Sinister Bug

by Leslie Brier, Brier Design Studio

This recently appeared in my studio. It is a Sinister Bug, believed to have become extinct during the early 1900s. You can click on the photos for a  closer view of its exoskeleton.

I'm not sure what the body originally was. It had a chute, and a wheel that turned. Does anyone out there have any guesses?

Speaking of guesses, that reminds me of contests. Don't forget about my blog hop giveaway. Leave a comment on the blog hop post and one winner will be selected to receieve a fabulous package from Artistic Artifacts, and one of my steampunk bird necklaces. I will draw a number this Friday, February 10.

Steampunk USB Stick

I made this USB stick as a gift for my son. He has developed an appreciation for steampunk style since he went away to college.

I started off with a regular USB drive, and sealed off the end and the red part that slides with masking tape. Then I went to town, adding gears and numbers.

I added an extension to the top, so he can fasten it to his keychain. The piece at the end is an antique laundry number pin.

 I was thrilled to find that the drive still worked once the tape came off.

Edgar!

by Leslie Brier, Brier Design Studio

I'm feeling the steampunk vibe these days, and so is dear Edgar. 

 Edgar stands about 12 inches tall. Look closely and you'll be able to recognize lots of the pieces that he's constructed from. See the red on the bottom? I'm working on a new technique for adding color to metal. I'll demo it for the first time at Art and Soul in Virginia Beach. Hope to see you there!

Ice Resin and Steampunk jewelry

Here are some photos of my newest work. I am still finding new and interesting things to do with ICE Resin, but filling a bezel with some dictionary paper and bits of vintage costume jewelry is so simple and so satisfying that I still do a lot of pieces like that.

I adjusted some settings on my camera in an attempt to get better photos.Obviously, it didn't help much.  I have plans to take some lessons from Donna Hopkins, a kindred spirit, and amazing photographer. Check out her blog to see her gorgeous photography.

Here is another resin piece. Thanks to Barbara Hawley for sharing this dear little deer with me.

And another foray into my steampunk phase. I have just started doming my gears, and using micro bolts to attach them together. I wish I had the time and space to experiment all day! Don't we all?

Altered Book Round Robin

By Leslie Brier, Brier Design Studio

Back in December, I joined an altered book round robin group. I kept thinking that it wasn't a good time to start a new art commitment, but luckily my heart overruled my head. This is an amazing group of talented women, and I'm so happy that I've got standing date with them every month.

The premise of the project is simple. Everyone found a book to alter and chose a theme. They started the artwork, and then passed it along to another artist to do a spread in the book. This month I got to work in Barbara Deal's book. Her theme was "celtic". The words "A Story As Night Falls" were already on the page, so I decided to do something with a dark background.

 I was surprised at how many items I already had in my studio that fit the theme. (Another good reason to keep it clean!) I zentangled the large celtic piece during the Super Bowl. Here is a closeup:

The theme for my book is "steampunk". Jennifer at Crafty Dayeseye did the first spread in my book. She wasn't familiar with the idea of steampunk, but she hit it out of the park!

I was astounded and amazed. It has movement! And light bulbs! and hot air balloons! And gears and watches! I couldn't wait to get it home and admire it. And then I remembered that the book had to move on to the next person in the swap. Jennifer kindly sent me some of her photos. I need to talk to her about photography. See how she captures the light? (no pun intended!)

My challenge this month is to work on Terry Pitzel's "notorious women" book. There's already a fabulous spread on Mata Hari in there, and some paper dolls to play with. I'm leaning toward Josephine Baker at the moment... I'll let you know what I come up with.

Here's one more picture of Crafty Dayesye's work. Love it!

NeoVictorian Remix

I've just finished reading The Devil in the White City, Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America  by Erik Larson. It is a detailed account of the Columbian Exhibition in Chicago in 1893. I learned so much about the era, and its people, and their inventions. It is amazing to realize what these men and women accomplished in a short time.

