Toadfish Monastery

Open Water => All Kinds of Art => Art Gallery => Topic started by: Opsa on November 20, 2006, 05:04:44 PM

Title: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on November 20, 2006, 05:04:44 PM
I don't know what you'd call these. They are painted, but with a drawn feeling.


The first two are for Goatie. Please excuse the odd angles, as they have glass over them and I was trying to avoid reflections.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/againbess/goatvista1.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/againbess/Nanny1.jpg)

This was the first in my cartoony series. I was trying to break away from being too exact and literal.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/againbess/tea1.jpg)

These were some morning glories on my front porch:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/againbess/morningglories.jpg)
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: goat starer on November 20, 2006, 06:07:08 PM
lovely! if I ever get a digital camera I will put up some of my tree frog paintings.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Sibling Kephra (Tansy) on November 21, 2006, 04:30:38 AM
ooOo!  (drool)
I'm eternally fascinated with people who can really draw/paint...  I'd love to be able to, but I'm just too 'logical' along those fronts.  Everything has to be symetrical or I go bananas.

Kephra the OCD doodler..
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: The Meromorph on November 21, 2006, 04:43:07 AM
I understand the amount of sheer effort that goes into achieving that kibd of simplicity. :)
Wow!
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Sibling Chatty on November 22, 2006, 04:37:09 AM
I am in complete awe of the strength of the cat and teaset picture.

It's all great work, but the cat just gets me...
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on November 22, 2006, 06:23:50 PM
Aw, gee. Thank you! :)
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on January 23, 2014, 10:10:30 PM
Pieces o Nine

A friend I never met has gone.
Through words alone we began
and carried on through highs and lows.
She was my sibling, my sister,
my partner in crimes against the language,
my crazy boisterous pirate playmate.
She was always here, but now she's
not, any more.
I will come to the playground and look for her,
even though I know she won't be here.
I will look at the words she left behind.
They will hang in space like angels.
Like angels
aloft,
aloof,
they will not respond to my replies.

Pirate woman spirit,
are you bouncing around the afterlife
in your leather bodice,
firing up the margarita machines?
I'll fire one up for you
come Friday,
just like you would for me.

No-one could draw like you, Pieces.
No-one could think like you.
Your spirit was always free, and now
the rest of you is, too.

I only knew a tiny bit of you-
just what you shared here,
but that tiny bit meant more than you knew.
That tiny bit
was part of my heart
but now it is broken
in Pieces.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Bluenose on January 23, 2014, 11:16:11 PM
Beautiful, just beautiful.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Bruder Cuzzen on January 23, 2014, 11:35:46 PM
Thank you Opsa.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Griffin NoName on January 24, 2014, 01:32:10 AM
Beautiful Ops. I am teary.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on January 24, 2014, 05:31:06 AM
Thank you Opsa.  that actually helps a little. 

Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on January 24, 2014, 02:55:22 PM
Thanks, I hope so. It helped to write it. I just didn't know what to do with myself when I heard the news.

Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: The Meromorph on January 24, 2014, 04:22:58 PM
Well done, beloved sibling.  :hug:
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on January 28, 2014, 03:23:00 PM
I wanted to make some Darlica-style ice candle holders last night, since we were having arctic conditions. I remembered that Aggie had thought of filling balloons with water to make round shapes, but looking around, I was fresh out of balloons, so I used a pair of rubber gloves.

Below is how they looked this morning. They are so solid that there's no place for a candle (except maybe between the fingers?) but they are interesting.

The second photo shows icy outlines of where the gloves may have leaked a little before they froze. I thought it made a neat shot. This was supposed to be a tribute to Pieces.

Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Darlica on January 28, 2014, 04:48:30 PM
Cool!  ;D
You can make more of them, put them upright in a circle and light a candle in the middle.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on January 28, 2014, 05:29:46 PM
Quote from: Opsa on January 28, 2014, 03:23:00 PM
I wanted to make some Darlica-style ice candle holders last night, since we were having arctic conditions. I remembered that Aggie had thought of filling balloons with water to make round shapes, but looking around, I was fresh out of balloons, so I used a pair of rubber gloves.

Below is how they looked this morning. They are so solid that there's no place for a candle (except maybe between the fingers?) but they are interesting.

The second photo shows icy outlines of where the gloves may have leaked a little before they froze. I thought it made a neat shot. This was supposed to be a tribute to Pieces.

Quote from: Darlica on January 28, 2014, 04:48:30 PM
Cool!  ;D
You can make more of them, put them upright in a circle and light a candle in the middle.

Ooh! Neat idea! It's a challenge to keep these upright, since they are rounded at the bottom where I tied the rubber glove shut. One will stand, but the other will not. It would work in snow, though- and would probably look fascinating!
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on January 28, 2014, 06:17:43 PM
Here's another thing- I bought some Japanese rice paper and water-colors and have been trying to get acquainted with them. I don't know what I'm doing, but this little image came out of yesterday's session. I think it is Pieces, dancing away from us now.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on January 28, 2014, 09:41:30 PM
Gorgeous.

(and that's when you don't know what you're doing!)
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on January 29, 2014, 12:24:15 AM
Thank you, Zone.

