The blog is moving

The title says it all. I'm picking up shop and moving to http://eponastudioblog.wordpress.com/

I'll try to get some of the older posts from here moved over there. Emphasis is on the word "try". If there is something you'd like to save from this blog (yes, of course I'm talking about the Scarlett tutorial), I'd advise you to do so now. If not, come on over to the new joint and check out the latest pretty ponies!

Fiore II is done! Pre-orders start NOW!

Well, I finally finished the big guy! I don't think I have ever put this much time and effort into sculpting a medallion, not even the New Orleans French Quarter Mule.


Fiore II is available for pre-order starting now. All the necessary information can be found on his webpage: http://eponastudio.com/fiore2.htm

Here are a few pictures, there are lots more on the website:

Vocabulary lessons

I'm learning all kinds of Spanish words on this project. For instance, that scarf like creature you see tied to the saddle is called a Manta Estribera. I had a great time making it flow all over the place. Right now, I think it looks great. I'm sure I'll hate myself when it comes time to cast this thing. You may notice that the fringe and the ring on the girth are both white. That's Translucent Liquid Sculpey, basically a liquid polymer clay. It bakes clear, and I'm concerned that it may become impossible for camera to register like that so I photographed it wet.

The saddle has been pared down to a more reasonable size (I think I forgot that I was sculpting in bas-relief for a little while there!) and I'm about to add the Pechopetral, which you can call a breastplate if you're not into learning Spanish vocabulary.

Time to saddle up!

I've just learned that it's exceptionally difficult to sculpt something you've never actually seen in person. My entire morning has been spent combing the internet for pictures of these saddles. I think I need to go to Spain. Does anyone want to buy me a ticket as your artistic contribution to the world? I'll give you a free Fiore II medallion. Heck, I'll even paint it for you. That's how generous I am!

Actually, I think I finally have a clear idea of the structure of these bad boys. I've been rolling the clay out in sheets with my mini rolling pin and cutting out the layers that will make up this saddle. The rider sits on a fleece pad that actually fits on top of the saddle (Lovely idea, that. I wish I'd heard of it back when I was trying to get back to riding after breaking my tailbone.). Sculpting fleece or dirt always involves a trip to the front yard for a broken stick, which makes just the perfect texture. We'll call it an all-natural, organic, sculpting tool.

You rug man! Gimme some tass-el!

Fiore II's mosquero, basically an extremely ornate fringed or tasseled fly mask, is now done. The tassels were made from little balls and triangles of clay with a hair pattern carved in. Sorry there are no pics of the process here but they are simply too tiny for my camera to handle. I think we're down to needing just a saddle and a few mane tassels unless I'm forgetting something... Almost done! Woohoo!


(The title of this post is a quote from Aladdin, in case anyone's wondering)

More Fiore updates

I know better. I really do. Every once in awhile, I will need to pry something open and instead of looking for a flat head screwdriver or some other cheap and easily available tool, I'll grab my carbide scraper. Invariably I'll break it. Every single time, I tell myself it'll be ok just this once and every time it breaks. I have never broken one using it for it's intended purpose of cleaning up mold lines and I have never failed to break one using it as a prying tool. Usually I break it at a very inconvenient time, like when I have an entire first shipment of medallions that need to be prepped before shipping out. Oops.

Fiore version one won't be mailed until my replacement scraper arrives. Sorry guys. Mea culpa. Maybe this time I'll learn...

What's happening in the studio

I'm taking a brief break from continued work on Fiore - Version 2 while I work on casting Fiore - Version 1. So far so good, if you don't count the stressful moment yesterday when I dumped actively reacting resin over my hand. It goes from liquid to solid in about 2 minutes and it gets HOT. Note to self: Always wear gloves!

Victrix has moved to eBay. Here is her direct link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230450395692

Finally, for those of you who don't know, I have a number of rabbits that live in my studio and can frequently be found hopping around my feet as I work. They are being particularly cute this week, so I just have to share a picture.



Much of today, tomorrow, and Friday will be spent out of the studio planting a veggie garden for them. Look for more Fiore II progress over the weekend if not before.