I had been working on this piece with ferris wheels in it before I started the book. It took on a new meaning for me after I started reading it. I have a new appreciation for Ferris' Wheel. The first ferris wheel appeared at the Columbian Exhibition, and was America's answer to the Eiffel Tower which was built for the Paris Exposition.

The piece is almost finished now. I have added wiring to the object in the woman's hands and also added a glaze to the background with words written in it.

The woman also has had many more gears and three-D objects added into her machinery. I'm going to change the flowers on her hat, and then I think it will be finished. I plan to enter it in the FCCA show, "Conceal and Reveal".

Steampunk Circus Digital Remix - Working with a Net

This collage is made from 1890's era newspaper images.I built up background layers, and then added the newspaper images on top. Some are gel-medium transfers, and some are applied face-up straight from a laser print, and tinted with colored tissue and watercolor pencils.

It wasn't finished, but I wasn't sure what it needed. There were several ideas that I wanted to explore, and I wasn't feeling particularly patient. So, I decided to go to my computer and work it out in PhotoShop.

Here is the digital image. I added the top hat first, and then put in the rest of the images from there. The words went in last. I love working with type and typefaces in my job as a graphic designer, but tend to shy away from it in my altered art work, mainly because I don't love my own handwriting the way I love typefaces.

To me, a typeface can instantly set the tone for a piece whether its used in graphic design or fine art. (I used Algerian here.) I think I'll need to take a break from this image for a few days, and then come back to it and see if I still like it. If I don't, I can rework it - a major advantage of going digital. That can also be a pitfall - sometimes it's good to work without a net, so to speak, in order to make a commitment. Right now it looks a little to busy to me.

I'm still pondering what to do with the piece in the previous post. Terry Pitzel and Elizabeth Woodford have both given me some great suggestions, so I'm hoping to finish that piece this week. Stay tuned!

NeoVictorian Adventures

Here is a piece that I've been working on for the past two weeks. It's not quite finished yet. The caption is, "Everyone admired her graceful movement." I'm still trying to decide if those words belong in  the piece, or under the piece. It is 22 inches tall, so the words will have to be pretty large if I do decide to put them in. And, I'll have to figure out how to get them in there.

This piece is a mixed media collage. Most of the images were taken from late 1800s issues of Scientific American and early 1900s issues of Ladies Home Journal. I only have two more weeks to work on it, so I'll let you know how it turns out. As always, suggestions are welcome!

Thank you! Thank you!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the opening at the University Cafe on Friday night. It was so great to see everybody! And it was fun to spend time with the other members of the Mixed Media Experience, too. I am always amazed at how well our work goes together once a show is hung.

This is my Electrolux Baby. I found the vintage canister vaccuum at a thrift store, or course, and just had to have it. I took out the motor inside (and the wasp nest) and cleaned it all up with soap and a toothbrush.

Then I started adding my own touches to it. I didn't want to do too much to it, because I love the clean lines. The sled runners are original to the vaccuum. Interesting, hmmm?

I cut into the canister with my dremel tool and was able to fit a vintage French-fry maker down inside. At this point in a project, I am usually wondering what wholesome activities the other mothers are engaged in. Baking cookies? Reading stories to their children? I also wonder what the neighbor children say about what Mrs. Brier was doing while they were visiting.

After auditioning a few drivers from my collection, I decided that Sammy would be the new Electrolux Baby! He seems very happy in his new vehicle, don't you think?

Clara was the driver I chose for my rescue vehicle. Her fire engine rig was originally built for the top of the Electrolux piece, but it was a little too unweildy. It fit on top of the roller skate like it was made for it. I love it when a project comes together!


Little Clara was naked when I got her, so I decided she had to have some clothing for her big debut on the fire truck. I found a vintage handkerchief with a holly embroidered on it and went to town. Deck the dolls with altered hankies, fa la la la la la la la la. (Isn't that how it goes?)