tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43796443064091162092024-03-13T10:47:14.371-07:00ShadowCraft - The Artisan Blog of Angela R. SasserRevealing the being within through Masqeruade! Unique leather crafted masks and accessories by Angela R. Sasser. www.angelicartisan.comAngela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-43602247214415656552017-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:002017-01-31T00:00:03.040-08:00DESIGN DIARY: June's Mask<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #493f33; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’ve been looking forward to June’s mask for its simplistic color scheme and classical flower. The Rose birth flower combines with the Pearl birthstone promises to be a lovely color scheme which is one of my favorite color schemes, white and red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #493f33; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The biggest challenge with this mask was that there are a hundred ways to draw a rose. I knew from the start I wanted the large, classical petals, but should they be hyper-stylized or realistic?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://nouveauladies.angelicshades.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/june-mask-mood-board-low.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://nouveauladies.angelicshades.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/june-mask-mood-board-low.jpg" height="292" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #493f33; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the end, I went with something in-between stylized and realistic with an abstraction of the bloom centers to make carving easier on my hands. I also settled with a layout that allows me to focus on a good mixture of petals versus leaf texture without being too busy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #493f33; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here are a few shots of the mask before and after it was tooled and baked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #493f33; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">June’s mask ended up being one of the more striking color palettes than I had first realized! The contrast of the pearlescent underpainting with the red makes this mask stand out very much from the others. I used a combination of iridescent taupe and white paint layered into the base color of the mask to replicate the look of a freshwater pearl. Oh how very tempting it is to make endless variations of this mask with different colored roses!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Finished Mask</span></b><span style="color: #493f33; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/501535267/lady-of-december-turquoise-and-narcissus"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/501535267/lady-of-december-turquoise-and-narcissus" id="Picture_x0020_6" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 362.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 453pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"> <v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t"> <v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:/Users/Angela/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image005.jpg"> </v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nfePpnQPF7k/WIe2Xj8orYI/AAAAAAAACHw/Q9vrK5_nhF0Rv15MiPGuKLquHBDUeqXiQCLcB/s1600/June-Mask-Montage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nfePpnQPF7k/WIe2Xj8orYI/AAAAAAAACHw/Q9vrK5_nhF0Rv15MiPGuKLquHBDUeqXiQCLcB/s400/June-Mask-Montage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #493f33; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This mask is available at </span><a href="http://angelicartisan.etsy.com/"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">my Etsy shop</span></a><span style="color: #493f33; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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For more in-depth instruction with complete step-by-step narration, a materials list, etc., check out this <a href="https://gumroad.com/l/IHJHs" style="color: #33aaff;">Premium Video Tutorial</a> featuring the creation of February's Mask.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://gumroad.com/l/IHJHs" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b45f06; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" height="350" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RXz5Hc_3Hs8/V82OJ1uVRMI/AAAAAAAABvE/d_bd4jOW994IZ5DTYFRCPyQ1eMXuUvt6QCLcB/s400/lady-of-february-mask-tutorial--template.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-2664000053955280362016-12-28T08:26:00.001-08:002016-12-28T08:32:24.327-08:00DESIGN DIARY: December’s MaskAh <a href="http://www.angelicshades.com/wp-content/gallery/fine-art/lady-of-december-trad.jpg">Lady of December</a>! She was the painting that started it all. Back then, however, I hadn’t started making masks to match each Lady yet. Now that I’ve decided to challenge myself with this multimedia element, it’s time to revisit December’s themes as a mask!<br />
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The birthstone of December is Turquoise and the flower is the white narcissus. I’ve actually done prior research into the structure of this flower for the <a href="http://www.angelicshades.com/gallery/spirits-of-winter/#gallery/162/24">Advent Angel</a> piece created for my <a href="http://www.angelicshades.com/gallery/spirits-of-winter/">Spirits of Winter series</a>, who was actually the prototype birthstone image I did before I switched to the Ladies of the Months’ rectangular format instead.<br />
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Mood Board</h3>
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The funny thing about white narcissus is that they share a lot in common structurally with daffodils, being a variant of a similar plant, so I had some warm up with this flower already thanks to <a href="http://blog.angelicartisan.com/2016/03/design-diary-marchs-mask.html">March’s mask</a> and the aforementioned Advent Angel. I love the way the corona of petals overlap to give this flower its unique shape! I decided to go with the more rounded star-shaped for this mask, since I like the simplicity of it, which is much easier to carve.<br />
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Design</h3>
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I was actually pretty happy with my first try at this design. The flowers have elegant sweeping stem structures that fill up the space nicely with the bunches of blooms in the middle, crowning the mask in a balanced way.<br />
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Process Shots</h3>
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Here are some shots of the mask during the tooling phase and after it was baked and hardened. I’ve tried something different with the tooling for this flower by adding many thin lines in the petals with a stylus to give it a delicate textured feel. This is actually the same technique I’ve used to add texture to butterfly wings in leather.<br />
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<a href="http://nouveauladies.angelicshades.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/dec-mask-wip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://nouveauladies.angelicshades.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/dec-mask-wip1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>December’s mask proved to be too ambitious of a challenge when it came to painting! I had a mental image in my mind where golden veins would shine through a crackle texture of turquoise, much like the turquoise gemstone itself. However, the end was not so beautiful as my mental image. The crackle medium never seemed to work right on top of the gold dye I had used. </div>
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I would remember later that crackle medium requires you to seal the underpainting since dye leaves leather porous, which interferes with the crackle effect. The final look of the mask with the gold underpainting as a patina also made the mask look unfinished and sloppy, rather than antiqued.<br />
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Sometimes you have to kill your darlings and I decided to start over from scratch. If anyone would like this ‘reject’, drop me a line and I’ll give it to you for a good deal!<br />
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Starting the mask over from the beginning was frustrating, but at the very least, I could fix some of the carving errors I made and create an end product I could be fully proud of, rather than creating a sub-par end product.<br />
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This should also be a lesson to ALWAYS make test strips when using effects with special paint mediums just to make sure they’ll work right. Even in trying the crackle medium a second time, the crackles just weren’t dramatic enough! </div>
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On this second attempt, I used an underpainting of a darker green acrylic paint to create contrast and also provide a non-porous surface for the crackle medium. Even still, the effect was not as dramatic as I was hoping. Such is life! I sense a search for the perfect crackle medium in my future. You can see in the progress shots where I used a white underpainting on the floral elements to help make the colors that would come later brighter. The image on the right shows the completed mask after a Satin varnish has been added. The varnish adds a subtle shine even to the matte elements, which I really enjoy.</div>
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<a href="http://nouveauladies.angelicshades.com/wp-content/gallery/decembers-mask/dynamic/dec-mask-wip2.jpg-nggid0292-ngg0dyn-0x0x100-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://nouveauladies.angelicshades.com/wp-content/gallery/decembers-mask/dynamic/dec-mask-wip2.jpg-nggid0292-ngg0dyn-0x0x100-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Finished Mask<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/501535267/lady-of-december-turquoise-and-narcissus" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://nouveauladies.angelicshades.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Decembers-Mask-Final.jpg" height="640" width="441" /></a></div>
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This mask is available at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/501535267/lady-of-december-turquoise-and-narcissus" style="color: #b45f06; text-decoration: none;">my Etsy shop</a>!</div>
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For more in-depth instruction with complete step-by-step narration, a materials list, etc., check out this <a href="https://gumroad.com/l/IHJHs">Premium Video Tutorial</a> featuring the creation of February's Mask.<br />
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<a href="https://gumroad.com/l/IHJHs" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b45f06; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" height="350" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RXz5Hc_3Hs8/V82OJ1uVRMI/AAAAAAAABvE/d_bd4jOW994IZ5DTYFRCPyQ1eMXuUvt6QCLcB/s400/lady-of-february-mask-tutorial--template.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-31723297035370107572016-10-06T13:28:00.000-07:002016-10-06T15:21:56.264-07:00DESIGN DIARY: November's Mask<div style="color: #493f33; font-family: "IM Fell English", Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 17px; max-width: 100%;">
I've decided to accelerate my schedule with the Ladies to give people born later in the year a chance to get the masks and paintings now rather than having to wait another year. That means I'm exploring the themes of November, whose birthstone is Topaz and whose birth flower is chrysanthemums! November happens to be my own birth month as well, which means I'm personally attached to this time of chill winds and grey skies in the northern hemisphere.</div>
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<strong style="max-width: 100%;">Mood Board</strong></div>
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Chrysanthemums come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, from the fluffy round to long and thin spindles of the spider chrysanthemums. I've decided to go with a more traditionally round chrysanthemum, which will be a bit easier to carve than many long spindles. As always, I like to reference botanical drawings, which make it easier to observe leaf shapes and overall silhouettes of the flowers and stems. <a data-mce-href="http://www.pinterest.com/angelicshadow" href="http://www.pinterest.com/angelicshadow" style="color: #45ad9f; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> makes this reference gathering much easier.</div>
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<img alt="november-mask-ref-lowres" class="size-full wp-image-707 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://nouveauladies.angelicshades.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/november-mask-ref-lowres.jpg" src="http://nouveauladies.angelicshades.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/november-mask-ref-lowres.jpg" height="528" style="clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="1000" /></div>
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<strong style="max-width: 100%;">Designs</strong></div>
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I like to start with a few variations on the designs to see what kind of layout I prefer. I tried a big focal flower at first. By the end, I found myself preferring the way that bunches of mums and buds would fill up the space. I tried incorporating monarch butterflies on this mask in the bottom design since it's going to be in the final 2d painting for Lady of November, but I may save this for a special alternate design for myself, since it would break with the consistency of the series thus far.</div>
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<img alt="november-mask-designs-lowres" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-708" data-mce-src="http://nouveauladies.angelicshades.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/november-mask-designs-lowres.jpg" src="http://nouveauladies.angelicshades.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/november-mask-designs-lowres.jpg" height="1000" style="clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="744" /></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here are a few progress shots of November’s
Mask in the making! I did something
different this time by doing a complete underpainting of white in both the
flowers and the stems, which made the final colors even brighter. I also used a
coat of interference gold beneath the orange to create a subtle shimmer in the
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You can also watch a video of this mask in the making here:</div>
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<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Finished Mask<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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This mask is available at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/469482862/lady-of-november-topaz-and-chrysanthem?ref=shop_home_active_2">my Etsy shop</a>!</div>
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In return for your support, you'll receive early access sneak peeks, digital goodies, and more!</div>
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Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-51725334993061058132016-09-05T08:26:00.000-07:002016-10-06T13:39:40.338-07:00DESIGN DIARY: May's MaskMay's mask marks a shift from the previous masks, which have been a lot more colorful. With the birthstone being Emerald and the stems being green, it was going to be an interesting challenge!<br />
