trouble-maker Prussia

Prussia!...Giving me problems!  @x@! 

Actually, I shouldn't say just Prussia. I'll have to go through this same thing with Spain, and the crest on his flag.  ~.~;  And unexpectedly, Canada too.  That maple leaf mold I made didn't account for the impressed clay being too soft to slice into an applique.  x_x; 
 I've been trying so many unsuccessful techniques to get that crest on Prussia's flag to work on my polymer clay pendants, and time is just running out!  0~0!

Technique 1:
Iron-on transfer paper.  I have books which said that this works, but apparently, they were strictly serious about only the Avery brand working.  My local craft store didn't have it, so I bought whatever they had. And that turned out to leave big paper hangings, distinct borders impressed between the paper and the un-papered clay, and it can be peeled off.  ;_;  Not only that, but the pictures of Prussia's and Spain's crests that I used, turned out all pixelated!  Not enough resolution!  ;~:  That, I fixed with better source pictures, but the iron-on paper technique just doesn't work.

Technique 2: 
Stamp ink.  This, I have experience in.  Printmaking was the area of studio arts that I pursued, further than anyone else in my class.  But after all that trouble of carving my own, tiny, Prussia eagle stamp, the ink just didn't work.  Neither of my black ink stock.  The first ("Comotion" brand), turned from black to red, when stamped on white Craftsmart clay.  The second black ink ("Carver's) maintained the black hue better, but wiped off, even after baking, and even worse than the first ink---Which did manage to stain the clay, but only in red.  ~___~;;;  The sad thing is that I did make some tests of these inks onto polymer clay.  Those tests didn't smudge, they were waterproof, and the impressions were clear.  I just didn't realize that testing on different colors of clay, would have different results, despite being the same brand of clay.  x_x;  So, yellow Craftsmart clay seems to take ink well and be stained with the proper, waterproof hue, but _white_ Craftsmart clay is another matter.  Too bad Prussia needs his eagle crest on a white stripe. 

Technique 3:
Baked clay applique.  I thought this one just couldn't fail, in any way.  _Thought_.   Turns out that making a reverse mold, for a properly flipped impression, was the wrong idea.  Typical for making transfers, but not best for this case.  This *strange* case.  After gettitng an impression from the mold, the top actually is composed of all the pits from the bottom of the mold, making the "bottom", sliced side, actually look better.  Very unusual.  But I don't have time to make another mold.  Still, that problem can be fixed, once I have time later.  The real problem with this technique is that it takes too much time, there's too much risk in damaging the applique during slicing from the base, and it usually does result in a skin&bones slice of the original impression.  Even though the baked applique can be applied to either pre-baked clay (using clear glue), or sunken into unbaked clay before baking, these slices of applique just don't look as nice as I would have liked.  They're all scraggly and emaciated.  Besides which, this technique may have been ok with Prussia, but considering all the tiny, unlinked components in Spain's crest, assembling all the pieces would probably take too long with a design like that. 

Technique 4:
Embossing powder.  So today, I'm going to try embossing powder.  The great thing is that I can just use a stamp, sprinkle powder, and bake.  The bad thing is that when I first tried making a mold for Technique 3, I used my rubber stamp, and forgot mold release.  ~__~;  So, my rubber stamp got ruined. Still okay, but I'll definitely have to make a new Prussia crest stamp when I have more time. 
There are so many techniques to choose from with embossing powder.  But since these pendants are going to get pressed with a stamp on both sides, back-filling an impression with embossing powder doesn't sounds viable.  After the pendant is stamped on 1 side, it'll get flipped and squashed with the stamp from the other side.  Then what would the embossing powder fill?  Besides, unbaked clay is so sticky, the embosing powder may not stick to just the relief's recesses.  Still, even if I waited to fill the reliefs with powder, after baking, the impressions on the bottom side would still get squashed from the top side's impressing pressure.
Fortunately, embossing powder has been proven successful by others, even when applied to already-baked clay.  So, I'm going to try that.  I'll have to rig some special supports for the pendants while baking, to keep both sides level and prevent the melted embossing powder from running, but it looks promising.
So, do I go with the clear embossing ink and the colored powder?  Or the colored ink with the clear embossing powder?  I already have black and red stamping inks and clear embossing powder, so I don't have to go out to buy some.  But if the tests today prove my inks just don't come across strongly, I may just go out and buy some black and red embossing powders. 

