Batman Box Art

I've always been a big Batman fan.  When the animated series came out in the early 90's, I wanted to have every episode on video tape.  And I couldn't just record them and slop any old label on the tapes.  So, I ordered a whole case of black video boxes and inked my own artwork for the outer sleeve.  The box art even included graphics for the spine of the box.

Batman Box Art, October 1992

Samurai Shield Bugs

Here is another digital paper sculpture, Samurai Shield Bugs.  When you look at this insect upside-down, the shape and markings resemble a face or a mask.
All the patterns are created in Photoshop.  Then the patterns are printed on archival card stock and cut out.  The edges of each cutout piece is rounded using embossing tools.  Another, smaller, piece of card stock is cut out and glued behind each cutout piece.  This helps the embossed edges to hold their shape.  Then, using the original drawing as a guide, the cutouts are glued together to form the finished art.  Small pieces if illustration board and foam core are used to raise various areas of the piece to give it dimensionality.

 Samurai Shield Bugs, May 2008

Lighting

Making a nice piece of art is great, unless the photography is lacking.  Lighting is everything.  Flash is out of the question.  Harsh lighting, like flash, is unflattering when used on people and even more unkind when used on artwork.  Natural lighting is the way to go.  Here are two examples.

The first lion was taken using natural lighting, but it was strong sunlight streaming through a large open window.  It's very harsh and the shadows hide some of the details.

Here is the same lion.  I took him outside on a bright sunny morning, but the photo was taken in the shade behind a big white building.  I also positioned the shot slightly higher.  It makes the lion look more vulnerable, and cuter.  Big difference, huh?

Faux Wood Hippo

Here is the third in my Faux Wood Animal series.  The first one, a panda, took the better part of a month to complete.  Number two was a lion, and it took three weeks to finish.  This one took 2 weeks.  So I am improving, but I'm not there yet.
As with my other animals, this is made from Premo polymer clay and it is made to be a pendant.  It could, however, hang on a small wall or be displayed in a shadow box.  It is approximately 1 3/4" tall and wide.
All my polymer clay stuff is available at Etsy.com.  Look for Fauxhead, that's me.

Lucille Ball cutout

This caricature of Lucy was inked, airbrushed and cut out of illustration board.  I usually ruined a half  dozen x-acto blades freeing one of these projects from the thick board.

Lucille Ball, January 1992

Puss Moth Caterpillar

This was my last paper sculpture.  As with the last 20 or 30 paper sculptures I did, the color patterns were made in Photoshop and printed.  The patterns were then cut out, manipulated and assembled into the finished piece.  So, many of my paper sculptures look digital, when, in fact, they are paper sculptures made from digitally produced patterns.

  Puss Moth Caterpillar, August 2009

Lady Liberty

About 10 years ago, I took my oldest son, Tyler, to see the Statue of Liberty.  It was an interesting trip, filled with wonder and a car accident!   But we did get several nice pics of the statue, one of which was used to make this paper sculpture.  The fireworks are digital, of course.  It's hard to see in this smaller format, but my three sons are looking out of the headpiece of the statue.

 Lady Liberty, January 2002