tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-473253528471126192024-02-08T00:14:18.994-06:00Ben Rumback's Art BlogThings made by me, Ben. Art for work, play and everything in between.benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-59651484807002417962016-02-07T10:37:00.001-06:002016-02-07T10:37:33.965-06:00Update, Quite Late! Art Camp 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Well <b>THIS</b> is super late, you know, for a <b>change</b>. It's been a while and I'm trying to catch up on a few things I should have posted ages ago. First up: Art Camp! I hosted a series of camps last summer, instead of the one traditional week. These are the highlights from the screen printing projects the kids made on fabric, as well as some hand sewing and melty-bead things. </div>
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The high-dive/camp fire/s'more nirvana shirt was designed and drawn by a very talented fourth grader, and it turned out awesome, from concept to print in a few days. </div>
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The girls from years past returned with sketch-books at the ready and executed some very cool two and three color prints. These were printed on canvas, which we then sewed into tote bags. </div>
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The giraffe design was a paper cut-out (which was grueling, but totally worth it!). It was printed on a shirt, but the artists and I agreed that she should go ahead and make five-or-ten prints on paper, because it turned out so great. </div>
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Another camper borrowed the big sun from the giraffe designer and used a pineapple I had designed for a friend to make this cool shirt. </div>
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X-BOX, represent!</div>
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The final project of the week was to design a print or pattern with me, and then make a one-of-a-kind drawstring backpack. Martha (the beautiful and talented wife) had to lead that half of the project, of course, and they turned out great. </div>
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<br />benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-71763626636022092712015-06-17T12:48:00.003-05:002015-06-17T12:51:38.761-05:00Where Puppets Come From<div style="text-align: center;">
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It's easy! Just follow a few hundred specific steps, mess up a dozen or so times, necessitating a few major 'redos' and causing one or two complete emotional breakdowns, and in about eight to ten hours of work, your done! </div>
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All jokes aside I do love making them, and though parts of the process can be tedious, the end result is a lot of fun, and makes a lot of people very happy. I've been lucky enough to stay busy with orders, between five and ten a year, and have thus developed a good system to building the puppets, without having to mentally start from scratch every time. </div>
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Here's how I do it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XERfnt84TYnJoaVyPM58DXcmWTvojjaGG8RFNqwqgF1vJc-43A4T9IKywXdeCLM536siOGZvGgT60hBWOmol89KDoRtMg8oCgLSp4CutNOVB9rZzjjbO82AjCOlFo58C8GShaZIfhg/s640/blogger-image--1538749056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XERfnt84TYnJoaVyPM58DXcmWTvojjaGG8RFNqwqgF1vJc-43A4T9IKywXdeCLM536siOGZvGgT60hBWOmol89KDoRtMg8oCgLSp4CutNOVB9rZzjjbO82AjCOlFo58C8GShaZIfhg/s640/blogger-image--1538749056.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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The Mouth! Over the years (the many years of experimentation and system development ), I have used a variety of materials for the mouth, the most action oriented part, and really the foundation on which the puppet is built. If the mouth isn't study (but expressive) and flexible (but in control), the performace, operation and over-all quality will suffer. If you are using an older pupper, specifically you, Mr. Santos, I regret using a bud light box as the very flimsy rock on which to build my... puppet. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUW3yB4y5GGxgsEiYf3RBU-3Dr6IU2OHStmPhBLJOH-jCr5cPumLgtnoQVBHrtWf182vjO4youHeVgK0MBJqy75f6FiXFxUAQVqA5eAxVJ8DwtAkoBnMv8PyxGe2AU5U6guZL9zi0cA/s640/blogger-image--141706031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUW3yB4y5GGxgsEiYf3RBU-3Dr6IU2OHStmPhBLJOH-jCr5cPumLgtnoQVBHrtWf182vjO4youHeVgK0MBJqy75f6FiXFxUAQVqA5eAxVJ8DwtAkoBnMv8PyxGe2AU5U6guZL9zi0cA/s640/blogger-image--141706031.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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These days, the two semi-circles of the mouth are cut from sturdy chip board or foam core, and black fleece is glued to all surfaces, then the seams around the mouth and the split in the jaw are machine sewn and reinforced. Before closing it up, though, a small, tight pocket is added for the thumb on the bottom and two fingers up top. These are also machine sewn, and allow for very precise control by the puppeteer. </div>
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You can see the roll of 1/2" foam in the background here, along with a few 'skulls', which brings us to....</div>
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The skull! I first constructed these from cardboard and duct tape (shudder), and they were rigid, heavy, and if ever accidentally crushed or stepped on, they would never be the same. Now that I'm a proper adult professional puppet weirdo, I construct each skull from lightweight, durable and all-together-superior poly foam. I developed a general pattern that is adjusted to allow for size and shape variations from client to client. </div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Here are two looks at a skull along with a body, which is a slightly tapered tube, with the narrower opening at the 'neck'. Next comes 'the skin' (this whole process sounds terrifically morbid, dudn't it?) </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">All of the surface stitching is done by hand (my hand!), using a frankensteined, home-cooked version of the long-rumored, widely-feared, not-that-crazy-once-you-get-down-to-the-business-of-doing-it, 'Henson stitch'... Which is basically a whip stitch done with very shallow allowance on the inside. I couldn't find a photo to illustrate the process, but I drape and pin the whole 'skin' inside out, and trim it down to the slightest possible seam allowance. Then I sew it all up, making tight (and hopefully mostly invisible) stitches, flip the whole thing right-side-out, stretch it down over the head and body, then cut the opening for the mouth. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The reason the skin looks so smooth and flawless, not pulling here-or-there, is because the only anchor points (glue points) are the inside of the lips and the base of the body, inside the puppet. I used to slather the thing in glue and then as the fabric and foam aged, the puppet would develop wrinkles or pulls. Amateur! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_FsGzLiKFHXOA6-D6-oJFnrpSlmYHe5sKQONjlAKZKdkNPZg0mz9uuPcqKQT-5Xx85IwwPAcDdpniLC7ikbDAoXOqNwXlED2PGRL18hg3AppxHPJlEEC81QR53KsS-AuOv12_Cc65Q/s1600/IMG_0932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_FsGzLiKFHXOA6-D6-oJFnrpSlmYHe5sKQONjlAKZKdkNPZg0mz9uuPcqKQT-5Xx85IwwPAcDdpniLC7ikbDAoXOqNwXlED2PGRL18hg3AppxHPJlEEC81QR53KsS-AuOv12_Cc65Q/s640/IMG_0932.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Here's a puppet with an exceptional body - meaning it's an exception, not that I admire it, ha. This client called for a specific 'fat belly', which I sculpted out of foam and had to adhere differently. </div>
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The facial features are made specifically by design to match the clients needs. The 'pyramid' noses are made from scrap cardboard from a cracker box or off-cuts from the ship board used to construct the mouth. The eyes are usually built around cardboard or foam core, covered with felt for the whites, lids and lashes, and the pupils (starting about a year back) are plastic doll eyes - just the black kind, usually. Once in a while I'm losing my mind racing a deadline and my lovely wife Martha comes in to cheer me up. This photo indicates one of those times.</div>
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Hands, arms, and control rods are next. These are also a recent milestone, now standard on all Ben Rumback puppets. They took some time to become so, as they add some serious work. For each hand I cut two foam hands, and four pieces of wire. The photo pretty much speaks for itself; The wires are sandwiched between both foam hand shapes, and drowned in glue to keep them in place. The ends are curled over to prevent any sharp ends of wire stressing any of the materials. The hand is then inserted into a machine sewn skin (the hand and arm are one piece), and stitched up around the control rod, the best view of which you can see below.</div>
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The arms are attached to the body at the shoulder with a plastic nut and bolt that ratchet together (and are hard as all-get-out to undo) and allow a range of movement forward and back on a swivel. The foam allows natural looking shoulder movement, which is very lucky, as I don't know how to make a ball joint! I capo the ends of the control rods with wooden rods, in which the wire is embedded and glued, for comfort and control. Somehow I don't have a clear photo of that, but I'll try to dig one up.</div>
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fter the face, hair and arms are all finished up, I'm pretty much ready to ship them off. Costumes are another recent development, and come by the grace and talent of Martha, my talented spouse. </div>
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That's it! That's all! It's that simple, haha, so go get your puppet on! But, hey, be cool, no client poaching. Here's a gallery of my recent creations, from design drawing to fruition. </div>
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This handsome trio were gifted to their real-life-counterparts by their dad, in an act of hilariously creative, and very generous holiday gifting, last year. </div>
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These two enigmatic ladies were the product of a kickstarter funded <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/clockworkcabaret/lushingtons-lounge-a-steampunk-after-dark-producti" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">steampunk-cocktail puppet show</a>... Which is probably the craziest project concept I've been a part of. </div>
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And then I came to these two lovelies - This one was a big deal to me (they all are, but hear me out). These were a surprise wedding gift for two comediennes/actors who were to be married at Jim Henson studios. Their brilliant friend wrote and performed a musical number at the wedding as a gift to the two ladies, and commissioned their puppet likenesses from me for the event. What an amazing thing - I'm still hoping for video! </div>
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That's it! Really, this time it's the end, so get out of here! If I posted your photo or your likeness in puppet form and you don't want it here, all public-like, just e-mail me at benrum@gmail.com and I'll remove it.</div>
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benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-53580326277981204752015-01-06T21:56:00.000-06:002015-01-07T15:58:45.565-06:00Trick, Treat, Repeat.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
When you get right down to it, autumn is my favorite time of year. The changing of the leaves, the respite from the unbearable dog days of the beautiful Kansas summers, <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">and of course, the happiest of the happy holidays: Hallowe'en!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglx6sGvwebX0ANaKq0tlmzVDdLSLxkZZVQ43MGsoh4mrYppuJTlTiZQ2XX4fULCQsBCJ3vMtL-764gz5Rh7ZJQvlgzgbwR4zf9FKc9oA7ib9qCjJz6ShgXtQ3y4hV9vDddZdjtYLETaA/s1600/IMG_0594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglx6sGvwebX0ANaKq0tlmzVDdLSLxkZZVQ43MGsoh4mrYppuJTlTiZQ2XX4fULCQsBCJ3vMtL-764gz5Rh7ZJQvlgzgbwR4zf9FKc9oA7ib9qCjJz6ShgXtQ3y4hV9vDddZdjtYLETaA/s1600/IMG_0594.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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This year, I was lucky enough to be visited by a pair of ghosts of Hallowe'ens past, two delightful clients from up Ontario way. I've worked with them twice in the past, and was happy to hear they wanted me back. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoCbsk_ukoCFVbtohIvbQCpyyMnN_G7ozQ4GQPoboB2BZiZw2Gxs_eT7_u-dkL3XkAwzN_m8KlK_knyr-GF88dEPpL2tZ9Cq1f-HVaUTN7th1k30EhDxkZnS_nZa9mAvzenfpx3_sLg/s1600/IMG_0596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoCbsk_ukoCFVbtohIvbQCpyyMnN_G7ozQ4GQPoboB2BZiZw2Gxs_eT7_u-dkL3XkAwzN_m8KlK_knyr-GF88dEPpL2tZ9Cq1f-HVaUTN7th1k30EhDxkZnS_nZa9mAvzenfpx3_sLg/s1600/IMG_0596.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here are some progress shots of the costumes taking shape. Can you guess who they were going as, yet? </div>
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Hint: the one above is female, the male of the species is pictured below. </div>
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If you haven't gotten it by now I may as well just spill: they were the ghoulish, ghastly pair of ghosts from the classic Tim Burton <em>monsterpiece</em>, Beetlejuice! This is a very silly post. Please excuse the puns. </div>
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The Maitlands, as their commonly called, are a great, cult-as-all-get-out, couples costume, and a quick google image search will return a handful of less-than-intimidating home made jobs, as well as a few that had me questioning whether I was up to the task. </div>
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These were definitely the most complicated costumes I have ever made, and more than once I worried they weren't going to turn out. An okay man maybe once said "success without crippling self doubt is none the sweeter than..." Well, I stink at making up meaningful quotes. Anyway, they turned out really cool! Moral: believe in yourself!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-GnjPW4pJiinhKmVJTT_KsmJBqWyTT9fd6HQaWTlfG-gnfVkTzjdVoMnqNFl178AEIaQm5fv82k3_hSB1a-_I_F-LsLWIkf6d_ilNdwzx-_ebm-pcenrm_OnX_piotz_0b7mbq7PLw/s1600/IMG_0701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-GnjPW4pJiinhKmVJTT_KsmJBqWyTT9fd6HQaWTlfG-gnfVkTzjdVoMnqNFl178AEIaQm5fv82k3_hSB1a-_I_F-LsLWIkf6d_ilNdwzx-_ebm-pcenrm_OnX_piotz_0b7mbq7PLw/s1600/IMG_0701.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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The tongue was a challenge of its own, but layering 1/2" foam cut to the contour worked, and I shaved it down and rounded the edges with scissors, then stitched some red fleece around the shape. </div>
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A couple of dime store eye-balls, about a million pieces of brown fleece cut into spiral-curls, a few hot glue burns, and VIOLA! </div>
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This handsome fellow was easier to finish up, with plush fur for the hair and no tongues or other extra accessories to make. My lovely wife Martha helped me with a photo shoot (and half of the modeling) a little after midnight, about a week before Hallowe'en.</div>
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We had fun trying them on, ha ha. It just happened that I was wearing a rather Maitland-ish shirt, and Martha's bathrobe was house-coat-y enough to pass for 'on purpose.'</div>
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I used a piece of red-dyed silk chiffon that Martha had from a previous project to let the wearer hide their face while maintaining a safe field of vision. </div>
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The clients were both thrilled with the photos, and more-so with the masks when they arrived a few days later. In the end they won all three of the costume contests they entered, so any lingering self doubt abated, and I slept easy the next few nights. </div>
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Once that was all said and done, I remembered that I had yet to make a costume for myself, as we were again hosting our annual party, and had guests coming from Chicago to impress!</div>
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I was in over my head before I started, working with materials that were relatively foreign to me. I considered going the cartoony route, as above, and softening the edges by building with foam and fabric, but I knew what I wanted to make, and anything less would be a concession to time and a lack of talent. </div>
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So, in a fit of stubbornness, I made a few paper models, one after the other, weeding out problems and making slight adjustments to an enlarged paper-craft toy pdf I found on 4chan. After something like eight (no joke) slight variations on failure, lightning struck and I lucked out, and I was finally ready to move on to the final material: chip board. </div>
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Steady... Steeeeady.</div>
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After a few dry runs of with painters tape, I busted out the hot glue and got serious. </div>
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At this point, I was only about three steps away from full on nazi-bustin'! </div>
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The piping on the sides of the helmet were made of bisected clear tubing from the hardware store, a tip from another DIYer of the same costume. </div>
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Foam core fin? Check. Brass brads for rivets? You got it. Time to paint! </div>
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Black base, then a few layers of gold. </div>
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With the helmet done (except the lenses, which I had waiting in a bag) it was time to face facts: without a rocket-pack, I was just a nerd in a cardboard helmet. This is the model from the movie. Gulp. </div>
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'Twas the night before our party, and I hadn't a plan for the pack, </div>
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so I did lots of sketches, and had a small panic attack. </div>
