Okay, so the soapy part of tonight's blog is this: Cut soap pictures! Yay!
The cut bars of Green Tea and Willow. Smells AMAZING, nice woodsy clean spa-type smell. Slight bit of ash on the tops, but I'm going to see how steaming them does with the mica swirl (hopefully well!)
Purple Sandalwood! More ash on these, but I LOVE how the inside swirl did -- this trace was still very liquid in the pour, where GT&W was much thicker. This soap had a higher concentration of olive oil as well -- you can see my cutting marks! And fingerprints. I'll use my planar to clean them up, but it's going to irk me with the longer wait. I'm used to heavy solid oil recipes over liquid ones.
And the SIDETRACKING. Little known fact about me (sort of) is that I used to be an art major. I guess I'm still an artist, my media type has just changed (I consider soap an art form!) and I havent lost the spark, and I occasionally sketch still. My amazing obsession, however?
Phoenix.
Any kind of phoenix.
Like Jean Grey from X-men.
Even Dark Phoenix.
And White Phoenix of the Crown.
And this phoenix tattoo on my thigh.
I adore phoenix. In general, and the person. Mythos-wise, it accurately resembles my life. I've seen things. I've done things, and had them done to me. It hasn't always been easy. I grew up in a cold home, I was in a traumatic accident -- but I never let those things define me. Though Ive had a dark and bitter past, I have recreated and renewed myself for the future. Each horrible thing I encounter and survive through marks a moment in my history where I become reborn. Even as Jean battles with the darkness struggling to consume her, she always finds light in the end.
So, in homage to my artist "past," enjoy some of my old drawings/sketches. Eye candy just for you viewers!
Dark Phoenix
Joker - Heath Ledger
Alduin - Skryim
Hellraiser Puzzle Box book cover for my hubby
Sketches on Notes
TipTopDog Hundesalon - A commissioned mural that's on a dog salon in Germany where my father lives. :) This was a doozy to paint!
Bahamut from FFX
Painted Phoenix from the first sketch
Amy Lee of Evanescence
More phoenix
Another Amy Lee (her eyes are GORGEOUS)
Self-portrait done digitally
So, what are YOUR other obsessions? Anything you do outside of soaping? Used to do? Would like to do? Let me know after the break!
BREAK :D
Wow, you are very talented, Ashley! I always wanted to be able to paint and draw. I remember taking art classes when I was a kid. I would try hard, but I was just awful. My mom is a gifted artist, but I didn't get any of those genes, lol. I consider soapmaking an art form, too, and I am glad that I can express myself creatively through my soaps. I love the swirls in your Purple Sandalwood, and the Green Tea and Willow is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly took me forever to get where I am now, and I dont draw very often anymore, so some of the muscle memory has been lost. My mom is an artist, as was her mom; my grandmother made these amazing paintings of wildlife, I never could get the hang of painting though. Watercolor however, is just like drawing once you know how to control the brush. :) If it's something you're still interested in, it's worth it to try! Small steps, as with soapmaking. :)
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