So why aren't I trying varnish, you ask?  My ink-stamped Prussia/Austria penants don't seem so red, even though that Comotion ink does have that tint.  Why don't I just varnish those and save more time to make Spamano or Nordics pendants?  I don't know.  I bought Varathane a while ago and it's sitting in my closet, for just the purpose of polymer clay.  I guess I'm always scared to try new things at first.  Takes me a few days, or weeks, to psyche myself up to take a plunge.  Besides, if I Varathane the crest, then I might as well do the whole pendant, for a consistent shine.  But if I do that, then I have to sand the whole thing first, and set up a drying area with no dust (impossible at my house), and then do that to each of my 20+ pendants,...  Yeah, now I remember why I'm avoiding varnishing my pendants.

I'm sick from something I caught at AM2 a week ago, and I still have so much to craft for Artist Alley at AX this coming week.  ;____;!

AM2 2012 & today's Artist Alley productivity

Today has been productive, but I'm going to try to make 4 more FRUK pendants before bed tonight.

I never would have thought of a France/Russia pendant, but a pose at a Hetalia gathering, during AM2, last weekend, made me think I should maybe make 1 or 2.

Also finished posting video of both Hetalia gatherings from AM2 2012.

Saturday (above) and Sunday (below).  I was a little late for Sunday's gathering, but I only missed the all-participants group shot, Axis group shot, and Allies group shot.

I also got to premier 2 new versions of my Flying Mint Bunny lolita cosplay at AM2 2012.  Now I'm all set for a fresh Mint Bunny cosplay for all 4 days of Anime Expo. ^_^  My fluffy tail isn't visible in these photos, but it's there.  After seeing the cosplay gathering video, I learned a lesson about pinning the tail to the back of my top, rather than to a skirt that can swirl around. #^^#

crafting crafting crafting for Artist Alley

Finally got back to making pendants for Artist Alley, after all those days just making more millefiori canes.  Prep work just doesn't feel as accomplished as churning out the final product.  I wonder if 10 pendants or less is enough stock for the Russia/America fangirls?

3 weeks before Artist Alley at Anime Expo, and I'm still testing out new techniques.  ~_~;  I reeeeeeeeally want to use the transparency of those glass decor marbles, and not have to cover the whole back with clay or some weak paint.  Fortunately, the most ideal technique seems to be successful so far.  Testing to continue in the morning. 

SocialCos

http://www.socialcos.com/members/home

A few days ago, I joined a web community called SocialCos.  As in "social cosplay".  It's like Facebook---with posts, Likes, Friends---but for cosplayers, otaku, and geeks.  It just started, so everyone can see everyone's posts, without needing to Friend first, which is cool.  It's so nice to see so many strangers have so much in common.  Much geekier than my friends on Facebook.  It's great to talk about cosplay crafts techniques, making props, photography, and even make-up woes.  I hope we can all talk freely together, like this, even after the Beta version finishes. 

beware of this rant in defense of Lolita fashion

A while ago, I procrastinated writing about defense for Lolita fashion.  But this morning, I caught the beginning of What Not to Wear, and they totally attacked a Lolita.  ;x;  Now, I remember why I wanted to write a whole essay, defending Lolita.  It was against people like that, like that stupid panel, at an anime convention this past January, who have nothing but misconceptions about why we love Lolita, and then get very vehemently confrontational about it.

 There are so many misconceptions about Lolita, from just 2 incidents with Western people, that I'm really scared about how gutter-minded this country is.  ~_~;  Though I myself am American, my fairly sheltered social life has prevented me from acclimating to what is considered "Normal".  So the contradiction of freaky and illogical things which are labelled as "Normal", has always seemed jarringly obvious to me, rather than being dismissed and simply accepted, as most "Normal" people do.  Though, I always had an inkling of how strange "Normal" people are, I really had not believed it was this bad. 