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I went for foam. The rocket pack wasn't going to look like the one from the movie, but I could match the shape and style close enough to get by on the helmet's cred. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The thirsty cardboard started to swell and build up unwanted texture in few spots, but I was able to give it a day to dry out, sand it down and then hit it with one last layer of gold. </span></div>
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I tried the helmet on in the morning, after the fumes cleared out, before heading to work. Speaking of work, I had to scramble and come up with an alternate costume (the school rule is from a book or history, and I didn't want to explain all day that The Rocketeer was a comic before the movie). My cotes her Amy and I went as gender-swapped (though I think the Ox was always a boy ox) Paul Bunyan and Babe, which is one of my favorite tall-tales. </div>
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What, you may ask, does Babe the Blue Ox do when the Nazi's sail a blimp into Hollywood? </div>
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He blasts into action as THE FREAKIN' ROCKETEEEER!!!</div>
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The pack is less than perfect, but the jacket my buddy Phil hooked me up with was so good I wasn't at worried about it. I made the boot covers out of fake leather and wore some boots that almost matched, but let's be honest, no one was looking at the shoes. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Uwnn30rHqDDwIAvUkUkDSlHhrZ3mHZa4TCM_v-hAJHw10QCdcVhHPcNOe01xeiKWmNKZJziKqo7peRwpW0f1MCiZYOR0zWjxiTnr_ykSQBM55P71LYSSwr4fWOyrRpTfrVN6DUGcSg/s1600/IMG_1087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Uwnn30rHqDDwIAvUkUkDSlHhrZ3mHZa4TCM_v-hAJHw10QCdcVhHPcNOe01xeiKWmNKZJziKqo7peRwpW0f1MCiZYOR0zWjxiTnr_ykSQBM55P71LYSSwr4fWOyrRpTfrVN6DUGcSg/s1600/IMG_1087.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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The costume came together in the last hours before the party, and people who remembered the movie loved it. The helmet survived the party (whew!), and now sits proudly on display on top of a set of lockers. Happy Hallowe'en! </div>
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benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-52499862741730576612014-12-15T22:37:00.000-06:002014-12-27T14:07:15.586-06:00Late Summer, Kind Of a Bummer...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsCVTWUXch8OG91kWb4PeFqZlQjQSVW6PhTL_WX5ncRzLM_9jplyfvZAe_I-ff-RHKG_EyfeZih6UJiFN1MKWVIYEEw_nAb2jzL7l_vG-WiM-Xb6ipjb3KHQIFHJ2NrbpHgxCpC5X_g/s1600/IMG_0183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsCVTWUXch8OG91kWb4PeFqZlQjQSVW6PhTL_WX5ncRzLM_9jplyfvZAe_I-ff-RHKG_EyfeZih6UJiFN1MKWVIYEEw_nAb2jzL7l_vG-WiM-Xb6ipjb3KHQIFHJ2NrbpHgxCpC5X_g/s1600/IMG_0183.jpg" height="480" width="640"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My dad and brother are big on hiking, camping, and the whole <b>outdoors</b> thing. Traditionally I am more of an indoor kid, but I was lucky enough to spend a day exploring Horse Thief Canyon, which is a scant hour's drive from our home town of Hutchinson. It was a beautiful day, and we had a great time.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjeiwh8JiyRI2xcjZ4EkYVlAKblc7nkHdDiwzeI2-zRp1U4Q4eLVNFvGQT6pBh5EL2hJTm6PfAr3ddk7iokKTdbT_fqCDNDTljumPWSh_52rX3kOzVFbOosr0CDWCoC2P_Iw2vt40oA/s1600/IMG_0185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjeiwh8JiyRI2xcjZ4EkYVlAKblc7nkHdDiwzeI2-zRp1U4Q4eLVNFvGQT6pBh5EL2hJTm6PfAr3ddk7iokKTdbT_fqCDNDTljumPWSh_52rX3kOzVFbOosr0CDWCoC2P_Iw2vt40oA/s1600/IMG_0185.jpg" height="480" width="640"></a></div>
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<div><br></div><div>Once I got back to Lawrence it was back to work, and the next job on the docket was wedding cake toppers for my good friend Josh and his bride-to-be, Patti. </div><br>
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<div><br></div><div>They sent me photos of their wedding day attire and I set to work. They turned out really cute, but not as cute as the real Josh and Patti (aaaaaawwwww).</div><br>
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<div><br></div><div>Next my dad needed a shirt design for his Navy Seabee detachment reunion. I had fun with the nautical theme (although the Kansas Navy call themselves dirt sailors) and he loved the design. </div><br>
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<div><br></div><div>I coated and exposed the screen, then Martha helped me pull the prints. </div><br>
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<div><br></div><div>Now that is one handsome and happy dirt sailor! </div><br>
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<div>Every year I plan to get in on the whole 'Inktober' thing that artists, illustrators and designers do on social media. In short it means that you draw or paint something in ink every day in October. </div><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbz855GEa7gOq0xQNtdOyv8HbB1KH68Rti7SyBbQhk0YSszZFQFHeGABdxpQzpROdNdhNxUYWz5dQ8solzudcCYqBAHfQeZvHt15igTsaEHx8fzR-ThNGxrRrC8cbKfaoDEXWB3K-87A/s1600/IMG_0584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbz855GEa7gOq0xQNtdOyv8HbB1KH68Rti7SyBbQhk0YSszZFQFHeGABdxpQzpROdNdhNxUYWz5dQ8solzudcCYqBAHfQeZvHt15igTsaEHx8fzR-ThNGxrRrC8cbKfaoDEXWB3K-87A/s1600/IMG_0584.jpg" height="640" width="480"></a></div>
<div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I made it a very proud five days, and you can see the product on Instagram (I'm @benrum). This Harry Potter sketch was my favorite, although I forgot his scar until after the photo was posted... #noob</span></div><br>
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<div><br></div><div>Bernadette, a friend of ours, asked me to paint a portrait of her brothers dog for his birthday (the brother, not the dog). I got to work, and it was fun to revisit a process I hadn't used in a few years - graphite on birch plywood, sealed with acrylic and painted with oils. </div><br>
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<div><br></div><div>The end painting was very nice, and it was reported to me that her brother (and I assume the dog) liked the painting.</div><br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Next up: a puppet! A very hairy, beardy puppet! This one was fun to make. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0Eyl221TAuUoJ7CbboZ2_xaCKj9eBg-Oz_r-6SQqNedH94nnuwpEQGg665n4ZDC3KTH3sJaCpMS4p9cforiVMBpG2N6Lf8XQCxSiqjxxTJvbFI1pZ-3QrCHuOC_2Q0PYNogyof6GsQ/s1600/IMG_0928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0Eyl221TAuUoJ7CbboZ2_xaCKj9eBg-Oz_r-6SQqNedH94nnuwpEQGg665n4ZDC3KTH3sJaCpMS4p9cforiVMBpG2N6Lf8XQCxSiqjxxTJvbFI1pZ-3QrCHuOC_2Q0PYNogyof6GsQ/s1600/IMG_0928.jpg" height="480" width="640"></a></div>
<div><br></div><div>Here's a look at the client and the likeness, a comedian and youtuber from Kansas City. Again, Martha helped me make deadline by unravelling all of the yarn in his hair and beard. What a wonderful, lovely woman! Hey, there she is now! </div><br>
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<br>benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-74392240729107545052014-11-09T20:47:00.000-06:002014-11-09T20:47:57.992-06:00A Pair of Puppets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: start;">
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Once in a blue moon, I get an order for more than one puppet, and every so often, a pair. These two came in as I had nothing else on the docket, so I was able to do the work assembly-line-style, which really speeds things up. </span></div>
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The clients were really fun people. We worked our way through the designs and small tweaks, and I was able to get quickly to the building stage. Here is a look at the 'finished' male puppet as I first presented it to them.</div>
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Dawww, they in love! <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The production of these puppets has come a long way from the old days, when they were slapped together from whatever cardboard and felt scraps I had laying around.</span></div>
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These days, the 'skeleton' is made of durable, light weight poly foam and covered with anti-pill fleece. The next big step ( which I had been avoiding) was arm control rods. I watched a few YouTube videos and read some indie puppet blogs and came up with a technique that not only produced stable arm controls with wooden grips, but also <i>posable fingers</i>! Very exciting stuff.</div>
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After looking at the pictures for a while, the clients felt that the male puppet looked a little sleepy, and lacked the energetic, kid friendly look they were hoping for. </div>
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After some delicate eye surgery, the desired look was there, and the clients wee very happy for it. That's what we strive for here at benrumback.com: Happy. </div>
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Above: Happy</div>
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Below: Happy </div>
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Thanks for checking in!</div>
benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-76039342501258348032014-11-09T20:45:00.000-06:002014-11-09T20:45:04.225-06:00Catching up: CAMP!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is the last in a series of three <i>long</i> overdue posts to catch up on, then I can start posting about more contemporary happenings (Hallowe'en amongst them). Without further adieu, here's the<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> scoop on art camp 2014!</span></div>
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Art Camp, again, right on schedule just a few days after Martha, Smokie and I moved house (this time, thank the gods, to a <i>much</i> better house). The studio opens onto a small deck, where we set up tables and we were fortunate to do all of our screen printing en plain air, as Van Gogh and the Fauves intended<span style="color: #545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>.</b></span></span></div>
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Every year, as the returning campers get older, the projects mature with them. Our focus this year was screen printing; mainly tee shirts, along with a few bags and tapestries.<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> We spent the first day planning, sketching, illustrating and working out ideas and getting them transferred onto tracing paper so I could burn the screens overnight. </span></div>
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Fandom was in no short supply, ranging from Disney to Star Wars, Hunger Games to Divergent (though that is a shorter road all together), and <i>plenty </i>of Dr Who. </div>
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Once the designs were ready. We laid them out on the screens to see if we could get by on my supply of three large screens. </div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After a display of my well-honed Tetris skills, it worked! What I didn't know was that I was missing two designs, and we only had time to burn once. More on that later. </span></div>
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Martha very much appreciated the below design, ha. </div>
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And I, in turn, geeked out over this one. </div>
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One of the boys made a really cool three-color World Cup shirt - the camp took place at the height of 'futbol' fever. </div>
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Nerdiest shirt award goes to the amazing and wonderfully quirky NETFLIX handmade fan shirt. So great! </div>
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I had no ideas how grateful I would be for the unforeseen blessing of mild weather, the outside printing set up, and (more importantly) the wash out station under a tree. I can't imagine printing this volume over such long hours and traipsing throughf the house and leaning over the bathtub, as I do when it's just me printing. </div>
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I absolutely loved these MineCraft inspired shirts. </div>
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The solution for the lost designs (those that didn't get prepared for screen printing) was for me to carve linoleum for block printing, which I lucking had fabric ink for. Everyone left happy (whew). </div>
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Martha answered the pleas of the girls (and boys) and taught them each how to make a zipper clutch or small tote. They had a lot of fun working on a sewing project more substantial than what I can teach them.<br />
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That's it! That's all! Scram! Until, you know, later. </div>
benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-13676675456352045312014-10-29T16:38:00.003-05:002014-11-09T20:45:26.917-06:00Losing Teeth: A Weird Right of Passage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The years I spent with Playgroup in Chicago were a hoot, every day was a new adventure. One of the many extra curricular activities that went along with the teaching position, which regularly crossed over with my art, design and craft life, were the tooth boxes, which I have <a href="http://benrumback.blogspot.com/2012/08/boxing-teeth.html" target="_blank">written about before</a>. So, let us retread this old territory together, and try not to look too bored. </div>
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The initial sketches become drawings which are then inked, very run of the mill. The only real challenge of this project is the format - these are measured to fit inside the boxes, and thus are a scant two inches wide by just over one inch tall. </div>
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After the drawing is all cleaned up, the watercolor comes into play, and after allowing for the tiny paintings to dry thoroughly, I use mod-lodge to stick them in and lacquer them over. </div>
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The letters and teeth on the top are paper cut, and I hit them with the mod-lodge as well. The look is clean, vibrant, and is hopefully will help releive the children of their natural reactions to their teeth falling right out of their heads. </div>
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<br />benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-38060500580181321762014-06-20T20:35:00.001-05:002014-06-20T20:37:24.345-05:00Building Character, I guess. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Things are again on the make! Take a look at what has been keeping me indoors </div>
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through this beautiful (erratic) Kansas spring! </div>
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With a few spring and summer art and craft events coming up, I ducked into the screen printing studio for a few days, and produced some new cuddle buds. I was half way through the Yoda design when I realized that he had the rare benefit of being two designs in one. It wasn't the first time I had considered an alternate color, limited edition type of thing, but Yoda famously appears in the original trilogy in two distinct color patterns: green and brown (alive and well), and blue and white (ghostly apparition)! "Viola!" Cried I, as I had heard it in a movie once, and got back to work. The outcome was great, and the scheme worked. Now, to be clear, none of the characters you see here are Yoda (©), but original characters, 'living master' and 'ghost master'. For serious guys... copyrights, and whatnot. </div>
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This spunky little robot is still getting figured out. My regular pattern<br />
doesn't work for characters of the non-humanoid persuasion. </div>
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Look at that! That, friend, is what a week at the sewing machine looks like. </div>
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Next came a custom job, for a friend who has a lovely son who LOVES the king: Elvis himselvis!</div>
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Reports indicate that he was a hit...<br />
Though, I wasn't that worried, he's ELVIS.<br />
The man does <i>not</i> disappoint. </div>
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Along came the next order, this time for puppets of a mom and dad<br />
for their joint birthday from their two adult children. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSWybZzY1eszP_ElJ6coXw88pYew5MOpouvrsv-dfVYDAFQpbDMUAsohC8cWhLBBrXCSaPERBtXGSgOkvTRN9CSuqn7sXReFtufXWFxm6YxJzF-RUDpITi7v9CHKUZ4EeTBjin-I5Fg/s1600/IMG_2689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSWybZzY1eszP_ElJ6coXw88pYew5MOpouvrsv-dfVYDAFQpbDMUAsohC8cWhLBBrXCSaPERBtXGSgOkvTRN9CSuqn7sXReFtufXWFxm6YxJzF-RUDpITi7v9CHKUZ4EeTBjin-I5Fg/s1600/IMG_2689.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoV2j1rvJVPzmxjPaPWSOCU1M27uEAy3u0dhVpLpumO2dqx2X8a-4puH__371dsTHzcVGfYxQjk28a3kZw5sBJaER8NKNlvROPQ02tsXxKPYJEhFhzAxjsQ5h4MBNdrYNejdLw7ooHQ/s1600/IMG_2668.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoV2j1rvJVPzmxjPaPWSOCU1M27uEAy3u0dhVpLpumO2dqx2X8a-4puH__371dsTHzcVGfYxQjk28a3kZw5sBJaER8NKNlvROPQ02tsXxKPYJEhFhzAxjsQ5h4MBNdrYNejdLw7ooHQ/s1600/IMG_2668.PNG" height="200" width="112" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHK3eMKSEfo52ZFJwXfl1ihicBxd4Ru3GITSJc_5_TvXHOzTR6oEzFpgKqnNVRGUh76ZR6WdU7xhc9iRjdSG5E_UCHDaDXw3njUmuLmk3mvr7D2ARXmfUCzZE2ZqxA0irBI8plhiCwHQ/s1600/IMG_2681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHK3eMKSEfo52ZFJwXfl1ihicBxd4Ru3GITSJc_5_TvXHOzTR6oEzFpgKqnNVRGUh76ZR6WdU7xhc9iRjdSG5E_UCHDaDXw3njUmuLmk3mvr7D2ARXmfUCzZE2ZqxA0irBI8plhiCwHQ/s1600/IMG_2681.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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Here are the sketches and the photo provided by the client...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAaZ5_NTqMTpGX5lvYruKBtDXPjZGxXVyu9rpLgW0bAFBgpMS7uw2QX0_hB8og3gGT9V1QuhLFXuoIkyJx69N5IjMUhJaQJG1I16_I8RKNdBl4p6zHT-QpA-BV-gyKqB9_E1MrqkOWw/s1600/IMG_2915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAaZ5_NTqMTpGX5lvYruKBtDXPjZGxXVyu9rpLgW0bAFBgpMS7uw2QX0_hB8og3gGT9V1QuhLFXuoIkyJx69N5IjMUhJaQJG1I16_I8RKNdBl4p6zHT-QpA-BV-gyKqB9_E1MrqkOWw/s1600/IMG_2915.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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... aaand the finished product! The kids said they loved them, which was backed up<br />