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<b data-blogger-escaped-style="background-color: #fffffa; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">Reference Gathering:</b><br />
I gather my references <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/angelicshadow">on Pinterest</a> where I find multiple views of the flower from the side and front. I also wanted to find reference of the bright colored seeds, which I knew would add a burst of color to this monochromatic mask. Flower Note: All parts of the Lily of the Valley are extremely poisonous! On the other hand, the red berries of the Hawthorne flower, the other flower for May, can be used for medicinal purposes. Life and death berries! I love that.<br />
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<img alt="ref-sheet-may-mask-lowres" class="aligncenter wp-image-1081" src="http://www.angelicartisan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/ref-sheet-may-mask-lowres-1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></b>
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<strong>Design:</strong></div>
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I tried out a couple of layout variations and decided I liked the more symmetrical one so I could show different angles of the blooms for more visual interest throughout the mask.</div>
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<img alt="maymaskdesignlowres" class="aligncenter wp-image-1080 " src="http://www.angelicartisan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/maymaskdesignlowres.jpg" height="126" width="400" /></div>
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<strong>Work-in-Progress:</strong></div>
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Here are a few peeks at the mask in progress! By the end, I decided on a dark green to help set off the bright green stems and white blossoms, which resulted in a much darker mask than usual. I brought a little subtle shine back to the mask by adding a few tiny rhinestones in key places. In the end, I think this mask is one of the most elegant masks yet!</div>
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<img alt="may-mask-wip1" class="aligncenter wp-image-1085" src="http://www.angelicartisan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/may-mask-wip1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></div>
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<img alt="may-mask-wip2" class="aligncenter wp-image-1086" src="http://www.angelicartisan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/may-mask-wip2.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></div>
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You can also watch a time lapse of the mask in the making here:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1dxg0mA5nWA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1dxg0mA5nWA?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
The Finished Mask</h3>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/476501001/lady-of-may-emerald-and-lily-of-the?ref=shop_home_active_12" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YeLcqPGX2vw/V_ayO3SCp9I/AAAAAAAAB2s/ry8hnSfoAuYXMB_RR6jDX00786xiHLZqQCLcB/s400/May%2BMask.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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This mask is available at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/476501001/lady-of-may-emerald-and-lily-of-the?ref=shop_home_active_12">my Etsy shop</a>!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px; text-align: -webkit-center;">
<b>Remember</b>, you can pre-order one of these unique limited edition masks at the <a class="external" href="http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://www.patreon.com/nouveauladies" style="color: #3b5a4a; display: inline-block; zoom: 1;">Ladies' Patreon</a>. Only TEN of each mask in this birthstone series will ever be made!</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px; text-align: -webkit-center;">
<br /></div>
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For more in-depth instruction with complete step-by-step narration, a materials list, etc., check out this <a class="external" href="http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://gumroad.com/l/IHJHs" style="color: #3b5a4a; display: inline-block; zoom: 1;">Premium Video Tutorial</a> featuring the creation of February's Mask.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://gumroad.com/l/IHJHs" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="350" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RXz5Hc_3Hs8/V82OJ1uVRMI/AAAAAAAABvE/d_bd4jOW994IZ5DTYFRCPyQ1eMXuUvt6QCLcB/s400/lady-of-february-mask-tutorial--template.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
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Like this series and want to help it be the best it can be?</div>
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Sponsor the <a href="http://www.patreon.com/nouveauladies">Ladies of the Months on Patreon</a>!</div>
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In return for your support, you'll receive early access sneak peeks, digital goodies, and more!</div>
Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-39434406014816606272016-06-24T09:57:00.000-07:002016-06-24T09:57:00.532-07:00ARTISAN FEATURE: Fairytas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i.imgur.com/AUpGTGe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i.imgur.com/AUpGTGe.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Featuring Fairytas, whose amazing prop, makeup, & sense of color transform a person completely into something with otherworldly beauty.</div>
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For more of Fairytas’ work - <a href="http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fairytas.com%2F&t=YzM4ZTFkNjBhMjk1ZGJiZWFmN2Y5NjQ4MzFmZmE2MGQyNDI3NDNkYSxvdlhWVGNXOA%3D%3D" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(68, 68, 68, 0) 50%, rgba(68, 68, 68, 0.247059) 0px); background-position: 0px 1.15em; background-repeat: repeat-x; background-size: 1em 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.15em; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.fairytas.com/</a></div>
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<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" data-id="a/xDErM" lang="en">
<a href="https://imgur.com/a/xDErM">ARTISAN FEATURE: Fairytas</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js"></script>Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-37757062846951125262016-05-31T11:30:00.000-07:002016-09-05T08:25:21.192-07:00DESIGN DIARY: April's Mask<span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">March's Mask was an interesting color palette challenge. April's Mask proved to be yet another challenge with its inspirations, the diamond gemstone and daisy birthflower! First off, how does one represent diamond? In the past, I've been making the main part of the mask match the color of the gemstone, but if I simply made this mask white, it could easily be confused with pearl. The solution - interference paints! More about them in the WiP shots coming up.</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">Reference Gathering:</b><br />
<span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">The usual mood board in Pinterest. Botanical drawings make for great reference of structure. I also made sure to get various photos of the flowers at different angles so I can get an idea of structure, which will inform my decorative abstraction of them for the mask.</span><br />
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<a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="6824327373596840" data-embed-type="deviation" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="450" data-fullview-width="800" data-fullview="http://orig05.deviantart.net/1bd5/f/2016/149/3/f/april_mask_ref_board_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-da49q37.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/01v70sprbtew" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="April-Mask-Ref-Board-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig05.deviantart.net/1bd5/f/2016/149/3/f/april_mask_ref_board_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-da49q37.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="April-Mask-Ref-Board-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></div>
<b style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"></b><br style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" />
<b style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">Design:</b><br />
<span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">I sketched the rough layout based on the placement of flowers already set forth by </span><a class="external" href="http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://nouveauladies.angelicshades.com/gallery-of-masks/januarys-mask/" style="background-color: #fffffa; color: #3b5a4a; display: inline-block; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px; zoom: 1;">January's Mask</a><span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"> to keep the series looking uniform. The most challenging part of this step was trying to keep the mask simple enough that it would be possible to carve without too much trouble. I ended up having to remove some of the flowers I had originally put in the bunch, by the end.</span><br />
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<a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="1741092256886884" data-embed-type="deviation" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="450" data-fullview-width="800" data-fullview="http://orig11.deviantart.net/db45/f/2016/149/7/5/design_sketch___april_mask_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-da49q7q.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/0h55yqo2wdg" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="Design-sketch---april-mask-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig11.deviantart.net/db45/f/2016/149/7/5/design_sketch___april_mask_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-da49q7q.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Design-sketch---april-mask-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></div>
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<b>Work-in-Progress:</b></div>
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Here are a few photos of the mask in the making! I'll be putting together a time lapse video of the creation of this mask later so you can see this in motion.</div>
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After tooling and shaping.<br />
<a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="8722038439280354" data-embed-type="deviation" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="450" data-fullview-width="800" data-fullview="http://orig14.deviantart.net/9c32/f/2016/149/1/8/april_mask_tooling_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-da49q31.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/02dvpd56dzhe" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="April-mask-tooling-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig14.deviantart.net/9c32/f/2016/149/1/8/april_mask_tooling_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-da49q31.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;" title="April-mask-tooling-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></div>
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The finished mask plus steps of the paint layering of the flowers.</div>
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<a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="835655350234825" data-embed-type="deviation" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="450" data-fullview-width="800" data-fullview="http://orig09.deviantart.net/050f/f/2016/149/e/6/april_mask_dyeing_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-da49q3d.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/0887qrnjqa1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="April-mask-dyeing-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig09.deviantart.net/050f/f/2016/149/e/6/april_mask_dyeing_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-da49q3d.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;" title="April-mask-dyeing-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" /></a><br />
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To get the 'diamond' base for the mask, I painted a layer of white, then covered the white with blue interference paint, which created a 'frosted' crystalline kind of look. It's hard to capture in these photos, so definitely check out the video of the shine in action!</div>
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A video of the final mask:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dzzU3epj7GU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dzzU3epj7GU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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A time lapse of the mask in the making:</div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5mXtP0Ni4D8/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5mXtP0Ni4D8?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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This is a more subdued mask than usual, but I'm hopeful even subdued masks might have their fans.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Buy the finished mask <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/384791162/lady-of-april-diamond-and-daisy-leather?ref=shop_home_active_1">here</a>!</span></div>
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<b>Remember</b>, you can pre-order one of these unique limited edition masks at the <a class="external" href="http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://www.patreon.com/nouveauladies" style="color: #3b5a4a; display: inline-block; zoom: 1;">Ladies' Patreon</a>. Only TEN of each mask in this birthstone series will ever be made!</div>
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<div align="center" style="font-size: 13px;">
For more in-depth instruction with complete step-by-step narration, a materials list, etc., check out this <a class="external" href="http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://gumroad.com/l/IHJHs" style="color: #3b5a4a; display: inline-block; zoom: 1;">Premium Video Tutorial</a> featuring the creation of February's Mask.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://gumroad.com/l/IHJHs" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="350" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RXz5Hc_3Hs8/V82OJ1uVRMI/AAAAAAAABvE/d_bd4jOW994IZ5DTYFRCPyQ1eMXuUvt6QCLcB/s400/lady-of-february-mask-tutorial--template.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-13250600253568652922016-03-28T08:36:00.002-07:002016-05-04T16:05:11.158-07:00DESIGN DIARY: March's MaskWith <a href="http://blog.angelicartisan.com/2016/03/design-diary-februarys-mask.html">February's mask</a> fresh in my mind, March's mask presented a unique challenge with a completely different flower and color scheme.<br />
<br />
<b>Reference Gathering:</b><br />
<br />
I always begin by gathering references of different angles of the flowers, usually photos and botanical drawings to inform the shape of the flower.<br />
<div align="center" style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
