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Kingfisher Griffin #2 is quite different from the first one – different color for the front feet and fewer colors on the wings. I like him better.
It’s true, I was spending some time last night comparing them side by side. There’s a section of the first test’s wings that are also gold, as well as I think some black defining bands and gold spots on the tip feathers, and he also had “eye spots” that kind of looked like eyebrows. Also, the gold color was much more brighter and vivid. I’m kind of torn personally as there were some aspects to the other one that I think in combination with this one would have made it perfect, BUT overall I agree with you that I like this one better. The greens and teals feel a lot brighter, and I like that the tail is green and not gold this time. I’d really love to win this piece. /crosses fingers
Love that umbral opal rock dragon!!
There’s also a new kingfisher that’s quite lovely looking.
Ah, to have all the money in the world |D;
I’ve liked it on the Male Unicorn, so far that’s it though.
I think actually that it looks great on the rock dragon. I love the way the little gold details offset the color. Although maybe the rock is a bit much contrast for me. The male unicorn, I feel like I have trouble seeing the details on him. That’s probably just me, though, and again the color is still just gorgeous. At this rate, someone’s going to get him for a steal.
Dawww those babies are so cute. You’ll have to post some more pics of them individually once you can get mama to let you. (Also wow!!! She was already so far along. It’s so lucky you guys took her in when you did…)
Will someone who managed to score a lap in blue morpho please post some more pictures of your dragon when you receive it? I’m hoping to live vicariously through some other lucky individual(s). 🙂
Are they really worth 2-3 times their original cost?
I think any item’s “worth” is rather a nebulous thing. Yes, there are production costs to consider that goes into the item’s creation (the cost of the materials to make the mold and the labor; the cost of the gypsum; cost of tools to paint and then labor, cost of shipping, overhead costs of the facility and maintaining the website) but an item’s actual *worth* long term is something that has to do with the more nebulous idea of supply and demand.
If demand is high and supply is low, then sellers and resellers are free to ask what they see fit/what “sticks”. However, the demand market is then free to evaluate that price and decide either a) the asking price is too high or b) the asking price is right, and that comes down to a personal choice: what is it “worth” to you, the buyer? I think it’s okay to decide either way. After all, a couple hundred dollars can let you go on a small vacation. It could be several very nice meals out with a movie afterward. It could be money you need to repair a car or to go toward a new computer or art supplies or a gym membership or a number of other hobbies. If you decide that that particular asking price is not worth it to you, you could see if they’re willing to negotiate, or you can watch and wait to see if they drop the price on their own later. If people become desperate to sell something for whatever reason, sometimes they will do that.
I think it’s worth noting that lap dragons haven’t been available for something like 3 years, and since they were last around, the value of the dollar has changed. Production costs may have also changed. Melody or one of the other staff members mentioned that when the production lap dragons come back, they will have had their prices adjusted / raised for current conditions. The blue morpho lap was 250 dollars, and is known to be limited production (*how* limited, no one knows just yet). So perhaps thinking on all that will help you weigh the decision better.
–As for the actual thread’s topic! I imagine that a Monarch theme would be very lovely indeed. However, orange is for me a very iffy color and one I don’t always like (as opposed to blues, which I nearly always enjoy). I’d have to see it in action to know whether or not I liked it. Also, I think someone suggested doing a scheme based on pink moths, and honestly I think I might like that even more than monarchs.
Yeah, I think the important thing right now is to find some things you’re not afraid to play with and take chances on. Definitely the better thing to do is draw/paint than not draw, yes, even five minutes a day will make a big difference in the long run. 🙂 Keep with it with the music, and maybe try different kinds of music. Upbeat pop one time, jazz stuff the next, techno/dance one time, perhaps something purely instrumental the next. I find that things without lyrics are some of the best background filler. Actually, I’d highly recommend something like E.S. Postumous or even the background music for movies. If you don’t own anything like that, though, and don’t want to drop any cash, you can always try out free radio services like Pandora or the like which will help you discover new stuff similar to things you already like.
Welcome back! Glad to hear your surgery went smoothly and you’re recovering. 🙂
I find that for me, sometimes the best way to find inspiration is to turn on some good music and let that set a mood for me. Or, sometimes the day will just feel so good in terms of weather I can’t help but feel the need to draw. Sometimes I find someone else’s art that really inspires me, and admire that for a while, or see if I can’t mimic their style. What used to inspire you before your diagnosis?
But honestly, the best way to get yourself doing art, or any creative endeavor, is to just do it. Do anything: draw a doodle in your margins, do some thumbnail sketches, play with colors, do some speed life sketches. And just do that as much as you can, as often as you can, to force yourself past those tough points and keep the skills fresh for yourself so that when the inspiration does finally strike you, you aren’t impeded by the rust. Just produce something, anything. If you feel that you don’t want to use the PYOs because you don’t have inspiration yet, then maybe some good old paper you don’t mind wasting. The important thing is to just try.
I can’t decide how I feel about the umbral opals. On the one hand, the colors are beautiful. I love the rich blues and teals and purples going on there. But on the other, I feel like… because the color scheme is so rich and dark and there’s a lack of demarkation between various body parts/features in the sculpts, a lot of the details feel like they’re lost to me. Does anyone else feel the same way?
I really adore that pebble fox. He’s already past a price range I could part with though, alas.
Class ended Monday, so I am going to try to get it posted this weekend – just have to get through the work week first.
I don’t think there will be a pebble for this one, but I’ll have to check with the prize folks 🙂
I’m excited for a chance to win anything XD I can’t wait to see what the prizes will be, though, and to hear official word on what the quest will be.
Melody doesn’t really like being filmed or photographed, but maybe I can talk her into letting me grab some short videos with hands only when I go down next week. 🙂
I might also have a short video of painting on some grab bags somewhere… I think I took one a few visits back, but I’m not sure I ever got around to posting it. I’ll see if I can find it this weekend. 🙂
Ooh. Well, if it’s going to make anybody uncomfortable, please ignore the request! I absolutely understand and respect that feeling. I recently had to film myself drawing on my tablet for a work related project, and although I ended up doing it in the end, I really hated it and fought it the whole way. XD;
If Melody (or whoever was filmed doing painting) *would* be comfortable with people sharing a video that just showed hands and sculpt, though, I’d find that fascinating. But only if it’s okay. 🙂 Thank you for the offer to share, Kiya!
And now there’s been pictures posted in the class of 42 grab bag curlie photo thread that make me want it even more!
Yeah, Kiya’s pictures of the piece in the sun were what really did it for me. It looked interesting just from the overhead shot, but showing all those various angles…. man. What an amazing color scheme; I’d love to know what inspired it.
The fancy scales are easier to do! -but they are still are very time consuming, because they need to match each other. They need to be carved slowly and carefully.
Interesting. It sounds really labor/time intensive, then, regardless of difficulty.
This might be getting a bit off topic, but it’s still sort of related. Have you ever posted a video online of you doing your carving, sculpting, or painting work? I know some artists don’t like to be watched or filmed working (I don’t care much for it myself) but I bet a lot of us would really enjoy getting to see how it’s done if there ever was time, manpower, and bandwidth enough.
Ninth! Hope they make a batch of at least 10! :love:
It seems like they’d almost have to in order to meet demand! XD