by a lovely and flattering e-mail sent by the pretty lady on the right!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjna2wyAJ_DiBQrQnIpMyo0sfkIvp7o1XrtAT3rwOQFKQgp82lvF_Y8Zw8nrKwgwsRgsyj6Ggvs7oRhDd-NXpoYJegwuGCWcQbSGGvC9vqUgUbG5QKgyLpkiWhyphenhyphenFEVricABR7w-RBwZ3A/s1600/IMG_2732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjna2wyAJ_DiBQrQnIpMyo0sfkIvp7o1XrtAT3rwOQFKQgp82lvF_Y8Zw8nrKwgwsRgsyj6Ggvs7oRhDd-NXpoYJegwuGCWcQbSGGvC9vqUgUbG5QKgyLpkiWhyphenhyphenFEVricABR7w-RBwZ3A/s1600/IMG_2732.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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After that I went outside to absorb some beautiful and ominous Kansas weather,<br />
before getting to the next bit.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4YvrBca6ymHC8NP8M-Sl0FDebvgUEJA9WaPNp3mVzdxb256rWpHjFR70zuUkMz01je1fqXPHW_lll75ln4Of6FPvrhw5T0ZXYVzcuiAqCJH6qUhLBRH3zd9R-fy1SsAIpD5agptD7A/s1600/IMG_1801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4YvrBca6ymHC8NP8M-Sl0FDebvgUEJA9WaPNp3mVzdxb256rWpHjFR70zuUkMz01je1fqXPHW_lll75ln4Of6FPvrhw5T0ZXYVzcuiAqCJH6qUhLBRH3zd9R-fy1SsAIpD5agptD7A/s1600/IMG_1801.JPG" height="640" width="470" /></a></div>
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SPARK! The latest play by <a href="http://adventurestage.org/" target="_blank">Adventure Stage</a>, ended up with some spooky,<br />
cool artwork, after many sketches, drafts, restarts and edits. Totally worth it,<br />
I love working with them - a wonderful, creative bunch. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXPabVIFympgmYuc_5yOJPEh0gIwuMWNQeH-8Bmp3MhtASao8wnMrt_XM9Gm0ssJ7M5puLw_GlhmPkKRNcTHxBjE3HTAiFp9954m6rm8D0FCTGrUcBmg0zVmYuqzn4-mq_f0j7Up10g/s1600/IMG_2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXPabVIFympgmYuc_5yOJPEh0gIwuMWNQeH-8Bmp3MhtASao8wnMrt_XM9Gm0ssJ7M5puLw_GlhmPkKRNcTHxBjE3HTAiFp9954m6rm8D0FCTGrUcBmg0zVmYuqzn4-mq_f0j7Up10g/s1600/IMG_2022.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Next came a t-shirt order from a friend, who produces shirts as give-aways for the <a href="http://truefalse.org/" target="_blank">True False film festival</a> in Missouri. He had the vision, just needed it put down in pencil and ink, and then screened onto about forty shirts. This was the largest product order I had done, so it was </div>
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the wonderful combination of challenging and fun. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH32YdW1-sNFnGoQT1EVe6BvmlMJYz4bzPQ5C152RF7WLYNXlYs0rGNAFONhAMhFVLK1d9If068DQcU8dm0fjBVq7P10i2PnWR9izZ1Nqz5_7TZbP2gU5HK51kxQX3C2zchaWWtv6fYQ/s1600/IMG_2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH32YdW1-sNFnGoQT1EVe6BvmlMJYz4bzPQ5C152RF7WLYNXlYs0rGNAFONhAMhFVLK1d9If068DQcU8dm0fjBVq7P10i2PnWR9izZ1Nqz5_7TZbP2gU5HK51kxQX3C2zchaWWtv6fYQ/s1600/IMG_2023.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNGCvobZGFYVNfPD5tu7zJ81OthdMQRadFgdDCHTP31pDXpmbdzOz_v18F2V1TZYoBZXrPiyHVJIOPIzLjucSPjGriVZpvaJhBpccy1va_ZmoBrLDOZ8PSRPhypxbqTfDy_Ot_Fd4HA/s1600/IMG_2157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNGCvobZGFYVNfPD5tu7zJ81OthdMQRadFgdDCHTP31pDXpmbdzOz_v18F2V1TZYoBZXrPiyHVJIOPIzLjucSPjGriVZpvaJhBpccy1va_ZmoBrLDOZ8PSRPhypxbqTfDy_Ot_Fd4HA/s1600/IMG_2157.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I straight up can't recall if I have previously posted this little mouse trophy, </div>
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but it sold, and I miss it, and need to make one for my house soon. </div>
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Little mouse heads are particularly cute when mounted as a trophy! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_W5cJWyq64ZtKMFvhSeG4x2Lrk0W-BBwyQSRTp-UxOoSvPbnqwDwx2IuERYtV5fQOb7NS-rtxtMs_c4sT4dB1-3e8TIMFJzJCuV-7_4LhNnJC5v0x2oY_6MH_zGPJMMiOq0WE-dlxw/s1600/IMG_1058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_W5cJWyq64ZtKMFvhSeG4x2Lrk0W-BBwyQSRTp-UxOoSvPbnqwDwx2IuERYtV5fQOb7NS-rtxtMs_c4sT4dB1-3e8TIMFJzJCuV-7_4LhNnJC5v0x2oY_6MH_zGPJMMiOq0WE-dlxw/s1600/IMG_1058.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3Cl3_gC7nVHaTfPDjJkC8oUS0kxVidST5L3Yspjtlt4D9620-5ZCXTeEo1ydVUW9dWrYgiihN4ei4H2G5GwGaRwU6q75-DhdkLVwgyOwGIF8ptTEjj9tkS9jM6cGfTKVST-EqS0ilQ/s1600/IMG_1057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3Cl3_gC7nVHaTfPDjJkC8oUS0kxVidST5L3Yspjtlt4D9620-5ZCXTeEo1ydVUW9dWrYgiihN4ei4H2G5GwGaRwU6q75-DhdkLVwgyOwGIF8ptTEjj9tkS9jM6cGfTKVST-EqS0ilQ/s1600/IMG_1057.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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I spent some goofing around time and some serious art time honing my linoleum skills and cutting some nice stamps. For a long time i THOUGHT that I preferred the soft, white easy-cut material, but this stamp done crumbled after fifteen prints, so now I'm going with the pink, </div>
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more-sturdy-but-still-speedy-cut material from speedball. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWML7uXCydK4VRy0sTMm3oWNrZ22U9Tw5rQu3GyLMJxI_Kxm2cnMF5hlCSLEjI38F2r9u7Zezj7iZeiojYTZQLT1_kW6e5RYgR69OfvvZse7Qo9d2aUL0supxzJxFd1k-IA4ynmrOVYw/s1600/IMG_2286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWML7uXCydK4VRy0sTMm3oWNrZ22U9Tw5rQu3GyLMJxI_Kxm2cnMF5hlCSLEjI38F2r9u7Zezj7iZeiojYTZQLT1_kW6e5RYgR69OfvvZse7Qo9d2aUL0supxzJxFd1k-IA4ynmrOVYw/s1600/IMG_2286.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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The serious prints will, of course, be relegated to real linoleum, so they'll last forever and print strong, bold prints. Below is an example of a more serious print - another skull, yes (I do skulls when I don't have an idea), but the level of detail in the print is markedly higher than the other materials (aside form wood, which is classic, lovely, and a pain in the proverbial backside). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9Wz3hcoL1vCbv4uiLat5UoF86T8AYfAMVDo_Vt2EW5nQS-gqR14b_in16voOvwi7ezXkoSYGLOctmpJdcpI4L77V0GQzrbsyCo5scBsLSLJA0xdmQQJ97wBlC2cJUEv2aDTubgJEkQ/s1600/IMG_2509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9Wz3hcoL1vCbv4uiLat5UoF86T8AYfAMVDo_Vt2EW5nQS-gqR14b_in16voOvwi7ezXkoSYGLOctmpJdcpI4L77V0GQzrbsyCo5scBsLSLJA0xdmQQJ97wBlC2cJUEv2aDTubgJEkQ/s1600/IMG_2509.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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SPOOKY! Two patches, no title. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWbbOHVgvEDjp0B86aDIrUbMbhKhbUZJdVZUvrOizoFv3uGTZmN6N9KsreucKjDJrn6h2ONlDsZ4NvJy3w3Cqcqrguj6DOFrS2FU5uNPY-HTjuogy52vytrHAdHP5f-ZApXysWl92sQ/s1600/IMG_3562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWbbOHVgvEDjp0B86aDIrUbMbhKhbUZJdVZUvrOizoFv3uGTZmN6N9KsreucKjDJrn6h2ONlDsZ4NvJy3w3Cqcqrguj6DOFrS2FU5uNPY-HTjuogy52vytrHAdHP5f-ZApXysWl92sQ/s1600/IMG_3562.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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A photoshop job came along, and I took it! The above will be printed as t-shirts for a character series (character pictured above). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTXhETzbnsQmpWp2G9I3erC5rg__ygB9KgX0H-rjMC7ClrsQ1eAS7ToQaA5M-KQqN2qphh6-Ms2m7Djk23xZQ8rNYfSTpxekWwJCEahmOl7oyipBO4Sv-GYQTy3FsWivyur6JEXBMZQ/s1600/IMG_3334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTXhETzbnsQmpWp2G9I3erC5rg__ygB9KgX0H-rjMC7ClrsQ1eAS7ToQaA5M-KQqN2qphh6-Ms2m7Djk23xZQ8rNYfSTpxekWwJCEahmOl7oyipBO4Sv-GYQTy3FsWivyur6JEXBMZQ/s1600/IMG_3334.JPG" height="494" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next came a return to old comforts - The Felt Show poster design! I love a good parody, and I <i>loooves</i> me some Twilight Zone, so this was a delightful and quick job. Paul was happy, </div>
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and put on maybe the best show I've seen him put on. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3SbsV4r2Vbcqdp2pPje0pYDwje2Ovxy6sTyBcNqfbPmu6Mb9w4JzmqACgAcL5B6QBQ0jlBq4s_YyEV0Yys5X_0HuARbNvhodG7AAQiDaQR3CbdGT3LHjV_y5Tlr17Sr7PfxBUREEsQ/s1600/IMG_2938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3SbsV4r2Vbcqdp2pPje0pYDwje2Ovxy6sTyBcNqfbPmu6Mb9w4JzmqACgAcL5B6QBQ0jlBq4s_YyEV0Yys5X_0HuARbNvhodG7AAQiDaQR3CbdGT3LHjV_y5Tlr17Sr7PfxBUREEsQ/s1600/IMG_2938.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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My brother got married! I gained a cool new sister-type-of-person! I... Got suckered into a whole bunch of work! JOKE! joke, it was a pleasure and an honor. The stamp is for the popcorn bags (charming) the wood is for the cake topper (finished product pictured below). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmE1Tu7PtwbWI-UEsjpCi2x3tbPTfvG8NEabSOQ4f4HuBkVcs9ER_Aoby_gUTK9Qlh3TZgsIw8PtloEaCKtiJimGr8fFDFpKz2fIxgJCdy8JEmKj8cyBaQ_ZJx1RSyTbKOKZvXwa0GnQ/s1600/IMG_3201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmE1Tu7PtwbWI-UEsjpCi2x3tbPTfvG8NEabSOQ4f4HuBkVcs9ER_Aoby_gUTK9Qlh3TZgsIw8PtloEaCKtiJimGr8fFDFpKz2fIxgJCdy8JEmKj8cyBaQ_ZJx1RSyTbKOKZvXwa0GnQ/s1600/IMG_3201.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Save your breath: It's a Rifle Paper Co. stylistic rip-off - I've always </div>
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admired their work, and it fit the occasion. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3hv85PMBqT-SRCRtP82njx_QKrcPMI8I50AON_SzUttiHAiWWIzH_gomWQDZAyoM7QWrgYuIuXBlcUw-xbY9RCKrVjhQR8ITY48fF6Gv4q_MDHK_doFDKK7rSeaJRGqL8MtzzIynEJw/s1600/IMG_3196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3hv85PMBqT-SRCRtP82njx_QKrcPMI8I50AON_SzUttiHAiWWIzH_gomWQDZAyoM7QWrgYuIuXBlcUw-xbY9RCKrVjhQR8ITY48fF6Gv4q_MDHK_doFDKK7rSeaJRGqL8MtzzIynEJw/s1600/IMG_3196.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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My brother Mikey asked me to help him build a bar, then became conspicuously unavailable the day of the wedding (joke, again). At a loss, I pulled my dad and brother Charles in, as well as another groomsman or two. In a scant three hours, we made this beauty, and it was HEAVY! </div>
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But sturdy, handsom and rustic, so let's call it a win. </div>
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And now my dad has a bar in his shop, so everyone wins, haha. </div>
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Thanks for reading! Hit me up in the comments if you really, truly love me! </div>
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It's been a while (maybe three years or more) since I had made anything with oil paint, even longer since I used them on canvas. That said, when I received a query for a 'regal cat portrait' from a close friend, I was equal parts excited and nervous. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dRQs-tjGBBp775kb1qTwVgKhKO4g22nVbx2dktVuVM6msdwk2bkpe09zx3_tYojll6_LHJQPczbg5sjII6AlVHpWbvrpB9uYVlDstoJfAf6_nhmtPVi7gG7WJ5fHHK13mVxYNHrUhA/s1600/IMG_1949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dRQs-tjGBBp775kb1qTwVgKhKO4g22nVbx2dktVuVM6msdwk2bkpe09zx3_tYojll6_LHJQPczbg5sjII6AlVHpWbvrpB9uYVlDstoJfAf6_nhmtPVi7gG7WJ5fHHK13mVxYNHrUhA/s1600/IMG_1949.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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I started with a rough pencil sketch, and then set down to painting. I used to 'lose' the underpainting when I overworked the layers and covered things up, so I would take digital snaps of each major step. These days, what with good cameras in our phones, it was easier than ever to insure myself against any major missteps. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJhWDhoSin7CgZH-lcp6DfDo7kEXsHtuAmWvwmiJZAj_MaDHCw0VYugpsTBRbwFLAetEt0DegHlzqNb9KPq4QWNcLCenbbh5BUJ3akECesOmWDjmaWSNIYgbkhIRAvHZvKdbehWu1-g/s1600/IMG_2169.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJhWDhoSin7CgZH-lcp6DfDo7kEXsHtuAmWvwmiJZAj_MaDHCw0VYugpsTBRbwFLAetEt0DegHlzqNb9KPq4QWNcLCenbbh5BUJ3akECesOmWDjmaWSNIYgbkhIRAvHZvKdbehWu1-g/s1600/IMG_2169.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Much like riding a bicycle, oil painting technique is kind of hard to forget, it seems, as I didn't run into many major struggles, aside form patience in allowing layers to dry (always my number one hiccup). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzO4k_rxv5yc8JZIovvsQEFsKLW1Yzyf6fXh-e7d0mBxVWPSJ66n1Cixil9EZ54nIl4L9iB6Y_urpEexvrZAaDDG4abOaEf-Z3pj6RhrP4ezkXto0W5iIf1TyKJBF_Un2D06ee9QBPZA/s1600/IMG_2235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzO4k_rxv5yc8JZIovvsQEFsKLW1Yzyf6fXh-e7d0mBxVWPSJ66n1Cixil9EZ54nIl4L9iB6Y_urpEexvrZAaDDG4abOaEf-Z3pj6RhrP4ezkXto0W5iIf1TyKJBF_Un2D06ee9QBPZA/s1600/IMG_2235.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIb-c8KqgeJwmBArp1lBHkwpzwshaNWH24l1SliM3HB3uLvEveKQY5moTLzbq1K3yI9RcwqN3EV9MEWAnwaNCK7Se0nn2LXszIbcL0I-z4ME1-LWEukklLwjwxr8nHwjzC7esgcNsENg/s1600/IMG_2419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIb-c8KqgeJwmBArp1lBHkwpzwshaNWH24l1SliM3HB3uLvEveKQY5moTLzbq1K3yI9RcwqN3EV9MEWAnwaNCK7Se0nn2LXszIbcL0I-z4ME1-LWEukklLwjwxr8nHwjzC7esgcNsENg/s1600/IMG_2419.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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In the end, the only element I'm wasn't 100% on board with were the stars, but they looked good enough for deadline! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yp5QdPVuGAF-CpRCHPZpimDk4wG9aKZSiKuxO-aFVOrjcNto8Ff8wMC082MlF61yuxOyS-CC5IUxeSn9FiZzIGBAOPT-qi8j_a8jdNgH2anM-ND6WdnHm1KDXYfC9L0kvvEhn9WMMg/s1600/IMG_2418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yp5QdPVuGAF-CpRCHPZpimDk4wG9aKZSiKuxO-aFVOrjcNto8Ff8wMC082MlF61yuxOyS-CC5IUxeSn9FiZzIGBAOPT-qi8j_a8jdNgH2anM-ND6WdnHm1KDXYfC9L0kvvEhn9WMMg/s1600/IMG_2418.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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My résumé has since been updated to include 'regal pet portraiture'.</div>
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<br />benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-56428332362673810332014-02-09T22:59:00.002-06:002014-02-10T14:07:10.487-06:00A Coon's Age<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Just to be clear, I looked it up, and I'm 99% it's not a pejorative idiom. Apparently there's an old folk belief that raccoons live a long time... Turns out they just all look alike. Now that, <b>that</b> is a pretty risky statement, but I'm 99% sure no raccoons read this blog, so I think we're good here. </div>
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Now that that's out of the way, let's get down to business and address the fact that I haven't posted in a <i>really</i> long time. I've been busy! Here's what I've made since... October?</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IeBXsvmMvos/UvhR1oksZ1I/AAAAAAAAB54/IMZ77tgKq8I/s1024/Photo%252520Oct%25252015%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252011%25253A04%252520AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="500" id="blogsy-1392006820403.5916" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IeBXsvmMvos/UvhR1oksZ1I/AAAAAAAAB54/IMZ77tgKq8I/s500/Photo%252520Oct%25252015%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252011%25253A04%252520AM.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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The preschool job is going pretty well; Nice coworkers, lots of fun kids, good lunches, so I rewarded them by making this spooky puzzle during our 'body' unit. It's white paper all exacto'd and scissored and glued onto black, then laminated and cut out again. It's so cool having access to a laminator - now when I make stuff out of paper, they don't destroy is quite as quickly! The kids liked it a lot - our class is particularly good at puzzles. </div>
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Next up I got a commission for a set of nesting dolls that were to be a gift for a fellow finishing up his masters in English. Thus: writer dolls, all of his supposed favorites, many of whom I had to google for a likeness. Serious, who knows what Robert Frost looks like? Not me. Shakespeare is obvious, but Whitman? No idea. </div>
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Whitman, apparently. Good looking guy, looks like a fighter. </div>
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<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RDXSOPktdgk/UvhR9TFujII/AAAAAAAAB6Q/kXmnqC7zIB4/s1024/Photo%252520Oct%25252019%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525209%25253A48%252520AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="375" id="blogsy-1392006820437.16" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RDXSOPktdgk/UvhR9TFujII/AAAAAAAAB6Q/kXmnqC7zIB4/s500/Photo%252520Oct%25252019%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525209%25253A48%252520AM.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Hallowe'en snuck up on me, and the few nights leading up to our annual party were late ones. If you don't know what I am supposed to be, it's a Dementor from the Harry Potter series. I was taller than Martha for once, but getting in and out of the thing wasn't easy. My face is in the chest, peering through a few layers of gauzy black fabric. It was really fun to get to see people's reactions without them knowing just how tall this spooky guy really was. </div>
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Along came a puppet order, and I filled it. This dorky looking guy was really fun to design, and I used the little plastic eyes again. I'm thinking about going with them full time, they add some life to the puppet. </div>
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As soon as he was in the mail, it was time to get-a-making for the upcoming art fairs, one on Black Friday, the other in mid December. I started with some block printed tags, which can do double duty as paper Christmas tree ornaments. </div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nk5M8YmCyBQ/UvhSHuDks2I/AAAAAAAAB6w/TZ9shFqeyrU/s1024/Photo%252520Nov%25252016%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252011%25253A43%252520PM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="500" id="blogsy-1392006820401.6558" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nk5M8YmCyBQ/UvhSHuDks2I/AAAAAAAAB6w/TZ9shFqeyrU/s500/Photo%252520Nov%25252016%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252011%25253A43%252520PM.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Next I made this little mousy, who sold quick (the mice seem to, as they are less expensive and very cute). My favorite mouse so far, no contest. </div>