<a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="945412968236487" data-embed-type="deviation" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="450" data-fullview-width="800" data-fullview="http://orig04.deviantart.net/81c1/f/2016/078/2/4/lady_of_march_ref_sheet_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9vo7w7.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/09b4cpzg5af" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="Lady-of-march-ref-sheet-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig04.deviantart.net/81c1/f/2016/078/2/4/lady_of_march_ref_sheet_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9vo7w7.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Lady-of-march-ref-sheet-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></div>
<br style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" />
<b style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">Design:</b><br />
<span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">Using January's mask as a base, I arranged my main blossom elements on a template in Photoshop. This time, I had two different alternate arrangements and decided to go with the more symmetrical layout. I liked that blossoms on the side provide more interesting variations of shapes and also take up more space, especially when the stems are added into the design later.</span><br />
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<div align="center" style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
<a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="5562681831513998" data-embed-type="deviation" data-embed-width="495" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="238" data-fullview-width="800" data-fullview="http://orig12.deviantart.net/76a5/f/2016/078/c/4/mark_mask_design_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9vo9h4.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/01irt0r6alxq" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="Mark-mask-design-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig12.deviantart.net/76a5/f/2016/078/c/4/mark_mask_design_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9vo9h4.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline; width: 495px;" title="Mark-mask-design-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">After the stems are added, the design looks something like the rough design below. Then it was a matter of cleaning up the lines, figuring out where I want my lines to overlap each other, and printing them out for transfer.</span><br />
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<div align="center" style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
<a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="2100004271168727" data-embed-type="deviation" data-embed-width="232" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="476" data-fullview-width="800" data-fullview="http://orig13.deviantart.net/f521/f/2016/078/9/5/mark_mask_design_rough_design_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9vockx.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/0koe0n6jt93" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="Mark-mask-design-rough-design-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://t14.deviantart.net/As0c6eCkjuLBmHp0NBEAaAzLQEE=/fit-in/300x900/filters:no_upscale():origin()/pre06/00ce/th/pre/f/2016/078/9/5/mark_mask_design_rough_design_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9vockx.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline; width: 232px;" title="Mark-mask-design-rough-design-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></div>
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<div align="center" style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
<b>Work-in-Progress Shots</b><br />
<br />
<b><a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="6884910695277155" data-embed-type="deviation" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="450" data-fullview-width="800" data-fullview="http://orig15.deviantart.net/56b1/f/2016/078/3/9/march_mask_phase_1_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9vonpy.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/01vshwb4uaub" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="March-mask-phase-1-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig15.deviantart.net/56b1/f/2016/078/3/9/march_mask_phase_1_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9vonpy.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="March-mask-phase-1-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></b><br />
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<b><a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="326382059062365" data-embed-type="deviation" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="450" data-fullview-width="800" data-fullview="http://orig05.deviantart.net/f901/f/2016/078/5/2/march_mask_phase_2_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9vonps.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/037oxuj13rx" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="March-mask-phase-2-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig05.deviantart.net/f901/f/2016/078/5/2/march_mask_phase_2_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9vonps.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="March-mask-phase-2-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></b><br />
<br />
<b><a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="6888821332170629" data-embed-type="deviation" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="450" data-fullview-width="800" data-fullview="http://orig06.deviantart.net/e574/f/2016/078/1/1/march_mask_phase_4_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9vonpk.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/01vtvstx2tmt" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="March-mask-phase-4-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig06.deviantart.net/e574/f/2016/078/1/1/march_mask_phase_4_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9vonpk.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="March-mask-phase-4-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" /></a><br /><br /><a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="2116787284629885" data-embed-type="deviation" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="585" data-fullview-width="800" data-fullview="http://orig15.deviantart.net/563f/f/2016/078/7/3/march_mask_final_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9voovh.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/0kuc6njfuyl" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="March-mask-final-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig15.deviantart.net/563f/f/2016/078/7/3/march_mask_final_lowres_by_angelic_artisan-d9voovh.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="March-mask-final-lowres by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></b></div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
The final product:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/274066692/lady-of-march-aquamarine-and-daffodil" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w8cKfkfKuMo/VvlPMSdmPVI/AAAAAAAABac/LHLt8kFh_4cD_7XktMb1_9dS3qqVWI26A/s400/lady-of-march-mask-lowres.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
A video turnaround of the finished mask:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SVTdyQNQi0s/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SVTdyQNQi0s?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
A time lapse video of the mask's creation:</div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lx2Is6Xa2PQ" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more in-depth instruction with complete step-by-step narration, a materials list, etc., check out this <a href="https://gumroad.com/l/IHJHs">Premium Video Tutorial</a> featuring the creation of February's Mask.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
March's mask is available at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/288745337/lady-of-march-aquamarine-and-daffodil?ref=shop_home_active_11">my Etsy shop</a>. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Because this is such an intense mask, only 10 of them will ever be made!</b></div>
Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-90493266165785781472016-03-27T09:12:00.002-07:002016-03-27T09:13:19.730-07:00Artisan Feature: The Skull Carvings of Rachel Lee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://40.media.tumblr.com/d0b70c504c77812dec4a5f65791fe56b/tumblr_o4lp5sPJD81s1xlxko7_r2_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://40.media.tumblr.com/d0b70c504c77812dec4a5f65791fe56b/tumblr_o4lp5sPJD81s1xlxko7_r2_1280.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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This month’s inspiring artisan is Rachel Lee. There’s something ritualistic, otherworldly, and entrancing about her tedious, meditative carvings in bone. I could stare at them forever!</div>
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More of Rachel’s work - <a href="http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Frachelleeart.bigcartel.com%2F&t=NTViYzY4M2NmNDc0ZmQ2ZWNiODBhNzdiYTVjZWNmODg2ZmJhOTNhZSxpWFFnQTJZQQ%3D%3D" style="border: 0px; color: #238db1; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 1px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://rachelleeart.bigcartel.com/</a></div>
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<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" data-id="a/xHSPq" lang="en">
<a href="https://imgur.com/a/xHSPq">Artisan Feature: Rachel Lee</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js"></script>Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-2422191976898740982016-03-02T10:52:00.003-08:002017-01-21T08:10:11.379-08:00DESIGN DIARY: February's MaskI'm excited to begin work on February's mask! It's been a long time since I've been able to craft because of general life challenges, but I'm happy to dive back in for this project! While I'm a painter by day, crafting is my relaxation hobby that allows me to experiment creatively in a different way than painting does.<br />
<br style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" />
<span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">I've been wanting to create the rest of the month masks ever since I first made the </span><a href="http://blog.angelicartisan.com/2014/02/design-diary-januarys-mask.html" style="background-color: #fffffa; color: #337287; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19.5px; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">prototype of the January Mask</a><span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"> back in 2010. I eventually created a new version with a sleeker look and a more interesting silhouette:</span><br />
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<div align="center" style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
<a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="209489059" data-embed-type="deviation" data-embed-width="302" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="907" data-fullview-width="900" data-fullview="http://img07.deviantart.net/3dd0/i/2014/311/1/d/january_s_mask_v2_by_angelic_artisan-d3gq2sj.jpg" href="http://angelic-artisan.deviantart.com/art/January-s-Mask-v2-209489059" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="January's Mask v2 by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://img07.deviantart.net/3dd0/i/2014/311/1/d/january_s_mask_v2_by_angelic_artisan-d3gq2sj.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline; width: 302px;" title="January's Mask v2 by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></div>
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<h4 style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: -1px; margin: 0px;">
Inspiration:</h4>
<span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">I'm a lover of everything of the </span><a class="external" href="http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Nouveau" style="background-color: #fffffa; color: #3b5a4a; display: inline-block; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px; zoom: 1;">Art Nouveau</a><span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"> and </span><a class="external" href="http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_and_Crafts_movement" style="background-color: #fffffa; color: #3b5a4a; display: inline-block; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px; zoom: 1;">Arts & Crafts</a><span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"> movements. They were inspired by organic and naturalistic beauty and created lovely floral designs. I wanted to bring something of that aesthetic to my masks. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" />
<span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">February's mask will be purple, like the Amethyst birthstone for the month. The February birthflowers are violets and primroses.</span><br />
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<h4 style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: -1px; margin: 0px;">
Reference Gathering:</h4>
<span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">Before I begin, I study botanical drawings and photos of the birthflowers to get a better sense of how I can abstract them. For example, I take note that the shape of the violet flower is hexagonal, which will be useful in simplifying them later.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" />
<a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="2349841725035571" data-embed-type="deviation" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="576" data-fullview-width="1024" data-fullview="http://img03.deviantart.net/c2ff/i/2016/041/1/a/february_mask_references_by_angelic_artisan-d9r8eng.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/0n4y6dvyy43" style="background-color: #fffffa; box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19.5px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="February-mask-references by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://img03.deviantart.net/c2ff/i/2016/041/1/a/february_mask_references_by_angelic_artisan-d9r8eng.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;" title="February-mask-references by Angelic-Artisan" /></a><br />
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<h4 style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: -1px; margin: 0px;">
Process:</h4>
<span style="background-color: #fffffa; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">I usually like to begin my design process by using a croquis (essentially a mannequin form that is repeated) and exploring various location for the design elements.</span><br />
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<a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="1050741188139654" data-embed-type="deviation" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="150" data-fullview-width="600" data-fullview="http://orig04.deviantart.net/b33f/f/2016/041/3/4/jan_mask_thumbs_1__by_angelic_artisan-d9r89ir.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/0acgfu631xi" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="Jan-mask-thumbs[1] by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig04.deviantart.net/b33f/f/2016/041/3/4/jan_mask_thumbs_1__by_angelic_artisan-d9r89ir.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Jan-mask-thumbs[1] by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></div>
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Here's another example of my design process utilizing the croquis figure. I also offer a downloadable croquis for others to use <a class="external" href="http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://gumroad.com/l/mloKd" style="color: #3b5a4a; display: inline-block; zoom: 1;">here</a>.</div>
