends of the earth.

Y'know, it's kind of sad-- how many people can you say that of? How many of us give completely of ourselves without trying to maintain our image, or get something out of the relationship? Couldn't we all learn a thing or two from dogs?

Zelda's Armor

Yay! Finally done the first part of my Zelda cosplay. I know, I'm a Zelda die-hard, so sue me. Here's how I spent my last five days:

First, cutting, layering and gluing pieces of craft foam into the right shape.

Held the individual pieces over a stove burner to heat and then shape them.

Painted with glue to apply a layer of cloth to the bottom side.

(The fabric gives the armor strength and resilience)

Cut the fabric away at the edges and decorated with fabric paint.

Painted a glue-water concoction to the outside to glossify it, give it more strength and keep the paint from seeping into the foam.

Four layers of glue later and it's time to paint!

The painting is now done and gems are glued on.

The armor pieces are glue-gunned together and ready to wear!

The crown/tiara is done too!

This entire part of the costume cost no more than $7. More patience was required though.

Hope to be wearing it all soon, along with the rest of my costume-to-be!