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I added a few new signs to the mix, along with one for Martha, who had been hard at work on her newly designed clutches, and who had her own table for the first time at the Sip & Shop in December. </div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KrtMU_7O_wQ/UvhSRghgmkI/AAAAAAAAB7I/22zIQwHbILY/s1024/Photo%252520Nov%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A37%252520AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="500" id="blogsy-1392006820412.1528" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KrtMU_7O_wQ/UvhSRghgmkI/AAAAAAAAB7I/22zIQwHbILY/s500/Photo%252520Nov%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A37%252520AM.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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My buddy Phil approached me in the thick of show prep to ask about a caricature of the Postman who has served his time in the downtown area long enough to become an icon. Jerry was retiring, and Phil had a vision!</div>
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After I sent him a sketch, he approved, and I got to work. </div>
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In the end it turned out great, and we made it out to his retirement party, where I met the man himself. He seemed to really like the portrait. Fun stuff! </div>
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Smokie tends to be very involved on the work I do around the house, and he cuddle-tested this stack of cuddle-buds for me. </div>
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Martha was across me at the Sip & Shop, a which was fun and lucrative for the both of us. Look at those cool clutches! </div>
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My table was pretty crowded, but it thinned out as I sold off a handful of prints and cuddle-buds. </div>
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The new flannels I got for the back sided were classy and comfy. I instagrammed the next photo, but thought it was cool enough to re-post here. </div>
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After the fairs I listed the four buds on my <a href="http://www.benrum.etsy.com/" target="_blank">etsy</a>, which, er, you should check out, fine reader. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbGjSFM5fMflQnbdQ4xXQtIqRK0SwunOnvQSo4-pGeYU_7KQijFdJ0UuC59QHdyA5CKobVQaTJnBhEd-cmxwB44KM8YHBTfyhEd7Nx5FO_OU-myaJi5goRe6qN_S9B5PBwAIZsa_i3w/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbGjSFM5fMflQnbdQ4xXQtIqRK0SwunOnvQSo4-pGeYU_7KQijFdJ0UuC59QHdyA5CKobVQaTJnBhEd-cmxwB44KM8YHBTfyhEd7Nx5FO_OU-myaJi5goRe6qN_S9B5PBwAIZsa_i3w/s1600/photo.JPG" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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Here's a closer look at the Fuzzy Buddy redesign - the fuzz-ball was my first fabric printing project, and i thought he would benefit from an upgrade. I'm very happy with the new look, and people have responded well. </div>
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I then moved on to Christmas commissions - starting with a big order of ten nesting dolls, ordered from Illinois and shipped out to sunny LA. There was some pretty detailed stuff on these dolls, and all with very pretty hair. </div>
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The largest doll was double sided, showing off the happy, gift-receiving couple. Their hair was a trick to figure out, but it turned out great. </div>
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Here's a clear shot of grandma, but I'm guessing they all call her something like Gigi or, um, Sharon or something. </div>
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Details, details - this one loves her iphone, or so I was told, so I included it.</div>
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Next up: a puppet! My third order from Illinois this season, which struck me as funny, having just left the place. </div>
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From sketch to reality in two-hundred-and-thirty-seven easy steps! </div>
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Jenny, a friend of mine in Chicago, had me design and order these vinyl stickers for her husbands home-brew. Jim has a mighty mustache, and now, so do his beers. </div>
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Next in line was a one-day art camp with a handful of my regular art camp kids. For Christmas I was granted a stamp press and some linoleum cutting and printing supplies, so I encouraged the kids to venture into printmaking, and they went for it. </div>
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I don't know what a Divergent is, But Rhiddi carefully produced fifteen four-color prints, inspired by the cover of the book. Very impressive work!</div>
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Our resident Brony made a bunch of cool My Little Pony inspired metallic prints. Good stuff. </div>
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1umjmSGd1bQ/UvhWiGdoZpI/AAAAAAAAB_o/dYxA0Hw-2Uc/s1024/Photo%252520Jan%25252022%25252C%2525202014%25252C%25252012%25253A41%252520PM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="679" id="blogsy-1392006820499.7256" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1umjmSGd1bQ/UvhWiGdoZpI/AAAAAAAAB_o/dYxA0Hw-2Uc/s500/Photo%252520Jan%25252022%25252C%2525202014%25252C%25252012%25253A41%252520PM.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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A rush order came from <a href="http://www.adventurestage.org/" target="_blank">Adventure Stage in Chicago</a> - they needed the next poster/image for their new original play on the rush, and after five mock-ups and a whole boat load of tweaks over the course of two weeks, this image came along and we all agreed that it was great, and accurately captured the intrigue and mystery they were going for. </div>
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Lastly (for now), I got to settle down one night and put in some time with the new wood-carving tools my dad and brother gave me for Christmas. I carved a quick and simple design and made a handful of prints. Working with wood instead of rubber or lino is a fun challenge, and it will take some getting used to, but the first prints were cool, and I can't wait to do some more. </div>
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Whew - BUSY! But happy. On top of all of this I finished a super-secret contract last week that was for my biggest client yet, and I'm not allowed to show it, or to discuss it... so... there! Keep warm! </div>
benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-42014805542892411372013-12-02T14:21:00.000-06:002013-12-02T14:21:57.085-06:00Secret Santa!Psst! Use the super secret code secretsanta to save 15% on anything on my <a href="http://www.benrum.etsy.com/" target="_blank">etsy shop</a>!<br />
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*custom items and custom orders not eligible*benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-360323178041115572013-10-05T10:05:00.000-05:002013-10-05T10:09:29.998-05:00Big Moves It's anything but rare for a post on this blog to start with some iteration of the phrase 'it's been a while...' It is rare, however, for a post here to have little or nothing to do with art, and a lot of personal info. Brace yourself, here comes some artless personalizing! <br />
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A few, some, maybe even <em>many </em>of you know me IRL (as the kids say) and thusly know that my family (loving wife and scornful cat) have recently made a big move from the thrills of Chicago to the old comforts of home (kind of) in the beautiful and buggy town of Lawrence, Kansas, where Martha grew up and where I was schooled. As readers of this blog may remember, I have kept in touch with the good Lawrencians in my life by visiting every year (at least once) and hosting art camps with kids that I taught in preschool so long ago that a few of them are nearly taller than me... 'Cause I'm old<br />
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<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> The question we heard the most since making and publicizing the decision to move was, "why?" Now, having been a teacher of the younglings for more then nine years now, I have a strong habit of giving well-thought-out, honest answers to this question, mostly in the mind of stopping it from perpetually repeating in an all-too-common black hole of curiosity. There are plenty of reasons, and I won't bore you with them here, but we moved, and before we did, we tried our damnedest to soak up every last drop our favorite people and things in Chicago. Here is the criminally short list:</span></div>
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Oh, Lake Michigan... We never did spend enough time together.</div>
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The Museum Campus spider-gym at night</div>
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My dearest nephew, Mutley, the only dog Smokie ever didn't try to murder.</div>
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The fireworks from the bridge at Paul's parents' house in the suburbs...</div>
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Where we were lucky enough to get our WASP on with the Munro's, four Fourth's running. </div>
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Okay, some of this post is art stuff; Indoor and outdoor art markets, where I feel like I was finally getting an audience. I'll be back for these, though, worry not, Chicago nerds! Above is my last Chicago Flea in June, below is the <span style="line-height: 1.3em;">Revolution Craft Show in July. </span></div>
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Oh, the Charleston; Where my brother and our wonderful friends threw us an amazing surprise going away party. Seriously, t<span style="line-height: 1.3em;">he best place in town.</span></div>
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There are two people who I couldn't have done without, and who will be desperately missed. Above, my brother Charles, Charlie, Chu - no, never Chuck. We were lucky enough to become better brothers and real friends, something I can't say enough about. What a guy. </div>
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Below, that trouble-maker on the left: Mary. Oh, Mary! You know what I'm typing about. Think of the very best person... She's like that, twice. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqGTHgkCQc2g1baLP5UaO20Jasydj-Xn1EaEI-yikck0_61NtYfGinpIZl_yo7yEYjjHwJxWv9DwgNqFG9zhbIUAtgb2QJzGf_wrBHZ5Y7HVIy8OdSR1OuYrGnwvmWQEhCDpVkYDQsw/s1600/IMG_8920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqGTHgkCQc2g1baLP5UaO20Jasydj-Xn1EaEI-yikck0_61NtYfGinpIZl_yo7yEYjjHwJxWv9DwgNqFG9zhbIUAtgb2QJzGf_wrBHZ5Y7HVIy8OdSR1OuYrGnwvmWQEhCDpVkYDQsw/s640/IMG_8920.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"><span style="line-height: normal;">And all of you jerks (you know who you are) who I love, my bros and my ladies, you know you are on this list, I just can't post a picture of everyone. You know, though... and so do I. Much love to everyone! Come visit!</span></span></div>
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Last but not least, Playgroup, my job and family for the past six years. These kids and their parents did almost as much for me in Chicago as anyone. A job's a job and work's work, but the majority of my time in the company of these little goofballs felt less like work than the vastness that I've done elsewhere. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREjv4uRghSB3_lyVgq4y8EoksoS_zkkK6efegEjJWb9kIc2W-C3uhUza1VkTYrVLFDQJYYKCGHyk1o2TOotzymY98jt9QMcBkyra5of9J0xJwg6ati6XrjYKnlP943PIsWjCxdwMsug/s1600/IMG_9716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREjv4uRghSB3_lyVgq4y8EoksoS_zkkK6efegEjJWb9kIc2W-C3uhUza1VkTYrVLFDQJYYKCGHyk1o2TOotzymY98jt9QMcBkyra5of9J0xJwg6ati6XrjYKnlP943PIsWjCxdwMsug/s640/IMG_9716.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We moved! And, while we hated to go, Kansas, so far, has been good to us, and more or less what we signed up for. Everything is a little harder than you think it will be, it's fair in my mind to say that is a universal truth. Saying goodbye (or at least, see you later) to our friends and coworkers, to my brother and to the kids and families I'd grown so fond of, was not easy. I've rarely felt more loved than when it finally started coming time to go. So long, Chicago! See you soon.</div>
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P.S. Smokie was very good on what ended up being a 13 hour drive. Good kitty... Don't kill me. </div>
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benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-71990301572190460672013-09-29T11:37:00.000-05:002013-10-05T12:12:51.100-05:00Fun, But No Sun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Summer is a busy time, more-so when you live in a big city full of fun people and lots of events, more, more-so when you are moving soon and you need to get things done and people seen! More, more, more-so when you are trying to stay on top of art commissions and personal fun projects! Here's my summer in review! </div>
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These dead/alive Yoda screen prints were the last thing I made in my printing on paper class at <a href="http://www.lillstreet.com/" target="_blank">Lill Street</a>. I had two hours of open studio left when I finished my final project, so I grabbed a razor knife and some paper and sliced this minimally-cool Yoda design for my dear friend Ted, who <i><b>is</b> </i>Yoda. What a great class, go take it, Chicago people, and tell <a href="http://lillstreet.com/faculty-page/93" target="_blank">The Ginz</a> I say 'hey!'</div>
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Immediately thereafter I signed up for the screen printing on fabric class ('cause I have so so much free time, y'know), which was great also, so go see <a href="http://lillstreet.com/faculty-page/91" target="_blank">Camille</a>. The first things I made were these tote bags using the Dynamic Duo design I had <a href="http://benrumback.blogspot.com/2013/07/bats-and-wizard-hats.html" target="_blank">used previously on paper</a>. It made for some pretty sweet bags, and I have three left, so holler if you'd like one! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1u2_g3ssj9npdzBIfo0F86DmLkJXFRWfXja_zufyjEwFe-kjuXBgX75zoksexipYBfRvaMPK9IN9UZT3EStSe4xbmYBekALxJmBlrbYgmHYH8m5Lz1Fg7HtJHMyS5Uz21gD55vr0fA/s1600/IMG_2590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1u2_g3ssj9npdzBIfo0F86DmLkJXFRWfXja_zufyjEwFe-kjuXBgX75zoksexipYBfRvaMPK9IN9UZT3EStSe4xbmYBekALxJmBlrbYgmHYH8m5Lz1Fg7HtJHMyS5Uz21gD55vr0fA/s640/IMG_2590.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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While pondering my next project, I had a brainstorm, but Martha put in my mouthguard, so I was okay. That's a joke form 30 Rock but I couldn't find the clip. Anyway - screen printed NERD dolls! Maybe I'll call them <i>Sidekicks</i>, or <i><b>Sidehugs</b></i>... First up was Chewbacca! I drew the layers on tracing paper to burn the screens, then started printing on soft, off-white canvas. </div>
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Wesley tested and approved a prototype for me. I ended up having to leave that one at Playgroup; It got a little too much love to consider sellable. </div>
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The Smokie test went almost as well, but there was a marked deficit in enthusiasm.</div>
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Next, Batman (naturally). I printed on grey this time, as I learned a lesson with Chewie - that soaked up a <b>lot</b> of brown ink. </div>
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The layers went together with only a few casualties, and the hand drawn look makes it very personal, not just <b>a</b> Batman doll... It's <b>my</b> Batman doll. </div>
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See that look in Juju's eye? That's the look... <b>MINE.</b> Go ahead, try to take it - you'll lose a finger. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF54TN3zLIMUn8sT338_dwDmk3wogOM7zSuch8nY5dX5FjGFMzo0zSqO8BMMtxwVyvcHWwDD-LJk_9CAxbt2ygpNZEujv9t45BdbEyFUulSIvS-zOCiSeTj9bjyX_RuQ0Ho9jV1Rztxg/s1600/IMG_2698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF54TN3zLIMUn8sT338_dwDmk3wogOM7zSuch8nY5dX5FjGFMzo0zSqO8BMMtxwVyvcHWwDD-LJk_9CAxbt2ygpNZEujv9t45BdbEyFUulSIvS-zOCiSeTj9bjyX_RuQ0Ho9jV1Rztxg/s640/IMG_2698.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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One big happy, nerdy family, with enough construction finished in time for the Revolution Craft Show, which was my last in Chicago (as a resident). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlUwr28QiOkj7z8HYj0YIWTXwvycDgvB73hEwCGOVOfkc-Q9x8TIAH6eewmNKe4HQ2UPjB-yINIscDRaAgET0wyLTJjEIBApmxt6q8ak7UBxMMOV3sH-yUvdv4DaZ6ypr0qSqlpY3-g/s1600/IMG_2714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlUwr28QiOkj7z8HYj0YIWTXwvycDgvB73hEwCGOVOfkc-Q9x8TIAH6eewmNKe4HQ2UPjB-yINIscDRaAgET0wyLTJjEIBApmxt6q8ak7UBxMMOV3sH-yUvdv4DaZ6ypr0qSqlpY3-g/s640/IMG_2714.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There's my table!</div>
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The very last thing I screen printed at Lill Street. Man! I miss that place - great facility, generous open studio hours, wonderful people... Hey <a href="http://lillstreet.com/faculty-page/330" target="_blank">Nora</a>! The Harry dolls are going to be great - I'll have them put together and looking cute for the first art/craft show I'm doing in Kansas, <a href="http://www.lawrencecraftcollective.com/2013/09/25/welcome-to-craft-collective-3/" target="_blank">Craft Collective</a>, in November. </div>
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Amidst everything else, I was still teaching the little behbehs at Playgroup all summer, and we had some graduating to see to! As every year, I made the kinder-bound kids some parting gifts - yearbooks and these tooth-boxes, which have gotten better every year. The graphic on top is decoupage applied cut paper. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijX5pCntWokbURKvEB_zrJErxV-aNRyesbx3ZJ3jsENENjL8k8lR0DWOFRVFQUv2wLqUjL_xfkENfhJrKoHw9at6Q5n6usS4jF3ySjMtZCp9bUgFgDyWwyFr2z4qMrKfKRmKIH5nosWg/s1600/IMG_2042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijX5pCntWokbURKvEB_zrJErxV-aNRyesbx3ZJ3jsENENjL8k8lR0DWOFRVFQUv2wLqUjL_xfkENfhJrKoHw9at6Q5n6usS4jF3ySjMtZCp9bUgFgDyWwyFr2z4qMrKfKRmKIH5nosWg/s640/IMG_2042.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Nine this year! I painted the portraits on watercolor paper and deco'd them in place with a shiny, waterproof lacquer. </div>
