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All posts for the month July, 2014

Dorote Zaukaite

November Morning

November Morning

Sometimes my imagination gets carried away by a simple landscape or sunlight at a special time of day. Then such dolls as November Morning are born.

Dorote Zaukaite, aka Tireless Artist, creates her marvelous dolls in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Eve

Eve

 I would not call them humans; I would say they are reflections of human thoughts.

It can take Dorote 1-8 months to complete a doll. She works in paper clay, and creates her costumes from scratch, often hand-dying material.

Looking for True Colors

Looking for True Colors

My journey as a professional doll artist started when I saw a photo of an Asian BJD for the first time. I was amazed by the way the doll was posing, and by the sadness in her eyes.

 

Dirvolira

Dirvolira

Dirvolira is an ancient Lithuanian goddness of fields and households. We have very little information about our ancient gods, as Christianity erased them from people’s memory. I wanted to bring her back to life – a fragile forgotten goddess from a deep past.

Dorote thinks of the complete doll as a work of art, achieving “harmony between the doll and her costume.”  Costuming a doll can take longer than sculpting.

Lady in Waiting

Lady in Waiting

I am fragile on the outside and strong on the  inside – like my characters. These proportions help me to convey that feeling.

All of her wigs are made from natural wool or mohair. The wig-making process takes about 20 hours.

Gloria

Gloria

I have just discovered steampunk, and I must admit I love it. Gloria is my first steampunk style doll, but I am thinking on making more of them. I just love the idea of connecting Victorian style clothing, steam machines and human figure into one art piece.

Dorote is a planner. When she has a solid idea, she sketches first, perhaps does some research, then carefully plans how to doll will look before she begins sculpting.

Heartbeat

Heartbeat

The whole creation process gives me a lot of joy and pleasure. I am always full of excitement and curiosity about how the doll will turn out. I see her getting more and more alive in my hands – that feeling is incredible.

Dorote has an infrequently updated blog and an slightly less neglected facebook page.  The best way to see her work is on her flickr photostream.

White Coffee with Ice

White Coffee with Ice

Quotes lifted from Lost and Found Magazine, and BJD magazine.

 

Chocolate Fix

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Chocolate Skulls.com, $399

Halloween is about three months away, and I’ve got a hankerin’ for a spooky treat. Problem is, most places don’t yet have their Halloween collections out. But a few places know that every day is Halloween.

fika

Fika, $65

Black Chocolate Company, $118

Black Chocolate Company, $118

Smash Candies, 10 for $8

Smash Candies, 10 for $8

If you’re in the mood for a skull, anatomically correct models can be had for a pretty penny; more fanciful ones for a pittance.  Note: all photos link to the product. Because I’m no tease.

Bond Street, $14

Bond Street, $14

Bond Street has a new Fall Collection, but I love their tin of chocolate skulls from the Divine Collection. You can’t buy them online, but you can give them a call.

John & Kira's, $3.75

John & Kira’s, $3.75

Melchior, £6.45

Melchior, £6.45

Special Edition, £8.45

Special Edition, £8.45

If you’re not ready for something quite so scary, try pumpkin bon-bons, or a darling owl, though the shipping on the owl may set you back if you’re in the U.S.

Pushin' Daisies, $19.95

Pushin’ Daisies, $19.95

Here’s a gift for that special person from whom you stole a job or a lover. Delivered with the note: “eat your heart out.”

Zachary's Hope, 12 for $18

Zachary’s Hope, 12 for $18

Sweet U Off Your Feet, 12 for $21

Sweet U Off Your Feet, 12 for $21

Sweeties by Kim, 12 for $24

Sweeties by Kim, 12 for $24

Oreo fans have a number of choices, from whimsical to elegant.

Morke's Chocolates, $16.95

Morke’s Chocolates, $16.95

Li-Lac Chocolates, $25

Li-Lac Chocolates, $25

Sugar Plum, 4 for $19.95

Sugar Plum, 4 for $19.95

Several shops have entire lines of spooky chocolates available. Be sure to click through to see all the delightful offerings! In addition to the Zombie Bar, Sugar Plum also offers a Halloween Pizza, and a Clown Lollipop. You have to give them credit for including the latter under Halloween.  Li-Lac has a full page of creepy candy, including Mummy in a Coffin, Death Pops, and Bat Pops.  Morke’s has an irresistible Eyeball Box.

The Frosted Petticoat, 18 for $20

The Frosted Petticoat, 18 for $20

The Frosted Petticoat, 10 for $20

The Frosted Petticoat has some of the loveliest chocolates I’ve seen. They have a full line of scary stuff for the discerning that won’t break your budget.

Trace Stuff, $7.99

Trace Stuff, $7.99

If you’re handy in the kitchen, you can make your own spooky chocolate with molds from Trace Stuff.

The Frosted Petticoat, $14

The Frosted Petticoat, $14

But if you aren’t, we’ll never tell.