 Why is Lolita fashion considered a purely sexual abnormality here?!?  0~0  The entire time that the hosts of What Not to Wear were throwing away the former Japanese-studies student's Lolita dresses, they kept peppering in comments that implied sexual kinkiness.  They kept using the term "fetish".  Then, as they picked through the Lolita wardrobe, they joked that they expected to find a whip in there, like sado-masicism.  (Which is another thing that I understand is not always sexual, but I also understand has been greatly adopted by the sexual-props community.)  It's true that the term "Lolita" originated from a novel about sexual interest in a young girl character, but that is not what current Lolita fashion is about.  Otherwise, Lolita fashion would have become a movement after that novel's infamy, rather than after a completely different event.  And that completely different event was the fad started by J-pop bands, in much the same way punk, heavy metal, and goth music bands started individual clothing styles in the West.  But I guess the West has had more time knowing the term "Lolita" as a reference to that sexual perversion, rather than as the Japanese clothing trend.  Still, with growing awareness for the global community, one would think that there would be more open-mindedness, to other meanings or reasons for an aesthetic---Especially if a person attends anime conventions and has been given the explainations that Lolita fashion is different from the Lolita perversion. Is sex the only thing that people in this country really think of, when they see poofy, frilly skirts and lace?  ;~;!?  This was a really ironic notion, since that episode of What Not to Wear, came immediately after a Say Yes to the Dress episode, in which the bride choose a very poofy dress, which she described it as making her feel like a "cupcake". 

 What's wrong with feeling pretty as a cupcake?  Apparently Normals only allow that feeling for brides and little girls.  The panelist at an anime convention last January, ranted and raved about how Lolita was wrong because it wasn't "Normal" for grown women to dress "like little girls".  But since then, I've been thinking about the "Normally" accepted ways, in which women are expected to feel pretty:  It's usually through sexuality.  Clothing tightened at certain areas, emphasizing the figure, showing skin,...Even the clothing that Normals consider "sophisticated", is defined by points---pointed-out by fashionistas---which are all about showing off the figure's aspects gained through sexual maturation.  Though I completely understand this aesthetic, the idea of accepting only this type of beauty as "pretty", while condemning other types of "pretty" is infuriating.  There should be nothing wrong with wanting to feel "pretty" without using sexuality. 

 Ruffles, lace, and poofy skirts are the beauty of Lolita fashion, culminating in cuteness, and yet, it is considered inappropriate for women, after we've grown.  It used to be allowed during ages like the Victorian Era.  Though, back then, the skirts were longer, waists did sinch in, and some skirt bustles could have been considered to emphasize features of sexual maturity, like the hips.  But current Lolita fashion, though owing a lot to Victorian styles, usually avoids even that amount of sexual innuendo.  The current Lolita emphasizes the modesty of Victorian fashion, and the details of textile, like ruffles and lace, rather than the features of a biologically mature female form.  (The Lolita-afficionado in What Not to Wear also defended her layering of long shirts with a sundress, for the sake of "modesty", specifically.)  It allows girls, even women, to feel pretty, in the same way a teaset is adorable, or a piece of jewelry is beautiful, while omitting the beauty of sexual maturity.  And sometimes, it is very nice to take a break from identifying with sexual maturity.  Yet, the only demographic which Normals allow to be themselves, free of sexual aspects, are young girls.  Moms dress their daughters up in frilly, poofy dresses, to an almost costume level, at times, and yet, only then, do the Normals allow the appreication of that non-sexual cute.  They even join in on that appreciation.  But personally, having experienced being my mom's living doll in the past, it is much more disturbing to dress one's child as a proxy for one's own fashion experiences.  Treating a living being as a doll, to a certain degree of forcefulness, can feel demeaning, in an objectifying way (Ironically, almost similar to the objectification one can feel while dressed to sexually).  But why live out your aesthetic wants, vicariously through another person?  Why not wear that ruffly, lacy, puffy stuff yourself?  I think that would be much more mentally sound and mature, to express one's self through one's self, rather than using other living beings.    And if we find frilly objects cute, then what's wrong with wearing frilly things?