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I had a Zora and a Zola - had to be veeery mindful to not switch those spellings.</div>
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Zola loved hers - and the likeness was spot-on. </div>
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I spent some time in the wood shop, too, getting the next generation of <a href="http://benrumback.blogspot.com/2013/03/beasts-of-burden.html" target="_blank">Hunting Trophies</a> ready. They're cut and sanded and waiting for paint - I mean to have two or three ready for the November show. The metal-leaf on these looks so pretty in the sun.</div>
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See if you can guess what this one is going to be when it's put together. I'll give you a hint: Quack. </div>
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Wait, Triceratops quacked, right?</div>
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I made this sleepy dog for a friend on <a href="http://instagram.com/benrum" target="_blank">Instagram</a> in exchange for two very cool mugs. </div>
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Follow <a href="http://instagram.com/dandylion42" target="_blank">Dan</a> - she's neat! </div>
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Next, I was off on a handful of puppet commissions. Some personals, made in the likeness of the client or their spouse or friend or what-have-you, and this one, which I very much enjoyed, as it was my design (not a caricature) from the get-go. A scarecrow, "not unlike but not exactly" Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz. </div>
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Burlap doesn't sew very neatly. Luckily this is a scarecrow and the look fits. I think i inhaled about a pound of burlap dust while making this guy. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZAF2j99znMRdj-snv3YGWHeUUepRX_5mfhZUhELmmFI_ulvulnKKuqObW0gQSBhUdOD3p2yy6oDU_Ds2_QnZkaVn07-uHi6WGRchF_IG5LCTHMix-NSoh2z0A6W414hZ0ZHza2gf8w/s1600/IMG_3056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZAF2j99znMRdj-snv3YGWHeUUepRX_5mfhZUhELmmFI_ulvulnKKuqObW0gQSBhUdOD3p2yy6oDU_Ds2_QnZkaVn07-uHi6WGRchF_IG5LCTHMix-NSoh2z0A6W414hZ0ZHza2gf8w/s640/IMG_3056.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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To skip a few steps, here's the finished product! He has buttons for eyes, and I went a bit further on this very fun project - he had legs and clothes! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIXpArOcFFnkizbkOPsDTooZi-9gf7pdF3K7jgUn7CJ7SVBKO-JeSrg2ZIGmlTxgQtMbiHsi4TCPRHh692dtQVGPF_UkNFTY6A8sNsOMeV4VndFAk2weyts70VpmN9Ppaqyv3RuFiLQ/s1600/IMG_1824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIXpArOcFFnkizbkOPsDTooZi-9gf7pdF3K7jgUn7CJ7SVBKO-JeSrg2ZIGmlTxgQtMbiHsi4TCPRHh692dtQVGPF_UkNFTY6A8sNsOMeV4VndFAk2weyts70VpmN9Ppaqyv3RuFiLQ/s640/IMG_1824.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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This guy was fun and turned out great. I used a new method to try and hide the stitches. It worked really well on the head (which it really needed to) and pretty well on the arms and body (I was less picky there). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh51IcAZbHa6cqqGwuFtFQalwBVm7QhBOZ6pJNgZnHSq0TNec5CoPvErUIvlu2vNhNnumx8c1qtvYrPe0xL2TfvxzzXvTdUmjFkOFRN49ukU90_Q2dmmFN0Liaieveq31GMJRXXx8Nj9Q/s1600/IMG_1947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh51IcAZbHa6cqqGwuFtFQalwBVm7QhBOZ6pJNgZnHSq0TNec5CoPvErUIvlu2vNhNnumx8c1qtvYrPe0xL2TfvxzzXvTdUmjFkOFRN49ukU90_Q2dmmFN0Liaieveq31GMJRXXx8Nj9Q/s640/IMG_1947.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This dapper fellow went all the way to Australia, a gift from a cool mom to her muppet loving adult-son. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5OI5mqT6OFmlt9Gz90ptXWVK1qBSlSSO75OzZO970vi_4wTZke-xTYtOaMZBozi1V0m9lUyNYTUhwpqeUDZ1uH6ARM4WcjZODGyUFiju1c13M2JkwMJHTNJtW0G282gSq24RXy3Wk8g/s1600/IMG_1952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5OI5mqT6OFmlt9Gz90ptXWVK1qBSlSSO75OzZO970vi_4wTZke-xTYtOaMZBozi1V0m9lUyNYTUhwpqeUDZ1uH6ARM4WcjZODGyUFiju1c13M2JkwMJHTNJtW0G282gSq24RXy3Wk8g/s640/IMG_1952.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I used some of the doll eyes I had left over, it was a new look, and I think it was a welcome improvement to the flat dots of felt I had used before when going for something a little 'beady.' </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUXqwQuVmmhheDdVMqKtQPuRON6EsiCaJtEG5Wc74IBXPoc81XxpDN9XalOTWz2Hluh7DX3A1thxkyV2A9zlyATFF7j56TaXSczQDoKURHz-_cGxRxLZjVgQghA_A59i6CNCBBWx5ZA/s1600/IMG_2582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUXqwQuVmmhheDdVMqKtQPuRON6EsiCaJtEG5Wc74IBXPoc81XxpDN9XalOTWz2Hluh7DX3A1thxkyV2A9zlyATFF7j56TaXSczQDoKURHz-_cGxRxLZjVgQghA_A59i6CNCBBWx5ZA/s640/IMG_2582.JPG" width="612" /></a></div>
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This was the last one in Chicago, a 'normal guy,' as described by the friend who bought it for the recipient. The guy was pretty normal looking, I agree. The client loved the puppet, so all is well! </div>
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That was <b>IT</b> for art before the move. These next two are the first commissions I received Kansas-side. They were fun to make - a couple of well known public figures. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMk6y8KDPFI_Q1nW9-HOVlISlBS7A5Sc-jPzPBTCvlzapwVU1KEt2QYawSXGE6nynys5hIKomm7TxVLpNTNcEwrEC3yp9Wchu2k9aF3bGs4RLd_I9PqhXU5S9TY9TXyBDVD3A6HCbNg/s1600/IMG_0182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMk6y8KDPFI_Q1nW9-HOVlISlBS7A5Sc-jPzPBTCvlzapwVU1KEt2QYawSXGE6nynys5hIKomm7TxVLpNTNcEwrEC3yp9Wchu2k9aF3bGs4RLd_I9PqhXU5S9TY9TXyBDVD3A6HCbNg/s640/IMG_0182.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Mr President! Where is your shirt?!</div>
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And for you football fans - RGIII. The braids took a few years off my life, but the look couldn't be achieved in any other way. That's it! That's all! Go away! Get some sun! It's Autumn for pete's sake - get out there and carve a pumpkin! </div>
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<br />benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-50114095634115080202013-07-01T20:50:00.002-05:002013-07-01T20:50:34.780-05:00Bats and Wizard Hats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Screen printing is my new favorite thing (I may have mentioned that before). Here are two prints from the last month, one layer at a time. To paraphrase Lucius Fox, just so you know how hard it was! </div>
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LAYER ONE! Red. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEV7mxlgnDBnv9cdH0cUEY83XctT_wBEx5JW79uIMqBLDvTyi1_T9juqDQj0faR5caukq7aOSvf1LhZRcNQPEL8ltNjFi14iWcsihqKkbllXan7zfhxLMwpyUAQ-3Y9RRfmfPS92NDgA/s1600/IMG_1675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEV7mxlgnDBnv9cdH0cUEY83XctT_wBEx5JW79uIMqBLDvTyi1_T9juqDQj0faR5caukq7aOSvf1LhZRcNQPEL8ltNjFi14iWcsihqKkbllXan7zfhxLMwpyUAQ-3Y9RRfmfPS92NDgA/s640/IMG_1675.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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LAYER TWO! Yellow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBo8lBvZD9-qdjZqhZBIr-ftbCoTOsqq1Of-nyVKJAkb1znpmbPItioI5y09v4md4am0BMVFmUUIUWNyenglhozkBrC7ckHAdremjb0u2oEOxZLWHcy1HwCYKPDbq9qO2FWYRJ6VN-A/s1600/IMG_1676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBo8lBvZD9-qdjZqhZBIr-ftbCoTOsqq1Of-nyVKJAkb1znpmbPItioI5y09v4md4am0BMVFmUUIUWNyenglhozkBrC7ckHAdremjb0u2oEOxZLWHcy1HwCYKPDbq9qO2FWYRJ6VN-A/s640/IMG_1676.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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LAYER THREE! Blue.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLsjY4gQNP8Y-BAQLziw-yTlmJwNUEuaETTwK3eVoDew3U1VUpHqsTXaZk665a1asi9_Lg4GUunpYkBrFbB1JAe-ms0SWkweDbqvktaN1sjqlbYN_BDjmPFDt_S0DHdehCLQWBseZ8Q/s1600/IMG_1680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLsjY4gQNP8Y-BAQLziw-yTlmJwNUEuaETTwK3eVoDew3U1VUpHqsTXaZk665a1asi9_Lg4GUunpYkBrFbB1JAe-ms0SWkweDbqvktaN1sjqlbYN_BDjmPFDt_S0DHdehCLQWBseZ8Q/s640/IMG_1680.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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LAYER FOUR! Black.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6X4OgGZPELZn44BNCLtLAdz1OgE7-J53qdTLtB61nRJUz50_hyphenhyphenQbkZqeAxbEsyxaj1dCdfAMiLDiZtbOXD9R-WD9Qd0_eqBxRELXunhAokCU_E8HQ3_Eh1TOvtePrNea68xeqwHyMA/s1600/IMG_1683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6X4OgGZPELZn44BNCLtLAdz1OgE7-J53qdTLtB61nRJUz50_hyphenhyphenQbkZqeAxbEsyxaj1dCdfAMiLDiZtbOXD9R-WD9Qd0_eqBxRELXunhAokCU_E8HQ3_Eh1TOvtePrNea68xeqwHyMA/s640/IMG_1683.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Just to keep the nerd-train rolling, I strayed within my very narrow safe zone, from Batman to the always loved Harry Potter. I had been listening to the audiobooks (again) and remembered how very dear to me the third volume is. The Dementors and Sirius Black are such great villains and provide such a welcome break from the Voldemort show... so good! This is my homage to The Prisoner of Azkaban.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhiW__r05P3EevXQtQCmBOUAY8v8cQOGV_o46pvU7RtyT2D7IQ2LxAcVaYz8RxfveiIOxQqV5IMjn3I7vH3DlcpU7iYEx6gyLYGGPX4U8CEk4IEf7SOcoXISRoz0SSp2hBrK0THdI2g/s1600/IMG_1801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhiW__r05P3EevXQtQCmBOUAY8v8cQOGV_o46pvU7RtyT2D7IQ2LxAcVaYz8RxfveiIOxQqV5IMjn3I7vH3DlcpU7iYEx6gyLYGGPX4U8CEk4IEf7SOcoXISRoz0SSp2hBrK0THdI2g/s640/IMG_1801.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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LAYERS ONE AND TWO! Grey and Yellow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPxnqJaXzmiX7DVBvSLK2tjf86BByj8SLMlDr9WPjq3oPBXbS3T9xIKKZrRozgQ1bK0Zd-1zPXXcE3lLZrWzSBp1G1uT-_ex3ExaSxkR86e9uFJq5azQ3VJT_ELn62_x2Xa3spnchig/s1600/IMG_1882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPxnqJaXzmiX7DVBvSLK2tjf86BByj8SLMlDr9WPjq3oPBXbS3T9xIKKZrRozgQ1bK0Zd-1zPXXcE3lLZrWzSBp1G1uT-_ex3ExaSxkR86e9uFJq5azQ3VJT_ELn62_x2Xa3spnchig/s640/IMG_1882.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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LAYER THREE! Red.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiia5eyKcShso65C6Lqp9BaC4L6gSWgEyxtq-6fcU2OBAV5zFNfbyWWUPWlmZKhgRD54kGDzVilCk0dZTw_JXUmopIS0cr5Gn3iIE50RNYT0xSNSiH5JXeimoUIQFnT4BY-LdIKrMO53Q/s1600/IMG_1891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiia5eyKcShso65C6Lqp9BaC4L6gSWgEyxtq-6fcU2OBAV5zFNfbyWWUPWlmZKhgRD54kGDzVilCk0dZTw_JXUmopIS0cr5Gn3iIE50RNYT0xSNSiH5JXeimoUIQFnT4BY-LdIKrMO53Q/s640/IMG_1891.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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LAYER FOUR! Black.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnDRP0QueE13-HdK1IddwjH2R-RoeSYfQ0OSBJu8YHSGShCAh9Gm6iPZ1PaVEnRmj0giV3lGs0c4S3hlk6d8zKmRn-SO2joZQ4tVT3T_kx2QHylRZHIDLO_cDzBGJOd5H1k9FNWAbVw/s1600/IMG_1892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnDRP0QueE13-HdK1IddwjH2R-RoeSYfQ0OSBJu8YHSGShCAh9Gm6iPZ1PaVEnRmj0giV3lGs0c4S3hlk6d8zKmRn-SO2joZQ4tVT3T_kx2QHylRZHIDLO_cDzBGJOd5H1k9FNWAbVw/s640/IMG_1892.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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A closer look, above. The alternate version below - I dropped the Dementors and the face details and came up with a very minimal and wider-reaching composition.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7gpA5srn8YqtO7ooyQs6VMVs0lz6C3du_FByMI3PCUMXDWaOKJv830XgDABJ-EG9xa84NWCuoCNao2D4HQw8wUqlDr-UOV_P_9Az2LWJmQXwtYPZ0J_VCXwFp4cIArF0gsZvJpRNXg/s1600/IMG_1902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7gpA5srn8YqtO7ooyQs6VMVs0lz6C3du_FByMI3PCUMXDWaOKJv830XgDABJ-EG9xa84NWCuoCNao2D4HQw8wUqlDr-UOV_P_9Az2LWJmQXwtYPZ0J_VCXwFp4cIArF0gsZvJpRNXg/s640/IMG_1902.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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These are all on 11" by 14" bristol illustration board, and though they aren't anywhere on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/benrum" target="_blank">my etsy shop</a> yet, let me know if you want one! Both are limited to 25 one-of-a-kind prints. Fun stuff, I hope you like it as much as I do!benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-8564592567252258432013-06-19T07:30:00.000-05:002013-06-19T07:30:12.146-05:00Theatrics Somehow I never posted either of the poster designs I did last year for <a href="http://www.adventurestage.org/" target="_blank">Adventure Stage</a>, a Chicago theater troupe targeting thoughtful young adults and older children. They do two or three productions a year, and I was lucky enough to have known a few of the people involved through my other life as a preschool teacher. Here are the posters for Six Stories Tall and Augusta and Noble.<br />
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The first designs for this poster were nowhere in the ballpark of what you see above. It started out as a design inspired by <a href="http://www.chrisvanallsburg.com/flash.html" target="_blank">Chris Van Allsburg</a>, very soft and charcoal-ly. After a few back-and-forths with the art director I got the sense that it wasn't really what they had in mind, and just as we were getting it narrowed down to a workable state I asked myself 'What would <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=saul+bass&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=rKPBUZD7Fab7yAGzjICwCA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1466&bih=896" target="_blank">Saul Bass</a> do?' (a common practice for all who dabble in graphic design). With the latest tweaks of the first version, I sent over this very primitive version of the artwork:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6c_hZ_9N_KkKF9qOJtwEhn4iLEwCN29bYi2Su7iu_QxPxlzI1vOICmNACAwpjNUM5aN7lgqiEPZBLW_BZN6ifIlIAyf5b4uLp_fv5uNlISt31eKHcIn1pt-bO7Y3tnk0kOhqVRCbzjg/s1600/six+stories+bass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6c_hZ_9N_KkKF9qOJtwEhn4iLEwCN29bYi2Su7iu_QxPxlzI1vOICmNACAwpjNUM5aN7lgqiEPZBLW_BZN6ifIlIAyf5b4uLp_fv5uNlISt31eKHcIn1pt-bO7Y3tnk0kOhqVRCbzjg/s320/six+stories+bass.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
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We scrapped a week's work and went in this direction, and it came together more naturally than the other ever would have. In the end they liked it enough to bring me back for another round, for their next production, Augusta and Noble. </div>
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This was a new play, only about three-quarters written when the deadlines were set and my first sketches came due. There was a lot a vague co-existence for the main character, a young girl illegally transplanted from Mexico to the United States as a baby, between a dream-like trance, where she spoke with a Coyote about where she really belonged. It's a beautifully written play (they finished it and I was able to read the final script) and I really regret not being able to see it performed. </div>
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After a few sketches (far fewer than last time - we had established a style), a nearly complete version of the artwork came out, and with a few tweaks, we arrived here:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudMZsG3j8P8PDMajGsx-dhlVMLG07L8mY0u3f4JVJo6Idjg9Yo3_qay399bj9S16Rc5m4CeEtIEuhII3ZM1OGoXo-BtztOCyfwLIDqg9isC3moIhDpShCR8OvF79Uz5Zq0n9AX9mhgA/s1600/augusta+&+nobel+3.0+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudMZsG3j8P8PDMajGsx-dhlVMLG07L8mY0u3f4JVJo6Idjg9Yo3_qay399bj9S16Rc5m4CeEtIEuhII3ZM1OGoXo-BtztOCyfwLIDqg9isC3moIhDpShCR8OvF79Uz5Zq0n9AX9mhgA/s640/augusta+&+nobel+3.0+small.jpg" width="442" /></a></div>
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The night before printing, I was rendering a final copy and getting the last of the kinks straightened out, and sent along this more delicately textured version, which I guess didn't go over as well (last minute changes don't work with a voting group, what looks like watercolor painted textures to one person looks like like dodgy printing to another), but I still hold a fondness for.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5J2joXKlzQnQ6oYrvTqZL3Ke3EaUh4UGEzDy_TQn4UHq_UaXV_fkH9MPuk-tDrSpG8WsDklBRCdyQMjEMD7vrXe5rZhSBK3okSXEvH5wIyDE-3rOrjPWTWLpyfPhgAmTX0N07NewRiA/s1600/augusta+&+nobel+3.1+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5J2joXKlzQnQ6oYrvTqZL3Ke3EaUh4UGEzDy_TQn4UHq_UaXV_fkH9MPuk-tDrSpG8WsDklBRCdyQMjEMD7vrXe5rZhSBK3okSXEvH5wIyDE-3rOrjPWTWLpyfPhgAmTX0N07NewRiA/s640/augusta+&+nobel+3.1+small.jpg" width="442" /></a></div>
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That catches us up to current as far as 'my career in the exciting world of poster design' goes. Thanks for reading!benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-81953956264351898322013-05-16T08:40:00.002-05:002013-05-16T08:40:28.817-05:00Winter is Going, Long Live the Spring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, yes, the title is evidence that I have jumped on the proverbial band wagon and now count myself among the Nights Watch or whatever GoT fans call themselves. Starkers? Ned-Heads? Either way, expect some fan-art of a wolfy persuasion, soon.</div>