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Crafter's Choice Patrons of my main <a class="external" href="http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://www.patreon.com/angelicartisan" style="color: #3b5a4a; display: inline-block; zoom: 1;">Artisan Patreon</a> should be able to access this croquis for free<a class="external" href="http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.patreon.com/posts/4392278" style="color: #3b5a4a; display: inline-block; zoom: 1;">here</a>:</div>
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<a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="300195209" data-embed-type="deviation" data-embed-width="376" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="727" data-fullview-width="800" data-fullview="http://orig03.deviantart.net/0697/f/2013/092/4/8/dark_knight_mask_design_sketches_by_angelasasser_artisan-d4yq83t.jpg" href="http://angelic-artisan.deviantart.com/art/Dark-Knight-Mask-Design-Sketches-300195209" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="Dark Knight Mask Design Sketches by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig03.deviantart.net/0697/f/2013/092/4/8/dark_knight_mask_design_sketches_by_angelasasser_artisan-d4yq83t.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline; width: 376px;" title="Dark Knight Mask Design Sketches by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></div>
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However, with this particular mask design, I wanted to echo the original January mask's elements so that the entire series of month masks will look cohesive. With that in mind, I simply drew my design motif directly on top of January's pattern.</div>
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<a class="embedded-deviation embedded-image-deviation" data-embed-id="6601186260980555" data-embed-type="deviation" data-embed-width="310" data-extension="jpg" data-fullview-height="997" data-fullview-width="600" data-fullview="http://orig09.deviantart.net/7183/f/2016/041/e/8/february_mask_wip_by_angelic_artisan-d9r8fm7.jpg" href="http://sta.sh/01szxb3q7j9n" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #337287; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><img alt="February-mask-wip by Angelic-Artisan" src="http://orig09.deviantart.net/7183/f/2016/041/e/8/february_mask_wip_by_angelic_artisan-d9r8fm7.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline; width: 310px;" title="February-mask-wip by Angelic-Artisan" /></a></div>
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<b>1. Major design elements.</b></h4>
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Working in Photoshop CC, I started drawing my new design in a layer atop the original pattern for the January mask. The first thing I lay in are the major shapes of the flowers, spacing them out in such a way that the design has breathing room and isn't too busy while echoing the layout of the January mask. The blooms of the Violets and Primroses plus the large round shapes of the Violet's leaves lend themselves well to this purpose.</div>
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<b>2. Secondary design elements. </b> The stems and long thin leaves of the Primroses act as my secondary design elements, allowing me to have fun with overlapping knotwork-type lines that let me abstract the flower stems into a decorative element. These elements also repeat the shape of January's Snowdrops and stems for continuity.</div>
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<b>3. Cleaning up the design. </b> On a new layer above the sketchy layers, I actually copy and paste half of the design and mirror it so I don't have to redraw part of it. Then, I clean up the design to create slightly asymmetrical overlaps, especially in the bridge of the nose, which is generally the most interesting area of any mask design that people focus on.</div>
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<b>Phases of the Crafting Process</b></h3>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start;">TOOLS & MATERIALS:</b></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">I have an interactive list of tools and materials <a href="http://blog.angelicartisan.com/p/tools-materials.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- 8 oz Leather (I buy the single shoulder from Tandy when it goes on sale)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Swivel Blade (I use a ceramic filigree blade)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Leather Shears</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Modeling Spoon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Edge Slicker</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Ballpoint Pen</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Bevel Stamps (B203, B197)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Acrylic Paints (various brands, mainly FolkArt)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Brushes (I reuse my old watercolor brushes. Stiff synthetic bristles work best)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Parchment Paper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Wax Paper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- An Oven</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Sponges</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Woodburning Tool</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Liquitex Satin Varnish</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Sticky Back Moleskin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">- Ribbon</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><br />Phase 1:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">The mask design is printed out and transferred onto the leather by tracing with a pen. The pressure of tracing transfers the design onto the dampened leather. The design is then cut from the hide with leather sheers.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Phase 2:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">I then tool the leather after casing it over night. Casing involves dampening the leather and leaving it wrapped in plastic wrap all night so that the leather absorbs the moisture and becomes optimally receptive to receiving impressions. I use the bevel stamps and modeling spoon to press in the designs and shape them. The edges of the mask are also rounded and smoothed to create a nicer edge.</span></div>
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<img class="writer-deviation-image writer-embed" data-embed-author="Angelic-Artisan" data-embed-id="4346574132353068" data-embed-naturalheight="450" data-embed-naturalwidth="800" data-embed-provider="sta.sh" data-embed-thumb200height="169" data-embed-thumb200width="300" data-embed-title="Feb-mask-phase2" data-embed-type="deviation" data-embed-url="http://sta.sh/016sqcl96n8s" src="http://orig04.deviantart.net/9d7f/f/2016/047/5/4/feb_mask_phase2_by_angelic_artisan-d9s0dz8.jpg" style="border-style: none; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; height: auto; max-width: 100%; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;" /></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><br /></b> <b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Phase 3:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">Once tooling is complete, I soak the mask in water completely then bake it in the oven at a low temperature. Every few minutes, I take the mask out and shape it, pinching the nose and curving it where needed. Parchment paper is used to prop the mask in the oven and protect it from being scalded by the oven rack.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Phase 4:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">I first dye the leather with leather dye, which makes for a smooth even undercoat that primes the surface for painting with acrylics next. Where I want more vibrant colors, I first paint a coat of white before I paint on the proper colors. Once I'm done painting, I give the mask a light coating with a workable spray fixative to keep the dyes from coming up when I paint the varnish on.</span></div>
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<img class="writer-deviation-image writer-embed" data-embed-author="Angelic-Artisan" data-embed-id="4100436663842760" data-embed-naturalheight="450" data-embed-naturalwidth="800" data-embed-provider="sta.sh" data-embed-thumb200height="169" data-embed-thumb200width="300" data-embed-title="Feb-mask-phase4" data-embed-type="deviation" data-embed-url="http://sta.sh/014dheljij0o" src="http://orig10.deviantart.net/2a36/f/2016/047/5/2/feb_mask_phase4_by_angelic_artisan-d9s0fuw.jpg" style="border-style: none; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; height: auto; max-width: 100%; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;" /></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Phase 5:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">The mask is sealed with Liquitex Satin varnish, which preserves the metallic and matte textures and provides extra protection. Sticky back moleskin is applied in key places on the back of the mask to heighten the comfort. I then finish it all off by punching holes where ribbons are tied through so the mask can be worn on the face. Finally, the mask is signed and numbered with a woodburning tool.</span></div>
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<img class="writer-deviation-image writer-embed" data-embed-author="Angelic-Artisan" data-embed-id="792740374357905" data-embed-naturalheight="800" data-embed-naturalwidth="711" data-embed-provider="sta.sh" data-embed-thumb200height="200" data-embed-thumb200width="178" data-embed-title="Sneak-peek-lady-of-feb" data-embed-type="deviation" data-embed-url="http://sta.sh/07t03wexxu9" src="http://orig12.deviantart.net/987d/f/2016/047/8/d/sneak_peek_lady_of_feb_by_angelic_artisan-d9s0kb9.jpg" style="border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">Enjoy this early look at the completed mask for Lady of February! If you'd like to pre-order this mask, you can do so via the </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Mask Collector</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;"> tier over on </span><a class="external" href="http://www.patreon.com/angelasasser" style="color: #3b5a4a; display: inline; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start; zoom: 1;">Patreon</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">After Patreon pre-orders are processed, the mask will be made available to the public at </span><a class="external" href="http://angelicartisan.etsy.com/" style="color: #3b5a4a; display: inline; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start; zoom: 1;">my Etsy shop</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">.</span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start;"> Because this is such an intense mask, only 10 of them will ever be made! </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">Want a more in-depth tutorial of this mask's process? Upgrade to my </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Premier Patron </b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">tier on <a href="http://www.patreon.com/angelasasser">Patreon</a></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;"> to access the <a href="http://www.gumroad.com/angelicartisan">PREMIUM video tutorial</a> for a narrated step-by-step look at my crafting process!</span></div>
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Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-6399719768430216062016-02-26T09:35:00.000-08:002016-03-27T09:17:18.790-07:00Artisan Feature: The Masks of Cyndy Salisbury<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpl1/t31.0-8/12783522_926669727441206_5693119760065142944_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpl1/t31.0-8/12783522_926669727441206_5693119760065142944_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Artisan of the Month!</b> I’ve featured this artisan before, but Cyndy Salisbury has been creating even more amazing masks since then! I love the dreamlike quality and texture of her masks with so many fragile details.
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You can see more of Cyndy's masks on <a href="http://theartofthemask.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Etsy</a>.<br />
<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" data-id="a/8L3Qk" lang="en">
<a href="https://imgur.com/a/8L3Qk">View post on imgur.com</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js"></script>Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-75639835478231209932015-06-09T09:29:00.000-07:002015-06-09T09:29:29.790-07:00Angelic Artisan on Gumroad!I've been working on a<a href="http://www.gumroad.com/angelicartisan" target="_blank"> brand new shop at Gumroad </a>for my digital resources! Pay what you want for most of my video tutorials so you can be inspired by them wherever you go! My free cosplay patterns have also been moved to Gumroad for stability.<br />
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Gumroad now takes Paypal in addition to credit cards, making it even more convenient than ever before! Enjoy and let me know if there are any other resources you all would like to see up online.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kvgZY-41DWk/VXcUJ3rP8vI/AAAAAAAABPw/9ONKXyVSmjk/s1600/gumroad-angelicartisan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kvgZY-41DWk/VXcUJ3rP8vI/AAAAAAAABPw/9ONKXyVSmjk/s640/gumroad-angelicartisan.jpg" width="329" /></a></div>
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Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-54641541076212610322014-12-25T07:52:00.003-08:002014-12-26T13:43:32.685-08:00December 2014 Artisan Q&AIt's Christmaaas! I hope you all have a wonderful day today with lots of presents and food. I only have one question to answer for this month's Q&A, but it's a doozy!<br />
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<b>Q. hiddencait asks:</b> <i>Is there a series that you really want to try doing fanmasks for, but haven't attempted yet?</i><br />
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A.</b> Oh boy, this is a fun question! As usual, I have my creative life cycle planned out until my golden years. I'm going to answer this question with visuals!<br />
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The first big fandom I'd love to create masks for would be the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushiel%27s_Legacy" target="_blank">Kushiel's Legacy</a> series of books by Jacqueline Carey. For those who don't know it, it features such inspiring themes as angels, masquerades, and tattooed courtesans, each who belong to a specialized house symbolized by a flower. I can best describe it as Game of Thrones from the courtesan-spy's perspective.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://angelasasser.deviantart.com/art/Kushiel-s-Dart-387773489" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2014/016/2/4/kushiel_s_dart_by_angelasasser-d6evbxt.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've already done illustrations for this series, like this take on<br />
the first book's cover. See my <a href="http://kushielconcepts.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kushiel's Legacy fan project blog</a> for more!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://angelic-artisan.deviantart.com/art/Queen-Mab-s-Delight-Featuring-Girltripped-303567598" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/142/6/3/queen_mab__s_delight__featuring_girltripped__by_angelasasser_artisan-d50qi9a.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The prototype of Cereus House's set.<br />
Photography by <a href="http://www.winterwolfstudios.com/" target="_blank">Winterwolf Studios</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've already done a couple of prototype headpieces with matching necklaces for the Camellia and Cereus Houses, but I'd love to take this imagery even further and make a set of masks with matching necklaces for each of the twelve houses of the Court of Night-Blooming flowers!<br />