The goal of Lolita fashion is to be cute, and there's something wrong with being denied that option. 

motifs, not cliches

I wanted to work on some original stories of mine, using the same types of motifs as anime/manga and mythology, so I ran a search for anime/manga cliches and plot devices, to compare to my Joseph Campbell books.  Wrong choice of search keywords.  ~_~;  All the search results (with the exception of 1 or 2 websites) were primarily negative rants against anime/manga.  ~x~;

 So, perhaps it's time to clear up something about cliches:  They're repeated for a reason.

 Not just because the editors told the authors to, merely to ride the coattails of a popular trend, to assure the publishers a profit.  In fact, let's look at that statement I just wrote.  The publishers are recognizing a _popular trend_.  "Popular" means that some kind of motif is effecting and speaking-to a lot of people out there.  Popular doesn't always simply mean a formulaic factor, with no deeper meaning, meant merely to catch our current attentions and trap audiences for profit.  Sometimes, some part of it, can reflect the mindsets of the current culture, generation, or---if repeated throughout time long enough---some nature of the human mind in general.  Which is why the field of comparative mythology/folklore exists.  Someone once said that comic books, TV shows, movies, videogames, and other modern media, are our current folklore and mythology.  So, I'm not so eager to dismiss the repeated motifs in anime/manga, as merely hackneyed cliches.

 And even if formulaic plots are repeated and devices become cliche, it doesn't necessarily make such series meaningless.  There's so much pressure in movie critic culture to see an "original" story.  (Perhaps to accomodate the tough copyright laws.)  Yet, there really is no such thing as an "original" story.  Mythology and folklore have shown that humans appear to be telling the same few stories over and over again, but with some variations, to fit whatever new culture/generation is current.  But rather than "unoriginal" being "bad", it actually feels more like a unifying force to me.  If humans have been telling the same story (or few stories) throughout time, then we can all find common ground in our shared experience of psyche.  If variations appear for each new generation, then those essential themes from those repeated stories, can effectively reach the minds/hearts of each generation (as experiences, rather than just lectures), in their own "language", to be used for their own, current needs/purposes.

 Or as I told my cousin once, "Just because we already have Peter Pan, doesn't mean we don't need The Wizard of Oz."  They're both similar stories of regular protagonists, travelling to fantastical worlds.  But I would never call them the same, nor would I call the later one unneccessary, simply because it came after a precedent.  Each fulfills different needs, through their variation of aspects.  For example, in the mid 1990's, I gravitated to Sailormoon, because it was the only heroine-centric anime that I knew about at the time.  Sure, there were things I liked about the story, but there were also annoying aspects, which I wish could be trimmed off (like Usagi's whining girlishness).  Then I discovered Devil Hunter Yohko:  Same "schoolgirl transforming into a heroine" plot, but much more action, much less princess.  There's a variation for everybody!

 So I say, welcome the "copycats"!  A bigger pool to choose from, gives everyone the opportunity to find what speaks specifically to them. 

cosplay vids posted sooner

Ever since I decided to upload vids, as-is, and save the edited versions for a later upload, I've been able to post a lot more videos.  ^_^

http://www.youtube.com/embed/1ZoYS2SvAAE

http://www.youtube.com/embed/V-mSQVX9H3g

http://www.youtube.com/embed/6xvNtWNegUE

It's so great to just leave my computer to upload once, while I go work on other stuff for the rest of the day.  Much easier to multi-task.  Better than constantly checking and waiting for the first video part to finish uploading, so I could upload the next part, then the next part.  x_x;

I guess I got the idea from acksonl.  http://www.youtube.com/user/acksonl  He posts cosplay videos, but sometimes his vids say "next day edit", and have less time-consuming stuff done to it.  An excellent idea.

http://www.facebook.com/ni.ondoy?ref=name#!/pages/Moo-Nif/211906468882865
I had posted at Moo Nif's Facebook and at my YouTube channel, a quick survey, about which type of video is preferred:  1 huge, 45+minutes video, for faster upload, or several multi-part vids, that need a lot of editing, but make specific contents easier to access.  No one answered, but I guess it's not really necessary anymore.  As long as I save the edited versions for later, then everyone will get the vids sooner, and the people who want multi-part vids, will get their preferences too...eventually.  ^^;