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Oh BOY! A post! Let's see what I have been up to in the last months of winter and the reluctant first weeks of spring...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8hS-7155rZTAAH3bTJcrZH9wlw4IHLrwmA7mYwX5k1789OvlJ0BlzESrTVvwYPzUVOBjF8hlaLipygQq7lKAPcYNehvvlGHWWMrTTaNoIvVVz4UjJTGKwatw0PMyn02MMGdO4c-Ysw/s1600/IMG_0377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8hS-7155rZTAAH3bTJcrZH9wlw4IHLrwmA7mYwX5k1789OvlJ0BlzESrTVvwYPzUVOBjF8hlaLipygQq7lKAPcYNehvvlGHWWMrTTaNoIvVVz4UjJTGKwatw0PMyn02MMGdO4c-Ysw/s400/IMG_0377.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Well, i guess reluctant is the word for this first project, or maybe just delayed, as I was genuinely excited to make a 3-D duck sculpture (one of my favorite animals and a beloved childhood pet). This mallard here was a commission from a good guy in Des Moines, who I met over the Thanksgiving holiday at Market Day. The duck was fun to cut, okay to sand, a joy to paint, and a pickle to assemble. In the end a foot broke off in shipping, but by all reports he reattached it without any drama.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-_SOwVHOkyODzC_F_XQjyIS9l6IsCisM4_PzfzAgEzcGLGnIr0Sb-G3Ud0qxPmPiCzHgl-xmKcT8t1MJJ-hwIDX7IKmqAWUqWSQXWwsmwVtjgYf7ml041VFWuC6QNMi5J2D84QnFJg/s1600/IMG_1131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-_SOwVHOkyODzC_F_XQjyIS9l6IsCisM4_PzfzAgEzcGLGnIr0Sb-G3Ud0qxPmPiCzHgl-xmKcT8t1MJJ-hwIDX7IKmqAWUqWSQXWwsmwVtjgYf7ml041VFWuC6QNMi5J2D84QnFJg/s400/IMG_1131.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I then started production on new plaques and animal heads. This photo looks pretty, so I am sharing it. Metal leafing is one of the more random skills I've picked up over the years, but I'm happy to put it to use.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpo9kjn_k9IFflsPmGILpG066D1IaPcU15hK3tXv5QaHOAFcoujKjOupHBasoxoVRy1s6hHjBCDaCHd1Sp9pTwH0tUjzbPul2fUpH3CDhyeNsU0icuF2xlSoUlKuhbR7a4Fm2Kq51Fg/s1600/IMG_0557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpo9kjn_k9IFflsPmGILpG066D1IaPcU15hK3tXv5QaHOAFcoujKjOupHBasoxoVRy1s6hHjBCDaCHd1Sp9pTwH0tUjzbPul2fUpH3CDhyeNsU0icuF2xlSoUlKuhbR7a4Fm2Kq51Fg/s400/IMG_0557.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Next came a rush order on a set of nesting dolls from a dear friend, for her fathers birthday. The tricky part was finding a set of eight dolls (that's as low as she could get the family, even with spouses painted back-to-back on a shared doll). I found a set of ten on ebay and ditched the smallest (about a centimeter tall, no joke) and side-lining the largest (a 12" monstrosity) for a future project. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAg1lkrUT27HX7Jx9aZf-WGfNZSPJ5qsvQvd2qfQkvoJavRe7PoCHkUW-fe6R_ZSu2IqU15rPj7LOdwoFgoFRtMTIwKvUSX0kihkiu8tkNf5ThsN8djVVq_7RM1-zQCAIcbQa-OWPrg/s1600/IMG_0560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAg1lkrUT27HX7Jx9aZf-WGfNZSPJ5qsvQvd2qfQkvoJavRe7PoCHkUW-fe6R_ZSu2IqU15rPj7LOdwoFgoFRtMTIwKvUSX0kihkiu8tkNf5ThsN8djVVq_7RM1-zQCAIcbQa-OWPrg/s400/IMG_0560.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The quality of the wood was better than the dolls I regularly use, but hard to draw on without denting - it was soft birch, I think. Shipping was funny, as I had to charge the client an inflated fee for quick delivery, only to find after they came (one day turn-around!?) that they shipped from Chicago, about two miles from my door. Lesson learned: Always read both shipping addresses!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPUvIiWvE91lmUlW0uU19k2930XrOMmXGDJZL_UZL-U7wFq4AH37QDgUigwx_YbGCXjqb3u36iQbYyEGWtCAOJU-aGVs7xEgUBzFFVoYKp6EwdJkky-cOjYKwR_xMAmErc0fNvGM9Pg/s1600/IMG_0572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPUvIiWvE91lmUlW0uU19k2930XrOMmXGDJZL_UZL-U7wFq4AH37QDgUigwx_YbGCXjqb3u36iQbYyEGWtCAOJU-aGVs7xEgUBzFFVoYKp6EwdJkky-cOjYKwR_xMAmErc0fNvGM9Pg/s400/IMG_0572.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In the end, papa was reported to have said that they were the best gift he had ever received. That's what I aim for.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcUCHck-qf_D0SX3Rg8oEmsoMrOMDrjRq_0csEJ-bJ3Y93xvt2g50wyePNdDSqEXREIrbnCrECL0N2wDqdkNge8_qIQwfHWxYfSebEVwAqGghmw9d_sWgAHz4ixhKRzUDk5OX6lmU7A/s1600/IMG_0799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcUCHck-qf_D0SX3Rg8oEmsoMrOMDrjRq_0csEJ-bJ3Y93xvt2g50wyePNdDSqEXREIrbnCrECL0N2wDqdkNge8_qIQwfHWxYfSebEVwAqGghmw9d_sWgAHz4ixhKRzUDk5OX6lmU7A/s400/IMG_0799.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Next I started a screen printing class at <a href="http://lillstreet.com/" target="_blank">Lill Street Art Center</a>, which I highly recommend for all of your art-centering needs. What an amazing place. I wish I had started there years ago, as our time in Chicago is waning (more on that later). This was my first screen, which we made by cutting a vague shape out of paper and masking the screen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiun0bqLPrETcnsG1HlA_tQiuKxp0AwgwU60qrTwr7JcEXa0xjWdce5qhhAq_0j2MzqqB-2z5rb2pqRn9KOVMjVMt7NbBMIbIJXjS4b0My3lfJoOoXdE-VP0kP3AYPQYQNS47NGH7vaiQ/s1600/IMG_0800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiun0bqLPrETcnsG1HlA_tQiuKxp0AwgwU60qrTwr7JcEXa0xjWdce5qhhAq_0j2MzqqB-2z5rb2pqRn9KOVMjVMt7NbBMIbIJXjS4b0My3lfJoOoXdE-VP0kP3AYPQYQNS47NGH7vaiQ/s400/IMG_0800.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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I annoyed the teacher by going too complex with what was supposed to be a simple shape, with no great amount of detail, but it was only a five week class and I wanted to make something I could be proud of!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjTtgaIsGLXFYODZncosHiTCulKpXhHij3D_2GyMmEFSbW93S5V74rVk-Cz2fwSMEan3bEiOO61Oh0r9QXjVgDIuNceXZ5SJPncr5SB9hSX1r4OSYCT8WNswamj8xLNp3sTnhEtRgPQ/s1600/IMG_0802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjTtgaIsGLXFYODZncosHiTCulKpXhHij3D_2GyMmEFSbW93S5V74rVk-Cz2fwSMEan3bEiOO61Oh0r9QXjVgDIuNceXZ5SJPncr5SB9hSX1r4OSYCT8WNswamj8xLNp3sTnhEtRgPQ/s400/IMG_0802.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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The next layer used the same stencil, but augmented it with contact paper (blocking a stripe or portion of the stencil). 'Not too much detail,' said the teacher. Again, Ben no listen, and I <i>aaalmost</i> got my just desserts, but managed to pull it off (pun!) after much sweating and blushing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97OJ2KGLaKJgYuWaU0mVBerh7VBnHbNMPYySAmSgSafCtzCfZoPY9GPgQr_GFIpFJVAGtHOV1fvhp6N7mevCY22dGek_bOdLAU-gJ2zlvDcvhSS1MRzIlVhRTXRitLYxV9Jhx3bDIoQ/s1600/IMG_0986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97OJ2KGLaKJgYuWaU0mVBerh7VBnHbNMPYySAmSgSafCtzCfZoPY9GPgQr_GFIpFJVAGtHOV1fvhp6N7mevCY22dGek_bOdLAU-gJ2zlvDcvhSS1MRzIlVhRTXRitLYxV9Jhx3bDIoQ/s400/IMG_0986.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Layer three is where the detail is supposed to come in, as we were able to actually <i>draw</i> the third image. Listen to your teacher, kids! I'm a bad example, working against my own kind. This is the third layer on its own, which started as a test, but I liked it, so I made three. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4knYIUqcDKtvZLS4TsiDWrzTnvO7fkLtPANck6gH1n3O5AglMtbitGqWs_I3d0dMy8UjgNpB1EU7-PUkYu72hO4lU38MYwa0uaEJ_SV8m8FRDxSzExsfxNVnjbaHvV8mv2C4slvZPvA/s1600/IMG_0990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4knYIUqcDKtvZLS4TsiDWrzTnvO7fkLtPANck6gH1n3O5AglMtbitGqWs_I3d0dMy8UjgNpB1EU7-PUkYu72hO4lU38MYwa0uaEJ_SV8m8FRDxSzExsfxNVnjbaHvV8mv2C4slvZPvA/s400/IMG_0990.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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All together, now! I like it, it's neat, and screen printing is the coolest. I'm in my second session now and getting to do a lot more with it. Like this!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgie3gAkTmnH2pVp4RfHuDuIOOmE-RMUDvkUm447SVwDfhP6p5dWy2P4_gUf5D_YDrCRP1J1BtKtDgAUZ8f0y5HZiOlp0Ss4B2IpRHV0anBbt7Kpu1O2mSebosSlfzJcqdi1BK7tuPD0w/s1600/IMG_1225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgie3gAkTmnH2pVp4RfHuDuIOOmE-RMUDvkUm447SVwDfhP6p5dWy2P4_gUf5D_YDrCRP1J1BtKtDgAUZ8f0y5HZiOlp0Ss4B2IpRHV0anBbt7Kpu1O2mSebosSlfzJcqdi1BK7tuPD0w/s400/IMG_1225.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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*Shoom, shoom, XCK!* Yep, first chance I had to do something of my own design, start to finish, I went nerdy. I can't help it, I have a problem... If you, too, suffer from nerd-itis, I've got about fifteen of these Return of the Jedi themed prints, which I'll try to post soon in <b><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/benrum" target="_blank">the shop</a></b>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2vE0d9KQDp6oou_jak_lYsE4RTUKQQWI7M23J8rw85yxRrYw_IxUXuaMs4tGN5ApvySYD6KiGieir5zQnPnhgVZNpuD7tCB0VYKhIxoCmSIxvdDlbV8-cph3g0g7_k9ZVGxUFeaHSg/s1600/IMG_1136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2vE0d9KQDp6oou_jak_lYsE4RTUKQQWI7M23J8rw85yxRrYw_IxUXuaMs4tGN5ApvySYD6KiGieir5zQnPnhgVZNpuD7tCB0VYKhIxoCmSIxvdDlbV8-cph3g0g7_k9ZVGxUFeaHSg/s320/IMG_1136.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Lastly, this little commission came through, another from Des Moines, I love me some Iowanites! Adventure Time/Star Wars mashup, she says, and I take the job, no question on that one. I loved how it turned out, so did the client, and everybody wins! More screen printing news to come. Next up is a certain winged rodent, the fellow with pointy ears and a grumpy disposition... until then, thanks for reading, and e-mail me at benrum@gmail.com with any questions!benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-91166822758598706232013-03-07T14:18:00.001-06:002013-03-07T14:18:46.932-06:00Beasts of Burden<p> Here I am <em>again</em> making the mistake of finding the time to post about a show AFTER the opening - but at least I brought pictures! </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dy4IlP6Yb0Q/UTj166X5wfI/AAAAAAAABk4/J7I9OtdCm6c/s1024/Photo%252520Mar%2525205%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525208%25253A38%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dy4IlP6Yb0Q/UTj166X5wfI/AAAAAAAABk4/J7I9OtdCm6c/s500/Photo%252520Mar%2525205%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525208%25253A38%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1362687526805.9282" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="667"></a></div>
<p style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "> If you follow me on twitter (@benrum) or instagram (benrum), then you already know that I have a show of hunting trophies hanging at <a href="http://www.theinklingshop.com/" target="_self" title="">The Inkling Shop</a> in west Lakeview, in Chicago. It's a great little shop with a lot of local art on display and for sale, and I am proud to count myself among the ranks of talent that they represent. <span style="text-align: center; "> </span></p>
<div class="separator" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); clear: both; text-align: center; "><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BWjRAFAWnxw/UTj2ChzwIHI/AAAAAAAABlA/BlRt7K2KCwk/s1024/Photo%252520Feb%25252028%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525208%25253A33%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; "><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BWjRAFAWnxw/UTj2ChzwIHI/AAAAAAAABlA/BlRt7K2KCwk/s500/Photo%252520Feb%25252028%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525208%25253A33%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1362687526749.2024" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a><span style="text-align: left; "><br>
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: justify;-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); clear: both; "><span style="text-align: left; "> This is the second round of wood cut 2-D/3-D hunting trophies I have made. They are fun to work on, and in the opinions of myself and the cheery people I tend to surround myself with, they just keep getting better! One factor that really upped the quality on these was my newly purchased combination belt and disc sander. See the nice bevelled edge on that giraffes mount? That's all belt sander, right there!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PDNhpQAlIB8/UTj2EaEudoI/AAAAAAAABlI/lSCEgJhZNkA/s599/Photo%252520Mar%2525207%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525201%25253A17%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PDNhpQAlIB8/UTj2EaEudoI/AAAAAAAABlI/lSCEgJhZNkA/s500/Photo%252520Mar%2525207%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525201%25253A17%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1362687526755.1123" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="498"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> It was a really fun night with a pretty nice turnout of friends and strangers, and I again wish to convey my gratitude to everyone who made it out. Thanks, y'all! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NdxPY8C278M/UTj2JKwEeZI/AAAAAAAABlQ/QJ9v5TGB5Yk/s634/Photo%252520Mar%2525205%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525208%25253A38%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; "><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NdxPY8C278M/UTj2JKwEeZI/AAAAAAAABlQ/QJ9v5TGB5Yk/s500/Photo%252520Mar%2525205%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525208%25253A38%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1362687526825.0022" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="497" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> True to form, I finished the zebra a few hours before the opening, and like most of the last-minute pieces I've managed to squeeze in before deadline, he kind of stole the show... though he can't old a candle to the tyrannosaur! Good show, great people, fun times, HOORAY! </div>
<p> </p>benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-68133634505369891172012-12-29T15:05:00.000-06:002012-12-31T15:17:34.446-06:00Magic Dance The OTHER coolest (nerdiest, most fun for me and the client) order I got this holiday season was this, a set of nesting dolls in the likeness of the crew from the movie Labyrinth. I ask you, how could I turn that down?! I got the order just two weeks before Christmas, and had a few things to finish up first, but I was determined to make it happen, and I did, with just a few sleepless nights. I delivered them on the 22nd of December, just before leaving for my own holiday down to Kansas to see the family. These were so fun to make, and got a good reaction as I posted production photos on <a href="http://web.stagram.com/n/benrum/" target="_self" title="">Instagram</a> (I'm benrum, if you'd like to follow me). <br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-JvjNRPMOM90/UNziK7wkv1I/AAAAAAAABjQ/-wgArrUVfM0/s601/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-JvjNRPMOM90/UNziK7wkv1I/AAAAAAAABjQ/-wgArrUVfM0/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356988632537.0947" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="349"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">Frankie, the client, and I had met at Renegade Craft Fair in September, and when he emailed me I remembered him wigging out over the Alice in Wonderland dolls I had made a few years ago (I showed him photos). He was very excited to give these to his girlfriend, and I hope she was just as excited to receive them. I know I was to paint them! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PlbMkdkhDjQ/UNziMVrF8tI/AAAAAAAABjY/N06mrrZSEnw/s595/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PlbMkdkhDjQ/UNziMVrF8tI/AAAAAAAABjY/N06mrrZSEnw/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356988632509.6497" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="351"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">I think my favorite comment on Instagram was my cousin <a href="http://m.facebook.com/pages/Rumtinn-Accessories/216991480499?id=216991480499&refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl&_rdr" target="_self" title="">Margo</a>, who asked if the infamous Bowie Bulge would be its own, separate doll. Great idea, but I went in another direction, just in case. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kRCuKzVuiUM/UNziOW4HJmI/AAAAAAAABjk/wZMx-oTzbR8/s624/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kRCuKzVuiUM/UNziOW4HJmI/AAAAAAAABjk/wZMx-oTzbR8/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356988632517.3044" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="341"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When we talked, Frankie agreed with me that, although Jareth is the main guy in the set, Ludo made more sense as the largest doll, as it wouldn't really make sese the other way around. After that it was an easy and logical descent to the protagonist, Sarah, Hoggle, one of the more prominent Goblins, and baby Toby. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IgXntYrQz8g/UNziQUFle_I/AAAAAAAABjs/pLpD-tFNgL8/s598/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IgXntYrQz8g/UNziQUFle_I/AAAAAAAABjs/pLpD-tFNgL8/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356988632558.309" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="355"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">Rock... friend. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Rwpv3cdvsXA/UNziSJSEznI/AAAAAAAABj0/NJM2I_OOJWY/s564/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A36%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Rwpv3cdvsXA/UNziSJSEznI/AAAAAAAABj0/NJM2I_OOJWY/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A36%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356988632576.1182" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="369"></a></div>
<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lSKQC2SRa_g/UNziTjpkr8I/AAAAAAAABj8/GgPpo6MqV3Y/s420/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A36%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lSKQC2SRa_g/UNziTjpkr8I/AAAAAAAABj8/GgPpo6MqV3Y/s420/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A36%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356988632481.5847" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="243" height="420"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">It is always fun working in details like this snake, the owl on Mr Bowie's back, and the crystal ball. Those details are half of the fun when designing from a movie or series that I love, for someone who will catch and appreciate the little jokes. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_313NS9oZbo/UNziVlWanAI/AAAAAAAABkE/rWgnF_iqBMI/s551/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A36%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_313NS9oZbo/UNziVlWanAI/AAAAAAAABkE/rWgnF_iqBMI/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A36%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356988632571.6694" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="378"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">One big, happy family/kidnapping-villain/nice-monster/turncoat-troll... Thing. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TTnYTjjRnlA/UNziXXxBZYI/AAAAAAAABkM/YLwbfULblG0/s524/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A36%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TTnYTjjRnlA/UNziXXxBZYI/AAAAAAAABkM/YLwbfULblG0/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A36%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356988632526.0012" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="333"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">For all of the fun I had painting the others, this guy remains my favorite. He's the one who screams "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" when the horned goblin asks, "did she say it?" I love that part, though it spooked me out when I was a kid. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZCtty7u6VAI/UNziZPTVjsI/AAAAAAAABkg/n-5TlEKuH54/s606/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A36%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZCtty7u6VAI/UNziZPTVjsI/AAAAAAAABkg/n-5TlEKuH54/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A36%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356988632578.942" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="351"></a></div>