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Imagine if I ever learned how to make <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/214202526002734459/" target="_blank">tooled corsets</a> and other accessories, I could add that to the ensembles for a complete head to toe costume transformation!<br />
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To give you an idea, the thirteen houses are as follows:<br />
Alyssum<br />
Balm<br />
Bryony<br />
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Camellia<br />
Cereus<br />
Dahlia<br />
Eglantine</div>
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Gentian</div>
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Heliotrope</div>
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Jasmine<br />
Mandrake<br />
Orchis<br />
Valerian<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://angelic-artisan.deviantart.com/art/Queen-Mab-Circlet-and-Necklace-257694223" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/253/2/9/queen_mab_circlet_and_necklace_by_ladydove7_artisan-d49fa4v.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A closer look at the Cereus set.<br />
Featuring silver chain and garnet Swarovski accents!</td></tr>
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Ohhhh and not to mention that there are masquerade scenes in the books where each House dons a unique costume representing a seasonal theme. That could be a whole other series!</div>
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I'm going to stop writing now before my muse explodes. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into the possibilities of my fandom love! Have a merry Christmas, all!<br />
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Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-70346453182113032662014-12-16T09:39:00.002-08:002014-12-23T07:05:32.115-08:00Upcoming December Artisan Q&A<br />
Hey, everyone! I usually do a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/angelicartisan" target="_blank">30 minute live broadcast</a> for my Q&A sessions, but since the holidays are busy and I'm not sure I'll be able to broadcast from wherever we might end up, I'm doing a blog-hosted event instead!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUJEx9tEl6U/VJBtcdooMwI/AAAAAAAABF0/TjbtBtQNtwA/s1600/xmas-cats_o_108975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUJEx9tEl6U/VJBtcdooMwI/AAAAAAAABF0/TjbtBtQNtwA/s1600/xmas-cats_o_108975.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong>A Couple of Changes</strong><br />
<br />
- The <a href="http://www.patreon.com/angelicartisan" target="_blank">Patreon</a> giveaway portion of the monthly sessions is now going to be held <strong>quarterly</strong> (during January, April, July, and October's monthly broadcasts). <br />
<br />
I'm making decidedly less work now that I'm transitioning from a full time crafter to a full time illustrator and part-time crafter instead. I don't want to run out of fun things to give you in the meantime!<br />
<br />
- The Q&A sessions will still be held <strong>once a month</strong> as long as I have Patrons, even if I won't be giving away something each session. That gives us more time for mini demos and questions!<br />
<br />
<strong>How This Month's Session Will Work</strong><br />
<br />
- Leave me questions in comments here. Ask me anything about crafting, life, and beyond!<br />
<br />
- I'll answer them in a blog post at this journal here on the 25th!<br />
<br />
Have a great holiday season, everyone!Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-10662752772109387112014-11-05T08:30:00.000-08:002014-11-06T13:22:06.065-08:00REVIEW - Etsy Card ReaderEtsy recently announced their own gadget for taking credit cards, but with a new twist from other card readers. It's meant to sync with your Etsy shop and provide a branded smooth experience for your in-person sales. I got mine in the mail yesterday (it's free if you <a href="https://www.etsy.com/reader" target="_blank">request one</a>) and put it through a quick test run.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Packaging</h3>
<br />
First off, their packaging was excellent, as I would expect from the premiere handmade marketplace. I got a few ideas just from their clever and simple presentation.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here's the envelope it came in. I love the idea of a branded envelope sticker.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VJ9lErukzfk/VFpCi1KLawI/AAAAAAAABCk/D9KJLIurXJQ/s1600/etsy-card-reader-envelope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VJ9lErukzfk/VFpCi1KLawI/AAAAAAAABCk/D9KJLIurXJQ/s1600/etsy-card-reader-envelope.jpg" height="216" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The reader itself came in a sturdy reusable custom cut box made of what looks like composite wood. Again, I love the brand consistency of the reader and insert cards with the orange and white.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JqD4QvcGxIM/VFpDZXi-pXI/AAAAAAAABCs/JEIxQBQ6N_E/s1600/etsy-reader-packaging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JqD4QvcGxIM/VFpDZXi-pXI/AAAAAAAABCs/JEIxQBQ6N_E/s1600/etsy-reader-packaging.jpg" height="400" width="355" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Extra bonus! The box itself has a slot on the underside where you can place the card to make a stand up sign. One side of the card shows that you take credit cards while the other side is a "I'll be right back." sign with a spot for you to write in shop's address.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2Bco-FBJk0U/VFpEeH9JkSI/AAAAAAAABC4/002iaCYFWZE/s1600/etsy-card-reader-sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2Bco-FBJk0U/VFpEeH9JkSI/AAAAAAAABC4/002iaCYFWZE/s1600/etsy-card-reader-sign.jpg" height="245" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3>
The Nuts and Bolts</h3>
<br />
I ran two test transactions, one of an item which was already up in my online shop and another which was a new 'quick sale' item not already present in my online shop. <br />
<br />
You will need to let the app access your location and your microphone. Your location is recorded and inserted into the receipt e-mailed to the customer later on, should they elect to receive one. The hub of the app looks like this on an iphone. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ebd-6iQfGCA/VFpE_rdaQWI/AAAAAAAABDA/VrcDVTr_qsY/s1600/IMG_0149.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ebd-6iQfGCA/VFpE_rdaQWI/AAAAAAAABDA/VrcDVTr_qsY/s1600/IMG_0149.PNG" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
You can control your inventory from within the app, which connects to your online Etsy shop (ie. renewing listings, creating new listings, putting your shop on vacation, checking orders, etc.). The app is available for both Android and iOS markets, but not for the iPad, oddly enough<br />
<br />
Be aware that a minimum $1 transaction is required for a customer to use a credit card. You can also set your sales tax rate in the Settings so that this is automatically calculated when making your sales. The funds from your credit card are added to your Shop Payments account (the same place as your Direct Checkout funds), so you will need to wait the usual time for the money to be deposited after your sales. This usually isn't more than a couple of days, in my experience.<br />
<br />
<b>When selling an item in-person that is also in your shop:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li> You choose the item in your online shop to sell in-person via a list.</li>
<li> The shipping fee is automatically waived when an item is sold in-person.</li>
<li>The item is also removed from your online shop when it is sold, which will help save headaches on syncing inventory automatically instead of manually (ie. if you've ever had an item sell while you're out at an event and had to deal with the headache of explaining that it sold when you get back home).</li>
<li>There is no Etsy transaction fee like there are for online sales, only the credit card processing fee, which is comparable to other readers (2.75%).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b>When selling an item in-person via a quick sale where you type in a brief description and cost:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>It is still counted towards your sold items stats, but only you as a seller can see those transactions in the Orders section of your shop.</li>
<li>There is no transaction fee or listing fee, only the credit card processing fee.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Promotional Automation</h3>
<br />
Now here's the really powerful feature of this reader. After you make your sale and get to the point at which you can offer your customer an e-mail receipt, there is a checkbox which is automatically selected (you have to manually deselect it). The checkbox says this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qZHg8xsdypU/VFpHscvRSyI/AAAAAAAABDM/x7b8kbkUrXw/s1600/IMG_0146.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qZHg8xsdypU/VFpHscvRSyI/AAAAAAAABDM/x7b8kbkUrXw/s1600/IMG_0146.PNG" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
After you make the sale and the customer elects to be e-mailed their receipt and is opted in to Etsy's updates about your shop, the customer will get an e-mail like this:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HoOiuWdom5s/VFpWytBljJI/AAAAAAAABDo/JDWGrmmAHoM/s1600/Gmail---Fwd_-Your-Receipt-From_-AngelicArtisan-(%23167026165).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HoOiuWdom5s/VFpWytBljJI/AAAAAAAABDo/JDWGrmmAHoM/s1600/Gmail---Fwd_-Your-Receipt-From_-AngelicArtisan-(%23167026165).jpg" height="640" width="233" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Location map blurred for privacy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I've asked my test customer to let me know what kinds of e-mail he receives in the future so I can see just how often these e-mails are sent out and what kind of info they include. I will edit this post with an update once I know more about these communications.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Why is this powerful, you ask? The items suggested at the bottom of the e-mail offer the customer a tantalizing glimpse at your other items, some of which they might be interested in that you might not have had on display where they were shopping in-person. Because these images actually link to the items, they encourage further purchases without the seller having to lift a finger.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This e-mail communication is a powerful addition to simply handing out a business card, since business cards are easily lost and most shoppers require repetition of information before they truly retain that information. So far, this is the only e-mail my test customer has received, which gives me hope that these won't turn into spammy communications.<br />
<br />
Also, Etsy's current online market doesn't have a function that lets you automatically add your past customers to a mailing list, which is a feature I've always wanted. I currently have to first ask for the customer's permission to add them to my mailing list, then add them in mailchimp manually, which takes up valuable time I could be working instead. My newsletter only goes out once every 3 months, so I am curious to see how often this Etsy-managed newsletter will be sent out and how they might mesh with the information I already send out in my newsletter.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Bottom Line</h3>
<br />
The Etsy card reader doesn't do anything vastly different from other card readers, but it does allow powerful synchronization options between your online Etsy shop and your physical inventory that could save you time if your Etsy shop is your main outlet for sales. <br />
<br />
It also allows for promotional automation that doesn't require you to lift a finger, saving you time, especially if you do not yet send out your own newsletter yet.<br />
<br />
More updates to follow when I have them!</div>
Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-13472390704576487312014-10-06T08:30:00.002-07:002014-12-22T09:15:28.244-08:00Commission SeasonsRecently, I've started the practice of hosting 'commission seasons'. As an artisan with a <a href="http://www.angelasasser.com/">day job in freelance illustration</a>, I really need to put a cap on the amount of orders I receive so that crafting doesn't add too much stress to my life. This equals a happy, healthier me! <br />
<br />
What is a 'commission season'? It is a time of the year that I will open up a <b>limited number</b> of commission slots. These slots can be taken up by <b>custom work</b> AND <b>made-to-order items</b>, which I will only have on offer during the time that these slots are open. The minimum number of commission slots that I will have on offer is 10 at once (perhaps more, depending on how busy I am).<br />
<br />
Outside of commission seasons <a href="http://angelicartisan.etsy.com/" target="_blank">my shop</a> will only be stocking items that are ready to ship out immediately.<br />
<br />
My planned commission seasons right now coincide with my busiest times of the year, <b>Halloween </b>(season opens in September) and <b>Mardi Gras</b> (season opens in January). I may open commission seasons once every quarter (every 3 months), but this will depend on how busy I am with other endeavors. <br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">To be instantly notified of my availability for custom work, be sure to <a href="http://eepurl.com/NgJKn" target="_blank">sign up for my mailing list</a>!</span></b><br />
<br />
As always, I'm a sucker for really interesting ideas, so if you have one to share, I might take it on outside of a commission season if I really, really like it. When in doubt, just <a href="mailto:angela@angelicartisan.com" target="_blank">drop me an email</a>!Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-46884577530728202892014-04-15T05:54:00.001-07:002014-04-15T05:54:36.179-07:00Photographing a Mask TutorialI'm still moving my artisan craft blog entries from <a href="http://blog.angelicshades.com/">my art blog</a> to here. This post is from 2010 so when I say 'latest mask', it was my latest mask from 2010 at that point in time (which is old by my standards now). <br />
<br />
It's time for yet another impromptu tutorial! Upon completion of my latest mask, I took some shots of my photography setup for the morbidly curious.<br />
<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span>Disclaimer.</i></b> I am not a professional photographer! This is just the way I do things that gets results for <i>me</i>. I'm sure there are better ways to go about what I'm doing that I haven't discovered yet.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>YOU WILL NEED:</b></div>
<div>
<b><br />
</b></div>
<div>
<b>A Decent Camera</b> (I use a DSLR, Nikon D50 with a 28-80mm lens) - DSLR are great since you can customize the lenses you use based on your space and lighting limitations. Point and click cameras, especially Canons, are pretty good these days too. I suggest getting a tripod to keep your camera still, unless you can hold it still, which is impossible for this particular caffeine addict.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TL3ZFjiw0vI/AAAAAAAAAS4/SPW6McFnZ1g/s1600/velvet-cloth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TL3ZFjiw0vI/AAAAAAAAAS4/SPW6McFnZ1g/s200/velvet-cloth.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indirect sunlight with<br />
soft shadows is what<br />
we need!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Naturally Lit Space</b> - I use our sun room, which has tall open windows that let in plenty of natural sunlight. I tend to take photographs in the late afternoons so the sunlight filters in instead of shining directly into the room, creating harsh shadows. <br />