We just put a lit candle between the fingers of the lying-down hand and put the standing one in front. Wonderful, how the ice captures the light.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on January 29, 2014, 12:34:17 AM
That is too cool!

Ice is really-really easy to shape, too.  Do you have an ordinary soldering iron?  You can use that to melt holes into ice very easily, and with pretty good precision too.

To flatten the bottom?  You can take your ice creation outside where there's some concrete, and holding it carefully in a gloved hand (to avoid melting it) you can easily rub a flat spot, using the concrete as "sandpaper".  It doesn't take much at all.

To melt a hole?  You could easily heat up something cylindrical on your stove-- then holding it with a pair of pliers, use that to melt a hole for your candle.  I'm thinking an old thimble would work (you'll burn the metal, so use one you don't minding ruining) to make a candle-hole.

Another tool would be a short piece of copper tubing, again held with pliers and heated up with a stove/torch.  If the tube is small, a candle would work too.

Edit: 

If you really want to get into ice carving?  Buy a heavy duty soldering iron-- one of those that has a copper loop for the heating bit (it clamps into the end with screws).  These are very simple machines-- they take 120v mains and convert it to about 1 or 2 volts at high amps--running that through the copper tip. 

But here's the thing:  you can custom make your own tips, using 10 gauge uninsulated solid copper wire (available at home centers in the electrical department).  You can use 12 gauge too, but these tend to get too hot and burn out quickly.   For lower temperatures, use 8 gauge.  You only need a foot or so, so it's cheap.  Take your iron with you, to make sure it's holders have big enough holes for the wire you choose-- some of the smaller ones only take 10 gauge or less (12, 14 or 16--the higher the gauge, the smaller the diameter). 

Anyway, you can easily bend the wire into loops, or v-notches, or whatever you like.  If you place a length on an anvil, you can hammer it flat, to make knife-shapes too.  Hint:  shape it into a very tight loop--pinch it tight, then hammer it flat.  Copper is very malleable, and easily shaped.

Enjoy!
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on January 29, 2014, 06:27:22 AM
That sounds like fun!
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on January 29, 2014, 03:56:25 PM
Quote from: Darlica on January 28, 2014, 04:48:30 PM
Cool!  ;D
You can make more of them, put them upright in a circle and light a candle in the middle.

Th'Opsalette made four more last night, and we have arranged them in a circle. It's better than any snowman!
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Darlica on January 29, 2014, 07:42:27 PM
Nice! :D
I like the photo with the long shadows.

I prefer to work with hacksaw, drills and knifes when carving ice, I find the combination of electricity and water a little too adventurous for my taste... :o

A blow-dryer might come in handy to help the ice to release the moulds though.

:D
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: roystonoboogie on January 29, 2014, 09:57:18 PM
Quote from: Darlica on January 29, 2014, 07:42:27 PM
I find the combination of electricity and water a little too adventurous for my taste... :o

A blow-dryer might come in handy to help the ice to release the moulds though.

:D
Use a residual current device (RCD). It protects you from any water / electricity interface issues. I play outdoor gigs with a valve (tube) amplifier that generates 600 volts at the anodes. I have thought about this stuff...

Linky. (http://www.esc.org.uk/public/home-electrics/rcd-faqs/)
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on January 29, 2014, 11:48:05 PM
One of the nicer aspects of that venerable soldering iron?  The volts to the heating element are about 1 or 3 or so-- well below any dangerous levels.  It's quite safe enough, if the outlet it's plugged into is away from the wet stuff.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Bluenose on January 30, 2014, 06:12:41 AM
An alternative, at least for smaller jobs, would be a butane powered soldering iron.  These days that's about the only one I use, albeit for electronic work, because of its portability and independence from the mains power.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on January 30, 2014, 04:02:41 PM
Below are some shots from last night.

This has become a therapeutic art project.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on January 30, 2014, 04:06:08 PM
Verra nice!

;)
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on January 30, 2014, 04:11:57 PM
Thankee!

Wouldn't they be cool made HUJE with a BONFIRE in the middle?

Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on January 31, 2014, 06:02:34 PM
Today they are melting.

I feel like this is a project is a metaphor for the survivors of a death. The person is missed. The mourners form a circle. Time goes by and slowly they are lessened. A couple more fall. Eventually they will all return to the earth.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on January 31, 2014, 06:09:38 PM
Those dusk/night pictures are spooky and awesome!

Next time use those long gloves and they will look like arms coming from the ground.  ;D
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on January 31, 2014, 11:14:16 PM
Very poetic.

As these melt back into the ground?  So, too, life is a cycle. 

A time-lapse "slideshow" could be something fun to do; a daily photo (same time of day) as they melt could work.  (and be a lot of work too, so maybe not...)
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on February 01, 2014, 12:48:22 AM
I was thinking along similar lines, Bob.

One last one in the series is below.
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on February 03, 2014, 04:34:48 PM
The one in the top right is doing the 'corna'.  :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Opsanus Output
Post by: Opsa on February 06, 2014, 03:56:11 PM
That would be appropriate for Pieces!

Below is a photo for Darlica of what's on my drawing table. Nothing profound, just me experimenting with rice paper and acrylic.