So... That's that! There's my fancy logo on the bottom, and I close the book on yet another Christmas miracle. Hopefully she liked them! <br/><br/> <br/><br/>benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-78902429274910584312012-12-27T18:01:00.001-06:002012-12-31T14:47:19.037-06:00Smaller on the Inside Anyone who has known me more than a few minutes knows that I'm a proud, self-proclaimed nerd, and any nerd worth their weight in ewoks knows that now (more than ever) it's a great time to <em>be</em> a nerd. I've been a Star Wars guy since my geeky little eyes first focused on a light saber, and the X-Men come second <span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">only </span>to Batman in my superhero heart. One thing that managed to elude me (along with most of Star Trek until the oh-so-controversial latest movie franchise) was Doctor Who. It's one of those names that I have heard talk of for as long as I can remember, and remarkably more often in the past few years. So, after last March's C2E2, after meeting maybe twelve people in any array of Whovian costumes, I decided to give it a shot. I was not disappointed. <br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JBgDn7VVejg/UNzg5xYzk1I/AAAAAAAABhw/2SJzhciQMD0/s786/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A33%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JBgDn7VVejg/UNzg5xYzk1I/AAAAAAAABhw/2SJzhciQMD0/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A33%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356984989485.8696" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="715" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">And then... I got an email from a woman named Bridger through my etsy shop, asking if I could make a set of select doctors, the largest nesting doll painted like the Tardis. My first thought, which I pretty much insisted on, was to make a box for the Tardis, as I had seen it done on a nesting doll and wasn't that into it. She liked the idea, and that free'd up the little doll to make room for a Dalek! Which is just awesome... In my humblest opining. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-G6I2ABVWZdI/UNzg74HlqAI/AAAAAAAABh4/Vta4lE7KzS4/s553/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-G6I2ABVWZdI/UNzg74HlqAI/AAAAAAAABh4/Vta4lE7KzS4/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356984989488.8777" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="385" alt=""></a></div>
So, if you didn't know, these are the doctors, from smallest up, the First Doctor (William Hartnell), the third Doctor (John Pertwee), the fourth (and fan favorite as far as I have learnt) (Tom Baker), the fifth (Peter Davison), and she then skipped a few to my most familiar Doctor, the Tenth (David Tennant). They were fun to research, watching old episodes out of order on YouTube to sketch costumes, and just as fun to paint. <br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ilN4ApwUvSs/UNzg-9k9WZI/AAAAAAAABiA/ymb3hx_pLIY/s913/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ilN4ApwUvSs/UNzg-9k9WZI/AAAAAAAABiA/ymb3hx_pLIY/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356984989443.293" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="855" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">Evil... Tiny, tiny evil. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-oUeuQYTZh08/UNzhBDBw7zI/AAAAAAAABiI/16z9rTmsrFY/s658/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-oUeuQYTZh08/UNzhBDBw7zI/AAAAAAAABiI/16z9rTmsrFY/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356984989485.125" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="321" alt=""></a></div>
My friend and Doctor Who sponsor (he was so patient while I resisted the call of the nerd for two years or so) Josh signed off on likenesses, and helped me catch details that I may have over-looked left to my own devices. <br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--boxo0UuwfE/UNzhEr78DNI/AAAAAAAABiQ/3mt4tp9bFII/s1024/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--boxo0UuwfE/UNzhEr78DNI/AAAAAAAABiQ/3mt4tp9bFII/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356984989459.7373" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="667" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">Details, for instance, like the celery stalk on the lapel..</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XGty-vRzbS0/UNzhICYJtPI/AAAAAAAABiY/WggtnWnTmSg/s892/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XGty-vRzbS0/UNzhICYJtPI/AAAAAAAABiY/WggtnWnTmSg/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356984989526.8652" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="804" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">...Or how much more amazing the Fourth Doctor would be with his helpful companion, K-9 along for the adventure. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dBLiHOyKgtE/UNzhJrKq5vI/AAAAAAAABig/NYidSxaLucs/s561/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; "><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dBLiHOyKgtE/UNzhJrKq5vI/AAAAAAAABig/NYidSxaLucs/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356984989542.2925" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="356" alt=""></a></div>
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I was sorely tempted to paint the first Doctor in black-and-white, but I didn't want to have a stylistic break in the set, so I settled for a muted photo. <br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8mQ8grhTcE4/UNzhOJSsknI/AAAAAAAABi4/1tMvfVC5uzo/s529/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8mQ8grhTcE4/UNzhOJSsknI/AAAAAAAABi4/1tMvfVC5uzo/s500/Photo%252520Dec%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1356984989518.6934" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="365" alt=""></a></div>
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That's it! Here they are all nested up and ready to ship (almost). I didn't get a photo of it, but the inside of the Tardis, as tempting as it was to do something REDICULOUS, like a pop-up-style expanding interior (truly bigger) or mirrors (apparently bigger), I went with sparkly black felt to protect the passengers and give a cheap illusion of space. The recipient of this very nerdy and generous gift was reported to be blown away, which is exactly the reaction I was hoping for! <br/><br/>Thanks for reading, and have a happy new year! Time to go watch some Doctor Who! <br/><br/>benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-74556234020177127872012-11-20T14:14:00.004-06:002012-11-20T14:15:44.499-06:00the hunt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hey there, reader! I'm taking a break from the insane work-train I've been riding for the past week-or-so to show you all what I have been up to, and what I'll be hawking this (black) Friday in Des Moines <a href="http://www.marketdayiowa.com/" target="_blank">Market Day</a> special event! I have never travelled for an event like this, so I'm equal parts excited and nervous that it will be a bust! </div>
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Hey, that was an almost tangent to the photos I have to share! I don't know if these qualify as busts, but I've been making these 'hunting trophies' for a few weeks now, and have enough to feel that they won't easily go over-looked at the event. Check them out! </div>
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Some of you may have met this noble giraffe before, he and the tiger were made for the Renegade fair in September. Everything else here is new. I used the back yard as a photo studio today, because the fence is closest thing we have to a rich, maple wall, where I guess real hunting trophies might hang. Also, the cloudy day gave me good even light, reflections on the gold and silver leafed plaques are a bugger! </div>
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Sad Rhino is sad. It could almost be a meme!</div>
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The glittery deer was a mess to make, but all of the glitter is sealed, so no leavings to worry about!<br />
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This friendly croc has the coolest shadow, which you can catch in the group shot below.<br />
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Sleepy elephant is sleepy. Sorry, running out of jokes! All of these were cut from birch plywood with my handy scroll saw, and sanded lovingly to a clean, smooth finish. Josh helped. Thanks, Josh!<br />
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I love the cross slotted construction, and it shows best on the elephant - his ears look really cool sticking out from the plaque. The gold and silver really add to the 'trophy-ness' of these pieces and, though leafing is kind of a pickle to get right, the work is fun work.<br />
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I bought white flocking powder to dust the deer's white parts and antlers with (it would be fuzzy to the touch) but didn't have time to tinker with it for this series. It will have to happen with the next round.<br />
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The little fox is so cute, but I think his ears, when viewed dead-on like this, are so funny.<br />
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Who could behead such a cute little fox?!<br />
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The tiger is the only one who's still awake. Eye's wide open and teeth bared, this one is was the first, and also the only unfriendly one in the bunch.<br />
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Each one comes with the my logo on the back, just in case you forget where it came from!<br />
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Of course, they look best in a group, so if you are going to order one, why not order three? These are currently available by inquiry or in person at <a href="http://www.marketdayiowa.com/" target="_blank">Market Day</a>, where I'll also be selling masks, prints, and hand-made Christmas ornaments, of which I have no photo right now. Soon! Or check my <a href="http://web.stagram.com/n/benrum/" target="_blank">Instagram feed</a>- that's where you can really keep up with my day-by-day progress on new pieces. </div>
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Oh! And if you aren't in Iowa, I've got a few events coming up fast here in the windiest of cities. Sunday, December 2nd I'll be at Santa Sunday at 7341 N Claremont, hosted by Margaret Mary grade-school. Then the next weekend, Dec 7th, 8th and 9th I'll be spending three LONG days at the <a href="http://chicagoevents.com/event.cfm?eid=246&sa=pvt" target="_blank">Lakeview Christmas Market</a>, at Ashland and Belmont. That one should be a real treat, with food vendors and artists and crafty-types, all inside a HUGE heated tent. Come out and see me! </div>
benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-4049441735436139732012-11-08T14:58:00.001-06:002012-11-08T15:03:55.670-06:00Masks, about a month too late The good thing about masks for kids is that they have a shelf life of 'forever.' The modern three year old is in some form of costume about 85% of the time, according to my data, so the fact that my animal masks were only available at <a href="http://store.green-genes.com/">Green Genes</a> (and in <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/benrum">my etsy shop</a>) for about a week prior to Hallowe'en wasn't a complete loss. Here are some photos of some of my tiny friends modeling the latest fashions from the woodland runway!<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rUcgiYi3eCc/UJwb8M-G24I/AAAAAAAABdg/fjIYj4AC_Hk/s1024/Photo%252520Oct%25252025%25252C%2525202012%25252C%25252011%25253A41%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rUcgiYi3eCc/UJwb8M-G24I/AAAAAAAABdg/fjIYj4AC_Hk/s500/Photo%252520Oct%25252025%25252C%2525202012%25252C%25252011%25253A41%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1352408329007.3943" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="373"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A very spooky fox!</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My favorite owl mask, and a silly cat.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another fox in dark red and taupe!</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Black cat!</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A weary raccoon!</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); clear: both; ">Two, er, <em>woodland</em> <em>stormtroopers</em>!</div>
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<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> Clones! I still don't like that explanation... But hey, new (probably better) movies are coming down the line, so that will be cool. For now, let me know if you need a mask or two! below is the butterfly mask I made for my little niece Erielle. This one was a little more labor intensive, but I may just have to make a few for the shop. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Haha, look at her big ears poking out, what a cutie!</div>
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<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">That's all for now! As always, thanks for reading! </div>
<br/><br/>benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-21943804101895065682012-09-29T18:16:00.000-05:002012-09-29T18:16:21.107-05:00Spooks and KooksHowdy friends! Just posting about some costumes I have for sale as of a moment ago in <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/benrum" target="_blank">my etsy shop!</a> My hand-made costumes form the last two Hallow's Eve's are listed for sale, and if you need something to wear this October, take a look!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtIxqvS_hTuWpjG_OQoHvbkK-fEnIi_qzmojuPCCVlIHMv_l6j4Rq3pEUgOhalJfE6-O0eGDpELJxpXg8-u6NcqQ0vAjqGWAqmE0NAEH1RDlgGtA18J7-K0gUBZeLoiJI2dUxSQnrSw/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-09-29+at+6.06.31+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtIxqvS_hTuWpjG_OQoHvbkK-fEnIi_qzmojuPCCVlIHMv_l6j4Rq3pEUgOhalJfE6-O0eGDpELJxpXg8-u6NcqQ0vAjqGWAqmE0NAEH1RDlgGtA18J7-K0gUBZeLoiJI2dUxSQnrSw/s640/Screen+shot+2012-09-29+at+6.06.31+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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The terrifying cuddle monster (last year)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcy_aXKw-FyueY5vJTAUzy7r0JqxCdwT-bJrq8h2GDTGnQm-HJ1gy7PcK_J3vxLtAdQVdvNxqFVg8eIEefIxGNpRrLYqiZnwHjG0pfKBRZMJIGdEBcATHKHE1DViNL9i4tddZSw9aE4w/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-09-29+at+6.06.44+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcy_aXKw-FyueY5vJTAUzy7r0JqxCdwT-bJrq8h2GDTGnQm-HJ1gy7PcK_J3vxLtAdQVdvNxqFVg8eIEefIxGNpRrLYqiZnwHjG0pfKBRZMJIGdEBcATHKHE1DViNL9i4tddZSw9aE4w/s640/Screen+shot+2012-09-29+at+6.06.44+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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And, of course, good old Oscar! This was my 2010 selection. </div>
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Because you are a devoted reader of this here blog, you can use the coupon code SPOOKY for a terrifying 13% off anything in the shop now through Hallowe'en! </div>
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Thanks for looking, more soon!benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-44889464131365664152012-09-20T11:55:00.001-05:002012-09-20T11:58:44.172-05:00Tee Time! I don't golf. Tee time for me is either of the mint or cinnamon variety (tea, that is), or of the shirt persuasion. In this case, we are talking garment. I designed a shirt for a Threadless! contest, and would be very grateful if you would click over and throw me a vote, preferably a five. Here is my design, and you can <strong><a href="http://www.threadless.com%2Fsubmission%2F457435%2FProgress" target="_self" title=""></a><a href="http://www.threadless.com/submission/457435/Progress">click here</a></strong> to be whisked away to a dreamland of voting! Consider it practice for this November!<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a3N8nwVu3bo/UFtKlpYlEgI/AAAAAAAABck/yD9xovBuaLE/s640/Photo%252520Sep%25252017%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525201%25253A25%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a3N8nwVu3bo/UFtKlpYlEgI/AAAAAAAABck/yD9xovBuaLE/s500/Photo%252520Sep%25252017%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525201%25253A25%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1348160263563.267" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="625"></a></div>
As always, thanks for checking in!<br/><br/> <br/><br/>benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-78592720399801725012012-09-13T14:57:00.001-05:002012-09-14T08:09:12.062-05:00Notes from Chicago Renegade Craft Fair, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tcCiGr-0ghw/UFI5ciDeC_I/AAAAAAAABaw/38A9DbGhOYQ/s1024/Photo%252520Sep%2525208%25252C%2525202012%25252012%25253A05%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tcCiGr-0ghw/UFI5ciDeC_I/AAAAAAAABaw/38A9DbGhOYQ/s500/Photo%252520Sep%2525208%25252C%2525202012%25252012%25253A05%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1347628054475.8274" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="373" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> Well, that was a blast! Renegade Craft Fair is behind us, which is one part relief, one part sadness, as it is the biggest event of the year for we lucky crafts-persons who make the cut and get to be a part of the magic. My phone has an app that forecasts the weather with cute little ideograms (crazy, I know, but hear me out), and the week leading up to renegade had two happy little storm clouds floating over the days in question, Saturday and Sunday, the eighth and ninth of September. Those little jerks just kept smiling and raining, right up to the day before the day before Renegade. Then, everything was awesome. The cold front coming North didn't cause thunderstorms, as we feared, but brought the first brisk winds and the lovely chill of autumn mornings. Sweater weather! The most wonderful time of year! It warmed up in the afternoons, but never got too hot, and only rained after everyone had loaded out Saturday night. Perfect craft fair weather! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Fsk8o_qZtjc/UFI5n5L2gPI/AAAAAAAABa4/gZ6pN0U5YG8/s1024/Photo%252520Sep%2525208%25252C%2525202012%25252012%25253A06%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Fsk8o_qZtjc/UFI5n5L2gPI/AAAAAAAABa4/gZ6pN0U5YG8/s500/Photo%252520Sep%2525208%25252C%2525202012%25252012%25253A06%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1347628054488.09" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="373" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">Here is the left side of my booth, complete with little animals (who, as it happens, don't do so well in the wind) and the wonderful print display shelves my pal <a href="http://www.stephengulau.com/" target="_self" title="">Stephen</a> built for me <strong>the day before the fair</strong>. Saved me on that one. THANKS STEVE! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Nk2c1t4hA6s/UFI50o9qnNI/AAAAAAAABbA/FidSwH3619o/s1024/Photo%252520Sep%2525208%25252C%2525202012%25252012%25253A06%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Nk2c1t4hA6s/UFI50o9qnNI/AAAAAAAABbA/FidSwH3619o/s500/Photo%252520Sep%2525208%25252C%2525202012%25252012%25253A06%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1347628054448.4714" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="373" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> Here is a slightly better look at the menagerie. People really liked the little animals, but as usual, the nerd art was my biggest draw. Who knew people liked Star Wars and Doctor Who so much? Who knew?! I knew, that's who! Mwa-ha-ha-ha! That's me, laughing all the way to the bank (joke). </div>