<br />
<b>TIP:</b> A white muslin sheet hung over the window can help filter light as well!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Crushed Velvet Backdrop</b> - I use a piece of silver crushed velvet fabric I purchased by the yard at<a href="http://www.joann.com/"> Joanns Fabrics</a>. It provides an interesting backdrop that isn't just a flat area of color since it's lightly textured, but also not strongly textured or patterned enough to be distracting.<br />
<br />
<b>TIP:</b> If you don't have fabric or sheets for backdrop, try a piece of mat board.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Car Windshield Shade</b> - A plain metallic shade meant to reflect the sun from your car windshield. It can be used to reflect light onto your photography subjects as well!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TL3b_aaWBEI/AAAAAAAAATA/V1DHohLmFhA/s1600/chapstick-prop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TL3b_aaWBEI/AAAAAAAAATA/V1DHohLmFhA/s200/chapstick-prop.jpg" height="100" width="100" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burts Bees is the <br />
best, for lips <br />
AND propping!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b>Chapstick</b> - For propping your mask if it doesn't want to stand up by itself. Or for those with constantly chapped lips, like myself.<br />
<br />
<b>Photoshop</b> - I use Photoshop CS2. Other alternatives include the free program <a href="http://www.gimp.org/">GIMP</a> and any of the photo editing software that generally comes with your camera or printer.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><br />
</b></div>
<div>
<b><br />
</b></div>
<div>
<b><br />
</b></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Step 1 - Set Up Your Area.</b></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TL3bORmehdI/AAAAAAAAAS8/VenkbWvw3Yg/s1600/reflector-table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TL3bORmehdI/AAAAAAAAAS8/VenkbWvw3Yg/s200/reflector-table.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></div>
<div>
Start by arranging your mask on the tabletop which has been covered by your backdrop cloth. I like to arrange my masks facing towards the window so that the highlights are on the right side or front, illuminating the most detail usually in the nose area.<br />
<br />
Next, put the reflector next to the opposite side of your mask which is in shadow. I've wrapped the reflector around a chair to keep it upright. Prop the mask with the chapstick. <br />
<br />
I've also made use of a low night stand, which works well since it is lower than my tripod and lets me view my mask from above, allowing me to photograph the most surface area of it. The tension of the backdrop fabric draping over the table's edges also keeps the backdrop flat, where it would wrinkle and be hard to manage if it were laid out on the floor.<br />
<br />
<b>TIP:</b> The closer the shade is to your object, the more strongly it will illuminate your shadow side.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Step 2 - Photograph Your Mask.</b></div>
<div>
Using your preferred camera settings, take shots of your masks. I set my camera to the Nature/Macro setting (a little tulip icon) since I don't have a lot of space to back up and zoom in to get the best shots and angles with an actual macro lens. This setting allows me to capture closer shots at a shorter focal range.<br />
<br />
I like to take three angles on most of my masks, a front angle and two side angles. This allows me to show the varying detail on both sides. If the focus of the mask is on the side, as it is in this fox mask with the fox's face being on the right side, I like to make my main display image a 3/4th's angle to show off more of the mask's focal point.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Interlude - The Importance of Reflected Light</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To illustrate the importance of reflected light, check out how much darker this image was before I used the windshield shade. The details in the fox tail are almost completely drowned out!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TL3gfcXe43I/AAAAAAAAATE/tjDOham0qLE/s1600/reflected-light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TL3gfcXe43I/AAAAAAAAATE/tjDOham0qLE/s320/reflected-light.jpg" height="160" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Step 3 - Post Processing</b><br />
Before you can show your masks to the world, make sure the details are visible and sharp. I use Photoshop to alter my photos, but you can also use a free photo editor that most likely came with your printer/camera or <a href="http://www.gimp.org/">GIMP</a>, a free image editor which works much like Photoshop.<br />
<br />
The tweaks I use the most are under <i>Image>Adjustments>Exposure</i> where I usually up the Exposure and Gamma until I'm satisfied my image isn't too dark. This tends to work more effectively than using <i>Contrast/Brightness</i>, which can drown out your detail in unsubtle ways. (I use this method of tweaking a lot for my watercolors to preserve their color and sharpness too). Sometimes, I like to use <i>Smart Sharpen</i> (under <i>Filter>Sharpen</i>) to help define the detail on the mask even more.<br />
<br />
<b>TIP:</b> Don't up the Exposure too much or you'll start losing the details in your image! Notice how the Fox's stomach fur starts to lose detail when I've raised the Exposure too much. Pay attention to your highlights when tweaking a photo. You want to bring out as much detail in them as you can before they start to get lost.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TL3j1dRYrOI/AAAAAAAAATI/mHQAtR83l9s/s1600/overexposed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TL3j1dRYrOI/AAAAAAAAATI/mHQAtR83l9s/s320/overexposed.jpg" height="160" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And that's it! Here's the finished montage:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://angelic-shades.deviantart.com/gallery/26121392#/d312vd2"><img border="0" src="http://th08.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2010/292/4/6/silver_fox_mask_by_ladydove7_artisan-d312vd2.jpg" height="320" width="245" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-2872941920707074862014-04-04T09:43:00.001-07:002014-04-05T06:23:22.845-07:00Custom Orders Disabled + Upcoming New Designs!I wanted to let you guys know that I've temporarily disabled Custom Orders at <a href="http://www.angelicartisan.com/">my Etsy shop</a>. <br />
<br />
However, don't lose heart! I am doing this because I'd very much like the time off from fulfilling orders to work on some brand new designs. I hope to come back later with some amazing new items to really knock your socks off!<br />
<br />
This also means that <b>what you see is what you get</b> at my shop right now! This will be your only chance to grab my current inventory till my new line of items is up. So get them while they're hot!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Have a sneaky peek at some of my new design tinkering just to wet your palettes:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vikl4_OdGRY/Uz7feSh-QBI/AAAAAAAAA3I/_sUichbgUKM/s1600/caitlans-star-designs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vikl4_OdGRY/Uz7feSh-QBI/AAAAAAAAA3I/_sUichbgUKM/s1600/caitlans-star-designs.jpg" height="165" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
That's right! Crowns and circlets are coming soon! I wanted to figure out an option for eyeglass wearers (including myself!) so that we can still look pretty even if we can't wear traditional masks. Can't let the mask wearers have all the attention!<br />
<br />
I'll keep you guys posted with new design sketches in the meanwhile. Don't forget to grab what you can in <a href="http://www.angelicartisan.etsy.com/">my shop</a> before it's gone, if you have your eye on something specific! I<b> will not be re-stocking</b> for a little while until new designs are ready.<br />
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Wish me luck! I'm excited to get started on these new inspirations!Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-20801600459705511372014-03-08T08:02:00.000-08:002014-03-08T08:02:22.188-08:00New Patreon Intro Videos<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px;">This week I was finally able to complete swanky intro videos made for both of my </span><a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=491899824201667&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A0%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/patreon" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Patreon</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px;"> pages! You guys should check them out and tell me what you think. You'll get to learn much of the following:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px;">- The specific artist who made me want to be an illustrator.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px;">- </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px;">Why I wanted to be a mask maker.<br />- What kind of art I was drawing involving masks back when I was a teen.<br />- What my masks looked like before I discovered leather. It ain't pretty!<br /><br />Plus other odds and ends. Enjoy the trip down memory lane! </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline;"><span style="color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px;">Now, I can get back to actually *making* art, for as fun as all this video editing has been. So many outtakes...so...many...</span><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">The intro for my Art and Illustration page:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">The intro for my Artisan Crafts page:</span></div>
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Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-75213206549459414832014-02-06T11:58:00.000-08:002014-02-06T12:02:06.914-08:00Design Diary: January's MaskI thought I'd post some design notes for the curious who want to know what I do when I'm not drawing, reading, or writing. I'm hoping to start a new series featuring a revamp of my old <a href="http://ladydove7.deviantart.com/art/Advent-Angel-104288725?q=by%3Aladydove7+december&qo=5">Angel of the Month</a> series that got started, but never finished. What better way to get in the mood than to do a mask inspired by similar themes?<br />
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Like most of my paintings and writings, mask-making begins with a little research. Nothing gets my muse tingling more than lore of the land!<br />
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<b>On January Lore</b><br />
January may seem like a boring uneventful time, but the lore of the month is fraught with interesting imagery. Named for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus">Janus</a>, the Roman god of beginnings, endings and gateways, January is a time of hope, purification and the promise of a new beginning.<br />
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The birthstone for January is the <a href="http://www.celticjewelry.com/birthstone-garnet-january.php">Garnet</a>, which can be found in clusters and is often equated to pomegranate seeds which are in turn associated with the damnation of Persephone to the Underworld. The grasp of Hades is coming to an end as January begins and Persephone awaits her time in the sun, ushering in the Spring.<br />
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January's flowers are the <a href="http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Fi-Go/Flowers-in-Mythology.html#ixzz0pZFHrPgw">Carnation</a> and <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=n3MgSchHBjYC&pg=PA331&lpg=PA331&dq=snowdrop+myth&source=bl&ots=RvZUq_JVr5&sig=H9NYVWgS_GoyNnMwO0nNUSkUMUE&hl=en&ei=XX4ETOH2BcOC8gaxkPWbDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CDsQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q&f=false">Snowdrop</a> in western cultures. Carnations, while seen as a generic flower of affection and reunion in florist shops, have a darker meaning in Mexican Indian culture, where they are 'flowers of the dead' piled around the bodies of the recently deceased before they are buried.<br />
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In Korean lore, three carnations were used to divine which phase of an individual's life would contain suffering and hardship by watching to see which flower would wither first upon being placed on the forehead. The Snowdrop's habit of popping up through the snow in graveyards became a portent of death and ill fortune to the Victorians.<br />
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<b>Mask Layouts</b><br />
Informed by the themes of January's lore, I worked out a few thumbnails to get a basic idea of the shape and flow I wanted in the mask.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TAaDK8L0SII/AAAAAAAAAP4/3hoaBE_QzII/s1600/jan-mask-thumbs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TAaDK8L0SII/AAAAAAAAAP4/3hoaBE_QzII/s1600/jan-mask-thumbs.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478210220720408706" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 75px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
The 1st one was the most ambitious featuring piles of flowers at the edges. Too busy, however (and a little evil-looking)! The 2nd had a nice contrast between details and texture, but it didn't feature the Snowdrop element as much as I wanted. The third seemed the best balance of the Snowdrops at the side of the eyes, the Carnations in the middle and a graceful compositional flow from the center outward and into the eyes and brow.<br />
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<b>Tracing, Carving, Tooling!</b><br />
Next came drawing the pattern onto printer paper, transferring to leather, a cup of coffee, tooling and carving with chisels and burnishers, and finally shaping and baking the leather! If you want to learn more about the specifics of the process, I learned from the best, <a href="http://merimask.deviantart.com/journal/22959138/">Andrea Masse</a>, <a href="http://windfalcon.deviantart.com/gallery/#Masks">Brenda Lyons</a>, and my own experimentation.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TAaD5Zm6KVI/AAAAAAAAAQA/aV3WmIFMs6g/s1600/jan-mask-wip.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jpi7X5BWCgI/TAaD5Zm6KVI/AAAAAAAAAQA/aV3WmIFMs6g/s320/jan-mask-wip.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478211018892650834" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 258px;" /></a><br />
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<b>Final Design</b><br />
After some careful painting with acrylics and a few layers of satin varnish, the final product emerges! It came out rather Christmas-like, but that feels somehow fitting for this type of moody January.<br />
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<a href="http://fav.me/d2r11yd"><img src="http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/154/4/0/January__s_Mask_by_ladydove7_artisan.jpg" height="302" width="300" /></a></center>
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For more crafts from me, check out my <a href="http://ladydove7-artisan.deviantart.com/">artisan account on DeviantART</a>.<br />
(It's where all my hobby endeavors wind up these days!)Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-89206736220428669472014-02-06T11:51:00.000-08:002014-02-06T11:51:47.000-08:00Setting a Cabochon in a Leather MaskWith all of the crafts I've been working on for <a href="http://blog.angelicshades.com/2011/07/commissions-on-hold.html">my display at DragonCon</a>, I'm really pushing my limits as a mask-maker and trying techniques I haven't before, including setting gemstones. I took photos during this experiment and thought I'd turn it into a tutorial for you all!<br />