 

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Sad, beautiful, dollhouse graves.

A remarkable diorama automaton from Mark Ryden. Via She Walks Softly.

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The Dark Fairy Tales of Miwa Yanagi. (it’s a Cult of Weird week!)

 

Make a doll head night light. Via The Year of Halloween.

Release the kraken!

Release the kraken!

A fantastic vase from Dellamorte & Co. (the rest of their shop is way cool, too).

ugly

Milk for the Ugly.  A motion comic by Kate Redesiuk & Anna Podeworna

Tari Nakagawa

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Tari Nakagawa makes his gorgeous, disturbing dolls in Sapporo, Japan.

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He studied under Ryo Yoshida (translated page) at Doll Space Pygmalion.

This video documents an exhibition of his “necro nymphs.” The music kicks in at about 40 seconds.

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Despite the name, Nakagawa’s dolls seem alive–their stares more soul-plumbing than vacant.

shonen01

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Except when they’re sleeping. Or are they?

See more at his site, Kostnice (translated), named, I assume for Sedlec Ossuary.

Kaleidoscope, or Paperweight button

Kaleidoscope, or Paperweight button

Every once in a while–okay, fairly often–I get sucked down a rabbit hole. This week’s warren is vintage buttons. Naturally, I had to go looking for spooky ones.

Kaleidoscope buttons were first made in the 19th century. A metal plate is covered with a design, and a glass dome goes on top. Sometimes the dome is faceted, to create more of a kaleidoscope effect. The button above is probably much more recent–mid 20th century or so.

Black Glass with Carnival Luster

Black Glass with Carnival Luster

Molded Glass Bat

Molded Black Glass

Black Glass with Gold Luster

Black Glass with Gold Luster

Black glass buttons became popular in the Victorian era. They were made to imitate the jet buttons the Queen wore in her mourning.  In the 20th century, most of these beautiful buttons were produced by skilled glass craftsmen in Czechoslovakia.

Brass Escutcheon Style

Brass Escutcheon Style

Brass Pictorial Button

Brass Pictorial Button

Metal buttons from the Victorian era were made mostly of brass and copper. Pictorial buttons are highly prized. This spider looks like it might be domed as well.

Carved and Tinted Celluloid

Carved and Tinted Celluloid

Celluloid was the first man-made plastic, produced from wood and cotton fibers. It was very popular in the early 20th century. Highly flammable, it was eventually replaced with other materials.

Composition with Glitter

Composition with Glitter

This fantastic, glittery spider was listed merely as “composition,” which could mean anything, but commonly referred to “horn.” Horn buttons were ground cow hooves, pressed in a mold with other items–like glitter.

Moonglow

Moonglow

Moonglow buttons became popular in the mid-20th century. They were made in West Germany and Czechoslovakia. They have an opaque glass base with a satin finish, and are covered with clear glass to increase their luster. Moonglow subjects tend toward the pretty, but I did find this delicious pair sporting Halloween green stripes.  (PS: I totally bought these. Yep.)

Brooks Button

Brooks Button

Another Brooks

Another Brooks

Edith and Alan Brooks hand-painted on plastic and glass blanks. They worked in England in the mid-20th century. The Brooks were primarily painters, and didn’t make many buttons, so these are rare collectors’ items.

I’m going to stop now. Thanks for indulging me in my little obsession. If you’ve caught the bug, learn about antique buttons at Vintage Buttons.net, Byson Buttons, and Ohio Buttons.

I leave you with some hand-made modern buttons.

Pumpkin Buttons by Lindabelinda

Pumpkin Buttons by Lindabelinda

Pyrography buttons by Wooden Heart Buttons

Pyrography buttons by Wooden Heart Buttons

Crypt Keeper Raku Buttons by Wondrous Strange

Crypt Keeper Raku Buttons by Wondrous Strange

 

Arthur Tress

Arthur Tress

40 years ago, Arthur Tress asked children to describe their nightmares. He visualized them in the series Daymares, staged photographs that tap into all our fears.

In an era where street photography ruled supreme, Tress was among the earliest photographers to experiment with staged photos. Series like this were among the first to shatter the belief that photography was a tool to document reality, instead applying the medium to imagine and create new realities.

 

POMELO Bat Wings Black Lace Heart-shaped Backpack

POMELO Bat Wings Black Lace Heart-shaped Backpack

Here is an adorable batty backpack for you. Via GothFashion.

 

newblack

Vantablack is so dark, it’s like looking into a black hole. Finally, Wednesday Addams has something else to wear.

Jasper Skull

Jasper Skull

Roiden2 specializes in selling hand-carved skulls (I don’t think he’s the carver) on ebay. They come in a variety of gorgeous stones.

Wonderland-She'll Wait for You in the Shadows of Summer

Wonderland-She’ll Wait for You in the Shadows of Summer

The flickr photostream of the astonishing Kirsty Mitchell.