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<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> I had a lot of help preparing for this one. My good friend Paul took on transportation, giving up his valuable weekend time to help me set up and tear down, and I can't convey how grateful I am. He's got a gift coming his way... Or a foot rub, or, well, maybe just the gift. Thanks to <a href="http://withlovemartha.blogspot.com/" target="_self" title="">Martha</a> and Mary for spending an evening stamping and stringing tags and these cute autumn garlands! I took a surprising number of compliments on my booth decor, and it simply wouldn't have been ready without your help. Josh and Patty came over and gave me their Friday night (and some beer, too!) and matted and bagged something like two hundred prints, allowing me to get a few hours of sleep the night before the big event. I have the best friends and family, seriously, thanks everybody! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Hki5_BNmL5E/UFI6FzE9FXI/AAAAAAAABbQ/xUoshtGyKFY/s1024/Photo%252520Sep%2525208%25252C%2525202012%25252012%25253A06%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Hki5_BNmL5E/UFI6FzE9FXI/AAAAAAAABbQ/xUoshtGyKFY/s500/Photo%252520Sep%2525208%25252C%2525202012%25252012%25253A06%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1347628054505.3486" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="373" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> One thing I learned at C2E2 this year is that it pays to have an 'under $10' item, especially if it is functional. With that in mind, I whipped up a bunch of these little critter masks, and boy did they ever sell! They're durable, cute, and being offered within about a month-and-a-half of Hallowe'en. A bit of extra trivia: the felt I use is made of 100% recycled plastic bottles. They were my best hook and my top seller. Go, critters!</div>
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<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> Paul's daughter (and my good buddy) Bella did some viral marketing for me. Thanks, Bella!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oE2OGaiEOhQ/UFI6NH_MpQI/AAAAAAAABbY/rFJhVz2Rm0A/s765/Photo%252520Sep%2525209%25252C%2525202012%2525201%25253A39%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oE2OGaiEOhQ/UFI6NH_MpQI/AAAAAAAABbY/rFJhVz2Rm0A/s500/Photo%252520Sep%2525209%25252C%2525202012%2525201%25253A39%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1347628054519.1873" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="669" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> They are great for kids of all ages. I was genuinely surprised at the number of aduts who stopped and looked and bought for themselves. I'm not saying they aren't for adults, I just hadn't thought of them that way. Cute!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-YznapLeFhFI/UFI6blFcVdI/AAAAAAAABbg/Cu0gn6ayDq0/s1024/Photo%252520Sep%2525208%25252C%2525202012%2525204%25253A51%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-YznapLeFhFI/UFI6blFcVdI/AAAAAAAABbg/Cu0gn6ayDq0/s500/Photo%252520Sep%2525208%25252C%2525202012%2525204%25253A51%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1347628054517.7173" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> Our pals Oliver and Julian came to see us on Saturday, and picked up a few prints. Thanks, guys!</div>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> Here is a closer look at the ostrich that I finished in the last days before the fair. He'll be listed along with all of the prints and available paintings on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/benrum" target="_self" title="">Etsy</a> this weekend, so swing by and have a look-see! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-n8KD30P7ONs/UFI6pPSdASI/AAAAAAAABbo/RW2aMQMFKPA/s785/Photo%252520Sep%2525202%25252C%2525202012%2525205%25253A12%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-n8KD30P7ONs/UFI6pPSdASI/AAAAAAAABbo/RW2aMQMFKPA/s500/Photo%252520Sep%2525202%25252C%2525202012%2525205%25253A12%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1347628054518.7456" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="669" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nc4PaZK2aK4/UFI6uu5nESI/AAAAAAAABbw/8XKf9V_DsJ0/s966/Photo%252520Sep%2525202%25252C%2525202012%2525205%25253A12%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nc4PaZK2aK4/UFI6uu5nESI/AAAAAAAABbw/8XKf9V_DsJ0/s500/Photo%252520Sep%2525202%25252C%2525202012%2525205%25253A12%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1347628054502.412" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="525" alt=""></a></div>
Again, I say thank you to everyone who helped out or came by to say 'hey' at the fair. It was a truly lovely and exhausting weekend. Thanks!<br/><br/> <br/><br/>benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325352847112619.post-77332546183169538362012-08-27T21:01:00.001-05:002012-08-29T07:54:37.959-05:00Fair and Square<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-4cIE8HJaEVg/UDwlrCJbFaI/AAAAAAAABVw/tT4OE1U2bfE/s728/Photo%252520Aug%2525207%25252C%2525202012%2525206%25253A10%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-4cIE8HJaEVg/UDwlrCJbFaI/AAAAAAAABVw/tT4OE1U2bfE/s500/Photo%252520Aug%2525207%25252C%2525202012%2525206%25253A10%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878095.0798" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="62"></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> It's coming! It's almost here! <em>I'M NOT READY!</em> Er, um, that is to say, heeeeey guys! If it smells like sweat, paint, saw dust and polyurethane, it's only because <a href="http://www.renegadecraft.com/chicago" target="_self" title="">Renegade Craft Fair 2012</a> is on its way to Chicago, and I'm making stuff! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JNjKSTXqfXs/UDwlurcaguI/AAAAAAAABV4/aHpF2w5xBKQ/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JNjKSTXqfXs/UDwlurcaguI/AAAAAAAABV4/aHpF2w5xBKQ/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878090.325" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> The last time I partook in Chicago's largest craft fair was back in the year of <a href="http://www.benrumback.blogspot.com/2010/09/notes-from-renegade-craft-fair-chicago.html" target="_self" title="">twenty-and-ten</a>, and it was the first of its kind for me. I learned a lot that weekend, and since then have done a few more craft fairs and <a href="http://www.benrumback.blogspot.com/2012/04/weekend-business.html" target="_self" title="">C2E2</a>, which is similar, but worlds different. Renegade is outside, along Division Avenue, between Damen and Paulina. If you happen to talk to a cloud in the next week or so, please ask them to keep the rain at bay that weekend. Last time we started off wet and ended things on a boil. Hopefully this year will be all-together mild. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LFGwZJaZZW0/UDwlzn3kYjI/AAAAAAAABWA/jR1dbBDhWpQ/s1024/Photo%252520Jul%25252021%25252C%2525202012%25252011%25253A12%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LFGwZJaZZW0/UDwlzn3kYjI/AAAAAAAABWA/jR1dbBDhWpQ/s500/Photo%252520Jul%25252021%25252C%2525202012%25252011%25253A12%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878079.2961" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="373"></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> A few weeks ago I made a few prototype cut-out-animals, which were made of cardboard. Cardboard has always been one of my favorite materials to fiddle with. I can't say why, exactly, but I'm sure it has something to do with the industrial, everyday-ness of it, that makes it a thrill to transform into something exciting. Also, it's cheap. I'm sure that contributes to its charm, for me, at least. </div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> For these animals, with the thin legs of the giraffes and the delicate scallops of their manes, the cardboard was a little too rough around the edges, and would split, fray or bend unexpectedly. I went to the art supply store, and made the switch to Bass wood, which is like balsa wood, but quite a bit stronger, and harder to accidentally break, but still soft enough to cut with a craft knife or razor blade, and sands very easily. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RVTWMZITd_c/UDwl4SxmhjI/AAAAAAAABWI/cocYj7aCvEA/s768/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RVTWMZITd_c/UDwl4SxmhjI/AAAAAAAABWI/cocYj7aCvEA/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878067.5999" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="667"></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> The paint takes to it just like paper, once it's all sanded and ready to go, and the texture of the wood allows for some really pleasing dry-brush textures. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HprJ-ieZOlo/UDwl77X4NCI/AAAAAAAABWQ/dZgFEli4d8w/s768/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HprJ-ieZOlo/UDwl77X4NCI/AAAAAAAABWQ/dZgFEli4d8w/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878083.9421" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="667"></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> After the giraffe was ready to go, I recreated the elephant in the thinnest of the wood panels I bought. I have to say, the 1/4 inch panel, though harder to cut, makes a much more stable animal. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hir3kBDaBXQ/UDwl-0v5Z8I/AAAAAAAABWY/EQlKGHTgNp0/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A30%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hir3kBDaBXQ/UDwl-0v5Z8I/AAAAAAAABWY/EQlKGHTgNp0/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A30%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878108.7007" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-snOC4_Ufi-A/UDwmEPKfsVI/AAAAAAAABWg/eBbCEzGxUfk/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A51%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-snOC4_Ufi-A/UDwmEPKfsVI/AAAAAAAABWg/eBbCEzGxUfk/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A51%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878069.0742" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="500"></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> Once I had the process down, it was only a matter of time until I made a beautiful, enchanted <strong>unicorn</strong>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LIr6oSxffv0/UDwmIEKjiNI/AAAAAAAABWo/TYmldm28eWs/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A30%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LIr6oSxffv0/UDwmIEKjiNI/AAAAAAAABWo/TYmldm28eWs/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A30%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878095.9087" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> So very magical!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XBPANxD-b2s/UDwmObXlgjI/AAAAAAAABWw/-poaSbj7CaA/s765/Photo%252520Aug%2525201%25252C%2525202012%2525201%25253A37%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XBPANxD-b2s/UDwmObXlgjI/AAAAAAAABWw/-poaSbj7CaA/s500/Photo%252520Aug%2525201%25252C%2525202012%2525201%25253A37%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878087.954" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="575"></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> Renegade Craft Fair is such a HUGE event, that I wanted to think of something I could make to catch eyes of passerbys, and draw them into my little tent. I had some 3/4 inch plywood panels left over from another project, and used a jigsaw to cut out another giraffe, this one just shy of a meter high, once slotted together. Martha is going to help me get him painted yellow this week, then I'll do the details. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1Svx5eiJoC4/UDwmUlSMayI/AAAAAAAABW4/Os5dYuXQMjQ/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A32%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1Svx5eiJoC4/UDwmUlSMayI/AAAAAAAABW4/Os5dYuXQMjQ/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A32%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878082.6428" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> Side note: if you have a REDICULOUS amount of work to do in three weeks' do not, under any circumstance of nerd-thusiasm or plain curiosity, DO NOT download the free Jurassic Park 'park management' games for ios. It's fun. And obsessive. And very distracting. Back to art! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-fETtgjVOa4Y/UDwmYmK5wQI/AAAAAAAABXA/vPJnXMbwMZc/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-fETtgjVOa4Y/UDwmYmK5wQI/AAAAAAAABXA/vPJnXMbwMZc/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878095.9644" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> This was my next creature' and my new favorite. He has quite a lot more detail than the others, and such a winning smile! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iOdMK6ebOG4/UDwmbnrTxsI/AAAAAAAABXI/j7i7PRpcb1A/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iOdMK6ebOG4/UDwmbnrTxsI/AAAAAAAABXI/j7i7PRpcb1A/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878109.9307" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-QhHWwV3kARA/UDwmfvlVqXI/AAAAAAAABXQ/OpQ90llBTqA/s765/Photo%252520Aug%25252016%25252C%2525202012%2525207%25253A02%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-QhHWwV3kARA/UDwmfvlVqXI/AAAAAAAABXQ/OpQ90llBTqA/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252016%25252C%2525202012%2525207%25253A02%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878108.4983" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="400" height="373"></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> As Renegade draws closer, I've been trying to stay ahead of the potential stress storm closing in, and trying to keep moving along my list of little details like tags, signage, and a display plan. I decided to design a tag logo, and after wasting a night attempting (and failing) to carve a linoleum stamp with text as sharp as I wanted, gave up and turned to the professionals at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/lakeview-rubber-stamp-company-chicago" target="_self" title="">Lakeview Rubber Stamp Co.</a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-00l9rWfASEY/UDwmjfICP7I/AAAAAAAABXY/J2Q3zK2UZRI/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-00l9rWfASEY/UDwmjfICP7I/AAAAAAAABXY/J2Q3zK2UZRI/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252027%25252C%2525202012%2525208%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878149.914" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a> </div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> The stamp cost about $23, took two days to make, and achieves the exact look I was going for. these will serve a double purpose of title/price tag and website advert. Great!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1icAs5TvDtI/UD4Q_e3NoII/AAAAAAAABX0/Z17SvEhvuGw/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%25252029%25252C%2525202012%2525207%25253A52%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1icAs5TvDtI/UD4Q_e3NoII/AAAAAAAABX0/Z17SvEhvuGw/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252029%25252C%2525202012%2525207%25253A52%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878118.2654" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "> </div> That's where I'll be, down about Division and Paulina, in booth 156. I'm close to a DJ and a beer booth, so come party at my spot! There are a bunch, nay, a <strong>ton</strong> of talented artists involved with this thing, so come for the Ben, stay for the them! See you in about two weeks!<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-FVgnJoB1aq0/UD4RCgcHUPI/AAAAAAAABX8/E3zQu86O00g/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%25252023%25252C%2525202012%2525201%25253A22%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-FVgnJoB1aq0/UD4RCgcHUPI/AAAAAAAABX8/E3zQu86O00g/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252023%25252C%2525202012%2525201%25253A22%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878075.252" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="326" alt=""></a></div> Come see me and all of the other Renegade <a href="http://www.renegadecraft.com/chicago-artists" target="_self" title="">crafters and artists</a> at Chicago's Tenth Annual Renegade Craft Fair, September 8 and 9!<br/><br/><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-R4F1AX2Nc0g/UDwmkt6HHrI/AAAAAAAABXg/ymXnUOkA5SU/s300/Photo%252520Aug%2525207%25252C%2525202012%2525205%25253A45%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; "><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-R4F1AX2Nc0g/UDwmkt6HHrI/AAAAAAAABXg/ymXnUOkA5SU/s300/Photo%252520Aug%2525207%25252C%2525202012%2525205%25253A45%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1346244878117.8818" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="300" height="250"></a><p> </p> <br/><br/> <br/><br/>benrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096807567390486514noreply@blogger.com0