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(Many thanks to <a href="http://featherseeds.blogspot.com/">Brenda</a> and <a href="http://merimask.deviantart.com/">Andrea</a> for their useful tips on this.)</div>
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<tr><td><a href="http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/201/5/b/the_dream_crow_by_ladydove7_artisan-d413hkx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/201/5/b/the_dream_crow_by_ladydove7_artisan-d413hkx.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The finished process should look similar to this.</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">You Will Need:</span></strong><br />
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<ul>
<li><strong>A Cabochon</strong> - You can buy these at many places online or at hobby art stores. I bought the Labradorite cab I used in this project from <a href="http://alivegems.etsy.com/">AliveGems on Etsy</a>.</li>
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<li><strong>Epoxy or All-Purpose Glue</strong> - For attaching stone and other non-leather things to leather. I use Goop.</li>
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<li><strong>Thin Leather Scraps</strong> - These should be at least a little bigger than your cabochon to be used as backing. I used thin pieces I had split off from thicker leather using a <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/3025-00.aspx">Skiver</a>. You can purchase bags of thin scraps at Hobby Lobby as well. They will not be visible in the final design, so can be any color.</li>
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<li><strong>Tanner's Bond Leathercraft Cement</strong> - For glueing leather to leather. Goop will work just as well, but in my experience this has been the best thing for leather-to-leather attachment and is not as unwieldy and...well...goopy as Goop. The fumes are not as severe either. It has a consistency more like Elmer's Glue. It's easy to apply and easy to clean up.</li>
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<li><strong>Scissors</strong> - Good, sharp scissors for cutting heavy paper (or in this case felt).</li>
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<li><strong>Gum Tragacanth (optional)</strong> - Used to slick edges and smooth rough surfaces in leather. It is vegetable based.</li>
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<li><strong>Bone Folder or Modeling Spoon</strong> - Or even a pen cap with a rounded edge. Used for burnishing and smoothing edges of leather.</li>
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<li><strong>Sponge</strong> - For dampening leather before you tool or carve it.</li>
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<li><strong>Sticky-Back Felt</strong> - I bought mine at Hobby Lobby. They sell an eco-friendly sticky-back felt made from recycled bottles. You peel off the back to reveal the adhesive.</li>
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<li><strong>Metallic Paint Pen</strong> - This should be the color you want your 'bezel' to be. I used DecoColor Liquid Silver for this project.</li>
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<li><strong>Pencil</strong> - A plain graphite pencil for making marks on the leather. Don't worry, the marks won't be seen in the end.</li>
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<li><strong>Utility Knife or Heavy Duty Xacto Blade</strong> - For cutting out the opening. Needs to be able to cut through thick leather.</li>
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<strong>Step 1 - Place Your Cab</strong><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tWrJPpkepjg/TidGtcpi3aI/AAAAAAAAACk/Cj3ca-pZrXU/s1600/cab-setting-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tWrJPpkepjg/TidGtcpi3aI/AAAAAAAAACk/Cj3ca-pZrXU/s200/cab-setting-1.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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Figure out where you'd like to place your cab in the mask. Higher up on the forehead where the surface lays flatter is an easier area to do this. Once you place the cab, trace around the outside with a pencil.<br />
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<strong>PROTIP:</strong><br />
<em>I placed mine a little too low on the forehead where the mask curves in towards the bridge of the nose, which led to my cabochon bezel looking a little askew in the finished product due to the leather warping around the cabochon opening.</em><br />
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<em>Do yourself a favor and place your cabochon higher on the head than I did.</em><br />
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<strong>Step 2 - Sizing the Cabochon Opening</strong><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q6bsXXcN6eg/Tidbtbg9l-I/AAAAAAAAACo/rkj0hkYSvNQ/s1600/cab-setting-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q6bsXXcN6eg/Tidbtbg9l-I/AAAAAAAAACo/rkj0hkYSvNQ/s200/cab-setting-2.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Next, trace about 1/16th of an inch in from the outside of your cab's outline. You can do this with a compass or a stencil, but I did it very carefully by hand. It doesn't need to be ultra precise, but it does need to stay true to the shape of your cabochon, which might not be perfectly round anyways. </div>
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The opening should be slightly smaller than your cabochon so that the edges of the cab will be hidden once it is put in place beneath the leather surface so that the upper portion protrudes through the opening.<br />
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<strong>Step 3 - Cut the Cabochon Opening</strong><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JySJlVRsFQ4/TidckE-8PEI/AAAAAAAAACs/WTYYqIWCZp8/s1600/cab-setting-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JySJlVRsFQ4/TidckE-8PEI/AAAAAAAAACs/WTYYqIWCZp8/s200/cab-setting-3.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Very carefully and slowly, cut out the opening of your cabochon along the inner line you drew. Don't worry about the outer line being visible as that's going to be beveled off in a later step. Notice I miscut while I was cutting out my opening? I was able to save this mask by beveling out that mistake.</div>
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<strong>Step 4 - Bevel the Edges</strong></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7XvJyE-9EkE/TidpURCus4I/AAAAAAAAACw/T7ROatmTdeA/s1600/cab-setting-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7XvJyE-9EkE/TidpURCus4I/AAAAAAAAACw/T7ROatmTdeA/s200/cab-setting-4.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>Using an <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/8076-02.aspx">Edge Beveler</a> (I used a Sz 2), bevel off the edges on the flesh side and the rough side of the opening. This creates a rounded, more professional edge. The area of this bevel edge on the flesh side will also act as the fake bezel for the stone in the finished product.</div>
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<strong>Step 5 - Slick the Edges (Optional)</strong></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4v4isQ5vE3s/Tid1mdSD4kI/AAAAAAAAAC0/Uy8YxsIJFGE/s1600/cab-setting-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4v4isQ5vE3s/Tid1mdSD4kI/AAAAAAAAAC0/Uy8YxsIJFGE/s200/cab-setting-5.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Using <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/2620-01.aspx">Gum Tragacanth</a> is entirely optional, as you can simply smooth an edge with a burnishing tool of some sort. I find that if you use Gum, however, that it more efficiently and permanently smooths frays and rough areas.<br />
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Take a damp sponge and dab Gum Tragacanth onto the freshly beveled edges then rub a <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/8116-00.aspx">Bone Folder</a> or <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/8039-02.aspx">Modeling Spoon</a> across the edge until the leather becomes slick, dark, and shiny. This helps to smooth all the frays in the leather.<br />
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<strong>PROTIP:</strong><br />
<em>If you're using leather dye instead of acrylics for your color, be warned that applying gum might cause the leather to be lighter in the area where dye has been applied. Acrylics, however, seem to have no problem coating right over the top of leather slicked with gum.</em></div>
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<strong>Step 6 - Finish the Mask</strong></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-drSSD_Z0yz0/Tid22YAY3wI/AAAAAAAAAbs/KksIcCJQMFg/s1600/cab-setting-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-drSSD_Z0yz0/Tid22YAY3wI/AAAAAAAAAbs/KksIcCJQMFg/s320/cab-setting-6.jpg" height="276" width="320" /></a></div>
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Before you set the cab, you'll need to finish the rest of your mask. Get all of your dying, painting, and varnishing completed. Now the cab is ready to pop in the hole!</div>
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<strong>Step 7 - Attach the Cabochon</strong></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sNbwku7FWQo/Ties8BtmA_I/AAAAAAAAAb0/aJagS3jExu8/s1600/cab-setting-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sNbwku7FWQo/Ties8BtmA_I/AAAAAAAAAb0/aJagS3jExu8/s200/cab-setting-7.jpg" height="175" width="200" /></a>Using a dab of Goop, glue the cabochon to the scrap of thin leather and wait a few minutes for it to set.</div>
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<strong>Step 8 - Set the Cabochon</strong></div>
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Attach the scrap leather with the cabochon to the mask with the leather cement. Apply the glue to both surfaces then firmly press them together and hold them in place for at least a minute. You also want to press firmly on the cabochon so that it protrudes through the opening and fits snugly in it. Be careful not to force it all the way though!</div>
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<strong>Step 9 - Draw the Bezel</strong></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FsFRb2Y_vqA/TieulVcXkgI/AAAAAAAAAcM/9sSTXw_cHHE/s1600/cab-setting-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FsFRb2Y_vqA/TieulVcXkgI/AAAAAAAAAcM/9sSTXw_cHHE/s200/cab-setting-10.jpg" height="165" width="200" /></a>Using the silver paint pen, carefully draw the bezel around the edge of your cabochon. Be sure not to get any paint on your stone! The bezel looks most convincing when it fills in the small beveled edge that surrounds your stone.</div>
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<strong>PROTIP:</strong><em>If you should get paint on your stone, quickly wipe it away or lightly scratch it out with the edge of your fingernail or credit card. Rubbing alcohol is a good last resort as well.</em><br />
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<strong>Step 10 - Making it Comfortable</strong></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SGF1e4ujeC0/Tie8DhKB9gI/AAAAAAAAAC4/apePqKJWRwI/s1600/cab-setting-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SGF1e4ujeC0/Tie8DhKB9gI/AAAAAAAAAC4/apePqKJWRwI/s200/cab-setting-11.jpg" height="169" width="200" /></a>Success! The cabochon is attached! You don't want the edges of the scrap leather chaffing the wearer's forehead so I cover the area up with sticky-back felt. Just cut the size you want, peel off the sheet from the back, and stick it on the mask. </div>
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My piece was old and had lost some of its stickiness, so I used Goop in key places to make sure it would stay.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Final Product!</span></strong></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wrpo4R47fDI/TieszUbNdLI/AAAAAAAAAbw/9FU5ReMuads/s1600/cab-setting-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wrpo4R47fDI/TieszUbNdLI/AAAAAAAAAbw/9FU5ReMuads/s320/cab-setting-12.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">My mask is a bird! Your argument is invalid!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-92132880990680106532014-01-28T07:28:00.003-08:002014-01-28T08:18:14.799-08:00Ezio Venetian Assassin Mask Walkthrough Part 3In the last part, I wet-formed and dyed the mask. Now for the finishing touches!<br />
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To get that nice aged metal look on a leather mask, I use my finger to dab paint onto the surface. Because my finger is soft and has some give, it makes soft transitions and also when dabbing lightly it only affects the raised surfaces of the masks, which is what you want if you're going for a patina feel.<br />
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(I did a full tutorial on this effect. <a href="http://ladydove7-artisan.deviantart.com/gallery/26504450#/d2wy1ks">"How to Create a Buffed Metal Look in Leather"</a> )</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k_FHIwq-RXQ/Th743MAKrPI/AAAAAAAAACU/xz5UJ3AWvjI/s1600/ezio-mask-4-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k_FHIwq-RXQ/Th743MAKrPI/AAAAAAAAACU/xz5UJ3AWvjI/s320/ezio-mask-4-sm.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">After dabbing with your finger, accentuate the random<br />
highlights with a small brush.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<strong>PROTIP:</strong> Don't use your nice brushes for craft acrylic painting. They sell multi packs of cheap brushes of every size plus foam square brushes at most craft stores. Acrylic dries to a permanient flexy goo in your brushes, so remember to wash up afterwards with soap or brush cleaner! I tend to use my retired watercolor brushes after their bristles fray.<br />
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Well now, looking spiffy there, Mr. Sexy Assassin Man!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z45ffNRGXNU/Th75zf4uN2I/AAAAAAAAACY/Zl0ABIJeNug/s1600/ezio-mask-5-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z45ffNRGXNU/Th75zf4uN2I/AAAAAAAAACY/Zl0ABIJeNug/s320/ezio-mask-5-sm.jpg" height="320" width="292" /></a></div>
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But we're not through yet! Notice how dull the black areas are? It's time to varnish. I use <a href="http://www.dickblick.com/products/liquitex-acrylic-polymer-varnishes/">Liquitex Satin Varnish</a> because it dries flexible, but also brings a nice subtle sheen to the mask. I don't like using Glossy because it seems too shiny and overpowering for my tastes. The other great thing about Satin is that the difference between your metallic and dull areas still show through so they're not all an equal level of shiny. That subtle contrast between iridescent and dull areas is what makes a mask like this so stunning.</div>
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<strong>PROTIP:</strong> Do not use Matte sheen if you want to preserve the metallic look of your paint! It will make it instantly dull looking.</div>
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Now that the mask is all varnished up and ready to go. Time to punch holes for the ribbons. I use a rotary hole punch set to the 2nd largest hole setting.</div>
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6yx7o0WDjgs/Th77h-TAI3I/AAAAAAAAACc/QS3ePzBGshU/s1600/ezio-mask-6-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6yx7o0WDjgs/Th77h-TAI3I/AAAAAAAAACc/QS3ePzBGshU/s320/ezio-mask-6-sm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">You can tell where to punch the hole by lining it up with the<br />
angle of the corner of the eyehole.</td></tr>
