At one with Nature

Leading on from my last post, I want to make a ‘Creature’ costume for the Papercut Mag competition that I’m working with Deborah Selwood from Gecko Studios.

One of the categorises is ‘Animal instincts’. I want to make a horned headdress and a feminine huntress costume.

I like the idea of the hunted being the hunter, so want quiet a feminine feel to a hard material. I’ve decided to use heavy Veg-Tan leather which I normally use for leather armour and to make the outfit  look more natural . I also am planning to use the curly Goat horns I made for the Horn Tutorial (see older posts) for the headdress.

I’ve started to make leather leaves for the costume

After spending an afternoon playing around with leather I came up with this :-

 

They are quite time consuming to make and after cutting out 50, both Ruth and myself can barely move our fingers, also I now have so many cuts on my hands I look like I’ve been bareknuckle fighting

 

 

I found a pretty leaf which I liked the shape of and used it as a guide.From that I drew a template on tracing paper,

Wet the leather and traced the design onto it then cut out the leaf blank.

 

Tooled the veins and on some of the leaves added shading, so they all looked slightly different.

I then moulded the shape by manipulating the leather with my fingers and then allowed it to dry overnight (patience is definitely not my virtue)

I then painted/dyed the leaves with leather dye and then oiled and polished them

 

And Daa! Daa! Daa!

 

OK…… I’d like to say I’m finished but I only have 15 completely finished. Only 35 more to go!

Ready, Steady ….. GO!

Ursula is on hold for the moment, as I’ve had an amazing opportunity to work with Deborah Selwood from Gecko Studios. Deborah is a fantastic photograph who regularly uses Ronny (Capt’n Ron) as a model. I’ve know Ron for a very long time and often ask her to model as she is very patient with the ditzy stylist/designer (me) and ‘gets’ what I want, which is invaluable!

Here is Ronny in one of my creations (photos by my good friend Dug at Unit24 Productions)

 

Recently Deborah’s work has featured in Vogue UK, which is fantastic recognition for her. Ronny also was modelling the Vogue shoot:-

https://www.facebook.com/messages/583900800#!/photo.php?fbid=352968908047709&set=pt.115300968481172&type=1&theater

Check Deborah’s work out at    https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Gecko-Studios-Photography/115300968481172  or  http://www.geckophotography.co.uk/index.html 

And check out Capt’n Ron at https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/CaptinMaximus-Ron/280059882060695 .

 

Deborah has asked me to help out on a photo-shoot for Papercut Magazine. They are having a photo competition with three categories:-

 NATURAL DISASTERS
APOCALYPSE NOW

ANIMAL INSTINCTS

I’m aiming to provide costume and makeup suggestions for three shoots, but my brain is in overload. Ron is so versatile as a model and Deborah’s photos are stunning Arghhhhh! I want a year to prepare, but only have two and a bit weeks……….Eeeek

Just a little further..

 

Sooo the Ursula costume has come on a tiny bit.

I’ve spent the week making up the front panel and then working out the shape of the ‘boobs’.

However poor Ruth spent all of Wednesday rectifying my mistakes…. Yes I have learnt my lesson about paying more attention to how the links sit behind the scales…. Sorry Ruth!

Here is a  Scale Tutorial I found on Deviantart (by Khelgar), which I found useful:-

I have the front belt flap and the ‘boobies’ made up, I just need to mount the boobs onto the bra and make the contrasting small scale panels for the bra.

At the moment I’m considering having small scaled accents on the top of the bra and then a small diamond panel of small scales to hang from the centre of the bra.

 

The small scales are approx a third of the size of the large scales. I have to admit, I’m not looking forward to making up the panels.

Ooo I should also introduce Emily who is my work experience student (she is a 2nd year Theatre Deign student at Nott Trent Uni) who has been ring-ing up the scales for Ruth and I to put together. She has the patience of a saint - she likes, organising, cleaning, filing, washing up and ring-ing scales….totally insane, I tell you!

Lets get started…

So,  designing a costume is the easy bit. But now is the point where I have to start it and before you begin the ending always seams so far far away..

 

Anyhow. Tools at the ready I have  pliers, rings and scales. Later to include gloves (as I’ve reacted to the coating on the scales – not good)

I have discovered that the oil/coating on the scales reacts to my skin which results in extremely sore hands. Also while the rings I originally bought are easy to use, they are not that durable, so I have swapped for split rings (similar to what you get on keyrings), they are more fiddly but you can be rough with them and they stay in place.

After a few hours of cursing and swearing, I finally go in the swing of making up scale. There is a definite method of getting the rings to sit flat on the back of the scalemaile, If not it doesn't it looks kinked on the top/right side

Here is a photo of the underside (sitting smoothly)

And here is the photo of the topside… Nice eah!

 

I thought staring on the bra would be the easiest and quickest part of the costume to complete. I have the bra thanks to George at ASAD and thought making a triangle of diamond shape would work… However on reflection I think its the wrong shape and will have to change it…..But that’s for another day

I’ve got a model…. Woowhoooo and Yeeehaaa!!!!!!

I have a model for the Ursula costume… Get In!

 

Bex modelling my stuff from a previous photoshoot

 

Bex has kindly agreed to be my muse for this project. She is one of the UK’s top Gothic Fusion Dancers and is not only an amazing performer but is incredibly beautiful and thankfully has a great sense of humour and is always up for a challenge.

For anyone who is interested in Gothic Fusion, you should check her out - http://www.bexbellydance.co.uk/

Dark Witch Fusion

So after hitting the 4th week of a bad chest infection and recovery not in sight, I have decided to start a project that I can work on at home. My studio where I normally work has no heating what so ever and is feeling pretty miserable at the moment…. or maybe I’m just feeling sorry for myself and need to buck up.

Over the last few weeks I have exhausted my film collection and bookshelf, which has resulted in some ideas for quirky costume projects. One of which is very loosely inspired by the Little Mermaid and has resulted in  the ‘URSULA Dark-Witch Fusion Dance Costume’, which I’m in the process of finalising the design.

Here of some pictures I found from Google..

 

I Love the ‘scales’ in these pictures  and currently am planning to use silver coloured scales from www.theringlord.com to produce scalemaille Bra, Belt, Neck Corset and Headdress, along with a black skirt, pants and shrug.

Here is a photo of scale being used on a fashion garment, its a beautiful photo and I love the Gothic look

Tassel Bag

I have to confess I have a problem…

I’m addicted to Tassels, Fringing and Pom-Poms.

So when I found a remnant of tapestry fabric that was calling out to be made into a bag, I tried my best to add all three.

Sadly the Pom-Poms lost out. But I still think the Tassels and Fringing add that je ne sais quoi