FANTASY ART & ASSORTED ODDNESS by Patrick W. Stewart
MASKS
Title: The Disturbed Dryad (October 2009)
Animated GIF-Click pic 2 activate
Materials: Napkins, white & wood glue, acrylic paint.
Description:
It'd been a while since I'd bothered to create anything special(ish) for Halloween. I thought it was about time to play again, hence the creation of this nugget of Halloweenieness. His name is Drachnunous, the disturbed dryad. For those who need information. Basic definition of Dryad: A tree spirit or forest guardian.
K????
The story behind Drachnunous:
Once, he was a happy, living Japanese Maple tree. His leaves were the most beautiful and brightest red. During his life he grew in the shadow of two large spruce trees. Through time they had always gotten along very well. They spread their roots in the same soil and drank the same rain. But, one season, a lengthy drought struck. There was barely a sprinkling of rain during this time. Now as trees are wise they had each stored away some water for just such a season. But, the spruce trees thirst became great and they soon drank all that they had saved. With their water now gone, they soon turned to Drachnunous and demanded that he give them some of his water. Being such a peaceful and generous creature, he told the spruces that he would gladly share a little with them until the dry spell concluded. He withdrew two of his roots from his supply and told them they could put in one small root each. This would have given them just enough to survive. They agreed to the kind offer and he trusted them. But instead of using their smaller roots they both extended their taproots deep into his reserve. In a short time, all of his water was gone but the drought continued on.
After a month had passed the two spruces had fallen into a deep slumber from the horrible dry spell. Needing less nourishment while asleep, they would survive from just a mere sprinkle on their greenery. Not so for Drachnunous. He could not become dormant and rest, nor could he drink enough through his foliage as most had dried up and fallen off. All he could do now was thirst and suffer and dwell on the thoughts of his betrayal by the spruces. Inside he was no longer the kind and peaceful creature he once was. Filled with anger and thirst he soon died. His darkened spirit now haunts the dead husk of his former life, unable to rest...and always thirsty. It is said that occasionally, in an effort to quell his unquenchable thirst, he will sometimes snatch a passerby and drain every drop of fluid from their body.
Alternate story:
He's a seriously pissed off tree due to all the kids toiletpapering him and his bretheren on Halloween. Also...he just loves the taste of little candy-stuffed children so he grabs as many as he can. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...tasty!!! Schluuuurp!!!!
The TRUE story:
Like I said up top, I'd wanted to make something to put out for Halloween. One of our Japanese maples had just passed away this year (2009). Not feeling like chopping the dead sucker down yet, I decided to make him into a Halloween prop...so to speak. I simply created a torso and some arms with hands out of galvanized wire and branches. I rigged it up in the tree to where the arms and body could sway and waggle with the wind. (Thank goodness it was windy Halloween night!!) Then I began to work on his face in my studio. He is constructed from papier macheishness (yes...that stuff again). I kind of wove it like you would a basket (or something basketlike), and, voila...tree facey goodness. I made him a springy neck out of a coat hanger covered with pm and placed a sleeve on the back of the mask to mount him. In the end I guess he was like a tree sized bobble-head. Once Halloween was over I just slipped his head off his wire neck and now he is a mere mask for the wall.
Description:
It'd been a while since I'd bothered to create anything special(ish) for Halloween. I thought it was about time to play again, hence the creation of this nugget of Halloweenieness. His name is Drachnunous, the disturbed dryad. For those who need information. Basic definition of Dryad: A tree spirit or forest guardian.
K????
The story behind Drachnunous:
Once, he was a happy, living Japanese Maple tree. His leaves were the most beautiful and brightest red. During his life he grew in the shadow of two large spruce trees. Through time they had always gotten along very well. They spread their roots in the same soil and drank the same rain. But, one season, a lengthy drought struck. There was barely a sprinkling of rain during this time. Now as trees are wise they had each stored away some water for just such a season. But, the spruce trees thirst became great and they soon drank all that they had saved. With their water now gone, they soon turned to Drachnunous and demanded that he give them some of his water. Being such a peaceful and generous creature, he told the spruces that he would gladly share a little with them until the dry spell concluded. He withdrew two of his roots from his supply and told them they could put in one small root each. This would have given them just enough to survive. They agreed to the kind offer and he trusted them. But instead of using their smaller roots they both extended their taproots deep into his reserve. In a short time, all of his water was gone but the drought continued on.
After a month had passed the two spruces had fallen into a deep slumber from the horrible dry spell. Needing less nourishment while asleep, they would survive from just a mere sprinkle on their greenery. Not so for Drachnunous. He could not become dormant and rest, nor could he drink enough through his foliage as most had dried up and fallen off. All he could do now was thirst and suffer and dwell on the thoughts of his betrayal by the spruces. Inside he was no longer the kind and peaceful creature he once was. Filled with anger and thirst he soon died. His darkened spirit now haunts the dead husk of his former life, unable to rest...and always thirsty. It is said that occasionally, in an effort to quell his unquenchable thirst, he will sometimes snatch a passerby and drain every drop of fluid from their body.
Alternate story:
He's a seriously pissed off tree due to all the kids toiletpapering him and his bretheren on Halloween. Also...he just loves the taste of little candy-stuffed children so he grabs as many as he can. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...tasty!!! Schluuuurp!!!!
The TRUE story:
Like I said up top, I'd wanted to make something to put out for Halloween. One of our Japanese maples had just passed away this year (2009). Not feeling like chopping the dead sucker down yet, I decided to make him into a Halloween prop...so to speak. I simply created a torso and some arms with hands out of galvanized wire and branches. I rigged it up in the tree to where the arms and body could sway and waggle with the wind. (Thank goodness it was windy Halloween night!!) Then I began to work on his face in my studio. He is constructed from papier macheishness (yes...that stuff again). I kind of wove it like you would a basket (or something basketlike), and, voila...tree facey goodness. I made him a springy neck out of a coat hanger covered with pm and placed a sleeve on the back of the mask to mount him. In the end I guess he was like a tree sized bobble-head. Once Halloween was over I just slipped his head off his wire neck and now he is a mere mask for the wall.
Title: Queen Chelsey's Prom Mask (2009)
Materials: Napkins, cardboard, metallic acrylic paint, wood & white glue and a wooden stick.
Description:
Twas my first mask design of this type. I created it for my niece to use at her high school senior prom. I designed it to match her outfit which was in shades of bronze and antique gold. Once again, this is another piece that falls into the papier mache(ish) area. All-in-all it took about a week to make, mostly due to waiting for layers to dry (and a few interruptions). The final product came out surprisingly durable and very flexible. It felt more like a piece of leather than "papier mache" because of the materials used. So, no need to worry about dropping it on the floor I suppose.
I will be making more designs to sell in the future. Keep watching!!!!! Feel free to make design requests, especially for fantasy themed ones--faeries, dragons, etc. I would love to get more into this area but need the motivation. Encouragement anyone???
Description:
Twas my first mask design of this type. I created it for my niece to use at her high school senior prom. I designed it to match her outfit which was in shades of bronze and antique gold. Once again, this is another piece that falls into the papier mache(ish) area. All-in-all it took about a week to make, mostly due to waiting for layers to dry (and a few interruptions). The final product came out surprisingly durable and very flexible. It felt more like a piece of leather than "papier mache" because of the materials used. So, no need to worry about dropping it on the floor I suppose.
I will be making more designs to sell in the future. Keep watching!!!!! Feel free to make design requests, especially for fantasy themed ones--faeries, dragons, etc. I would love to get more into this area but need the motivation. Encouragement anyone???