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Next, I like to use silver dancer's ribbon to tie this mask to the wearer's face because it adds a nice decorative Venetian touch. For a tighter more reliable fit, black thin elastic bands work well too.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bynLlW8rlfQ/Th7711SpOrI/AAAAAAAAACg/CH9Xf4ufzuc/s1600/ezio-mask-7-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bynLlW8rlfQ/Th7711SpOrI/AAAAAAAAACg/CH9Xf4ufzuc/s320/ezio-mask-7-sm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">(Just don't tell any assassin wearing this mask that<br />
he's wearing a pretty dancer's shoe lace!)</td></tr>
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And that's it! You're ready to wear this mask to the ball...and shank a foo!</div>
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<a href="http://ladydove7-artisan.deviantart.com/art/Ezio-Carnivale-Mask-164483836"><img border="0" src="http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/322/5/a/ezio_carnivale_mask_by_ladydove7_artisan-d2pxgjg.jpg" height="320" width="317" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://blog.angelicartisan.com/2014/01/ezio-venetian-assassin-mask-walkthrough.html">Go to Part 1</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://blog.angelicartisan.com/2014/01/ezio-venetian-assassin-mask-walkthrough_28.html">Go to Part 2</a></span></div>
Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-5624121858049748262014-01-28T07:25:00.000-08:002014-01-28T08:18:07.188-08:00Ezio Venetian Assassin Mask Walkthrough Part 2In the last part, I talked about developing the design and gathering the tools to help mold your mask. Next up, wet-forming the mask! First, you soak it in room temperature water with the rough side facing upwards. Once the bubbles have stopped fizzing out of the back, the mask is ready to put in the oven!<br />
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I set my oven to its lowest heat setting (about 200F) on Bake mode. This is to keep the mask from scorching or getting too brittle, too fast, which is the danger of cooking with too high of a temperature. I keep the mask from touching the oven rack by lining the rack with <a href="http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00neMTvhVzLCcB/Parchment-Paper-1.jpg">baking parchment paper</a> that you can buy in rolls. You can also bunch this parchment paper up and use it to prop up the mask once it has some shape to it. I let the mask bake, checking it every 5 minutes and shaping it on <a href="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSaeKnoyHk5dPNtDUpWTdUIbgGLivWd8YMEM-AV0Rt8YtJeOSuU">Pat the Styro Head</a>.<br />
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<strong>PROTIP:</strong> <em>Don't forget to pinch the bridge of the nose where it meets the forehead or you'll end up with a very uncomfy mask that mashes your nose when you wear it!</em><br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PXb7BzHygs0/ThNGDxo_elI/AAAAAAAAAXs/a3yJqIlXRRM/s1600/ezio-mask-2-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PXb7BzHygs0/ThNGDxo_elI/AAAAAAAAAXs/a3yJqIlXRRM/s320/ezio-mask-2-sm.jpg" height="320" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Eventually, you end up with this - a wet-formed mask!<br />
Angry pancake iz appeased.</td></tr>
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Once the mask has dried completely, you're ready to dye it! I usually let the mask dry overnight propped on Pat the Styro Head so it retains its shape before I dye it. Some people like to bake the mask until it's dry, but I find that doing so increases the risk you'll make your mask brittle and hard. Taking the mask out of the oven before it's completely dries allows it to keep some of its flexibility, which generally makes for more comfortable masks.</div>
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<strong>PROTIP</strong>: <em>A mask needs to be supported while it dries or gravity will flatten it out.</em></div>
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If you're in a pinch, you can use a hair dryer set to low-med to quicken the process. Don't let it get too hot, though, or you'll singe the leather! If the mask is still cold to the touch or is darker in color, that's a hint that it's still damp.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xCG8HIqIqNA/ThNHFBCEUXI/AAAAAAAAAXw/176GdieRxVM/s1600/ezio-mask-3-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xCG8HIqIqNA/ThNHFBCEUXI/AAAAAAAAAXw/176GdieRxVM/s320/ezio-mask-3-sm.jpg" height="314" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">I dyed this mask with <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/2605-01.aspx">Midnight Black Eco-Flo dye</a> by dabbing<br />
with a <a href="http://www.dickblick.com/products/natural-sea-sponges/">natural sea sponge</a>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><a href="http://blog.angelicartisan.com/2014/01/ezio-venetian-assassin-mask-walkthrough.html">Back to Part 1</a></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><a href="http://blog.angelicartisan.com/2014/01/ezio-venetian-assassin-walkthrough-part.html">On to Part 3</a></strong></span></div>
Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-76912942149102385712014-01-28T07:18:00.000-08:002014-01-28T08:16:31.528-08:00Ezio Venetian Assassin Mask Walkthrough Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3BtSUxGigSI/Tgs2uRHZ_cI/AAAAAAAAACE/BUfPxjPHsOs/s1600/ezio-mask-1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
I've had many requests to learn more about my <a href="http://ladydove7-artisan.deviantart.com/art/Ezio-Carnivale-Mask-164483836?q=gallery%3Aladydove7-artisan%2F12752250&qo=2">Ezio Venetian Assassin Mask</a>, so when I last made it I took some photos of my process. There's already <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch_videos?more_url=&type=0&feature=c4-overview&video_ids=1MGYXKaxy_0%2CMCh1S4MUg4s&title=TUTORIALS+-+Leather+Crafting">a video</a> of my basic mask process on YouTube if you'd like to watch instead of read.<br />
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The first order of business was to find references of Ezio's mask, which was not an easy thing when I first made it a year or so ago. Hardly any screenshots existed that weren't small and grainy. Eventually, I came upon something like this:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GVedMOWpopc/Tgsth87CcDI/AAAAAAAAAB8/SfljVmDJvDc/s1600/ezio-mask.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GVedMOWpopc/Tgsth87CcDI/AAAAAAAAAB8/SfljVmDJvDc/s320/ezio-mask.png" height="242" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ezio is the main character of <a href="http://assassinscreed.uk.ubi.com/assassins-creed-2/">Assassin's Creed 2</a>, from my<br />
favorite game series! I just <i>had </i>to make the mask when I<br />
first laid eyes on it.</td></tr>
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This mask presents a problem, however, because most of the forehead is obscured, as are the fine details because of the pixelated nature of the game's graphics. That's when I whipped out some good ol' fashioned imagination and made up the rest. My version of this mask comes up to the hairline with swirly accents along the middle of the forehead and brows. I had to make sure that a hood or a hat would fit comfortably atop the mask, thus the reason it ends at the hairline. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSaeKnoyHk5dPNtDUpWTdUIbgGLivWd8YMEM-AV0Rt8YtJeOSuU" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSaeKnoyHk5dPNtDUpWTdUIbgGLivWd8YMEM-AV0Rt8YtJeOSuU" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My head's name is Pat.<br />
He seems oddly pleased <br />
about something...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span id="goog_1909297146"></span><span id="goog_1909297147"></span>Next, I take measurements from the ear to the outer corner of the eye, the inner corner of the left eye to the inner corner of the right eye, and from the hairline to the tip of the nose. With the way this mask comes in so close to the eyes and stops at the hairline and nose, measurements are needed to make sure it lays right on the face.<br />
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Normally, I use a <a href="http://shop.hobbylobby.com/search/link.aspx?id=48818350&q=http%3A//shop.hobbylobby.com/products/styro-head-male-584193/&i=1&mlt=0">generic male styrofoam fashion head</a> I bought at Hobby Lobby as a base to form the mask on, as the breadth of the face is wider than my own, which would be too small for most males. If you don't have a Hobby Lobby closeby, most fashion stores (like Sally's) will have styrofoam wig heads.<br />
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Finally, I print out my design in <span style="color: blue;">blue ink</span> so that when I'm tracing over lines with a ballpoint pen, it shows my progress by blacking out the lines as I go. Before transferring, dampen the leather with a wet sponge so that the lines will be impressed into the surface. They sell special transfer paper at <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/">Tandy</a>, but using plain printer paper with the pattern printed in inkjet ink has always worked fine for me. If you mess up your lines while transferring, you can always rub or sand the mistakes out later.<br />
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Eventually, you end up with something like this:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3BtSUxGigSI/Tgs2uRHZ_cI/AAAAAAAAACE/BUfPxjPHsOs/s1600/ezio-mask-1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3BtSUxGigSI/Tgs2uRHZ_cI/AAAAAAAAACE/BUfPxjPHsOs/s320/ezio-mask-1-sm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Angry Pancake!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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You can see in the photo that I've already started pressing in the lines with my <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/6893-00.aspx">beveler stamp</a> and <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/8039-01.aspx">modeling spoon</a> on the right side of the mask (left side of the photo). The main lines have been cut into the surface using a <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/8000-00.aspx">swivel knife</a>. The process of adding dimension to your leather by creating depressions with stamps and tools is called <i>tooling</i>. Tooling is a subtractive process, meaning you do not add things to the surface, but rather cut away or emboss the lines, so you have to think in the negative. If you want an affordable swivel knife plus some basic stamps, I recommend grabbing <a href="http://shop.hobbylobby.com/search/link.aspx?id=48821450&q=http%3A//shop.hobbylobby.com/store/item.aspx%3FItemId%3D172219&i=1&mlt=0">this starter kit</a> from Hobby Lobby using their weekly coupons.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://blog.angelicartisan.com/2014/01/ezio-venetian-assassin-mask-walkthrough_28.html">On to Part 2</a></span></div>
Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4379644306409116209.post-606714762311052072014-01-07T08:35:00.000-08:002014-01-07T08:35:48.993-08:00How I Got into Leather Mask-making<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jLR43Kvq5Ok/UVr-9LTe4qI/AAAAAAAAAXI/qdqisHbv9EY/s1600/blue-butterfly-mask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jLR43Kvq5Ok/UVr-9LTe4qI/AAAAAAAAAXI/qdqisHbv9EY/s200/blue-butterfly-mask.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
If you're new here, you may not know that I have an all encompassing hobby called leather mask-making. An obsession, if you will! All artists need something to get them away from the drawing board, which is why I turned to mask-making years ago as my 'insanity relief'. Read on to learn more about how this obsession first grabbed me!<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong><a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/eirewolf" href="https://twitter.com/eirewolf" target="_blank">Eirewolf on Twitter </a>asks: <em>How did you get into leather maskmaking, and what advice would you have for someone who is learning the craft?</em></strong><br />
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First thing's first, I always harbored an obsession with masks. Something about them was intriguing, mysterious, both revealing and concealing of our true personalities all at once! If I created a character for my stories, to be sure I would find an excuse to put them in a mask! All philosophy aside, they just look cool.<br />
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I had made masks out of clay before (you don't want to see those. They're lumpy hot messes), but lightening struck when my good friend <a data-mce-href="http://windfalcon.deviantart.com" href="http://windfalcon.deviantart.com/" target="_blank">Windfalcon</a> linked me to <a data-mce-href="http://merimask.deviantart.com" href="http://merimask.deviantart.com/" target="_blank">Merimask</a>'s awesome tutorial on mask-making! Leather was a material with so many possibilities and the fact acrylics were involved made it easy to cross-pollenate with my interests as a fantasy artist. Merimask put the tools in my hands and helped me find the path to my own inspiration and I'm forever grateful for that!<br />
I bought my first shoulder of leather with Windfalcon (who was my roomie at the time) and we split it, the both of us embarking on our own mask-making journeys (her stuff is wonderful and you should <a data-mce-href="http://windfalcon.deviantart.com" href="http://windfalcon.deviantart.com/" target="_blank">go check it ou</a>t too)! Ironically, it wasn't till a year later that I actually touched my half of our hide.<br />
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I've been a mask-maker for a total of 4 years, which still makes me somewhat new to the craft! My first mask creation was t<a data-mce-href="http://angelasasser-artisan.deviantart.com/art/Hollow-Ichigo-Leather-Mask-140161093?q=boost%3Apopular%20((hollow)%20AND%20(by%3Aangelasasser-artisan))&qo=1" href="http://angelasasser-artisan.deviantart.com/art/Hollow-Ichigo-Leather-Mask-140161093?q=boost%3Apopular%20((hollow)%20AND%20(by%3Aangelasasser-artisan))&qo=1" target="_blank">his rendition of Ichigo's Hollow mask</a> from the anime Bleach. I have since <a data-mce-href="http://www.facebook.com/angelicartisan" href="http://www.facebook.com/angelicartisan" target="_blank">branched out </a>into all kinds of original and cosplay design ideas! I am definitely still learning, with stitching and riveting next on my mask-making skill list!<br />
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<strong>My advice to future mask-makers:</strong><br />
- For a cheap starter set, the Tandy stamp and swivel knife set from Hobby Lobby is great! Don't forget your weekly 40% off coupon from Hobby Lobby's website when you get it. They have small sheets of leather you can practice on too!<br />
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- If you decide to sell your creations. Price it on how it looks, <strong>not</strong> your skill level! Customers only know that you're not a master mask-maker if you price your work at the level of a cheap amateur. A good mask is a good mask whether you've been doing this 1 year or 100 years. Pricing cheap is also a hard hole to crawl out of later when you do want to up your prices later.<br />
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- Have fun and be creative! If you're on DeviantART, come join us at the <a data-mce-href="http://leathermaskart.deviantart.com" href="http://leathermaskart.deviantart.com/" target="_blank">LeatherMaskArt Group </a>where we welcome all leather mask-makers to the community.Angela R. Sasserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236117446115598736noreply@blogger.com0