One Delightful Week! (June 2011)

Roman and I have returned from our trip to LA to take some Mozart Photos, and so I’d like to share some of the photos from our adventure!

 

June 9

On June 9th, Roman and I left Montana and drove to Layton Utah to stay over night.

Roman and I leaving Bozeman for LA.

In Utah we played some games with my good friends, The Bakers (A family of Nine Children). We also were told a Joke by Kendra’s four year old, Ewan.

Ewan: Do you want to hear a joke?

Roman: Yeah.

Ewan: Obama.

 

June 10

On June 10th we finished our drive to Los Angeles. We passed by Las Vegas, and Roman took some photos out the window:

Caesar's Palace on the Way Past Las Vegas

We stayed in Los Angeles with my friend Jadi who loves to be a part of my artistic endeavors. She has done hair and make-up styling for my Mozart Photos for many years, and she has modeled in quite a few as well!

 

June 11

On June 11th, Roman and I went shopping and got him some cool clothes. Then we went to In-and-Out Burger.

 

June 12

On June 12th we did our first photo shoot for Thamos, King of Egypt.

Roman posin' for the camera set-up.

In the Morning, Roman helped me set up the backdrop (about a thousand times, because the tacks kept falling out), while Jadi got ready to do hair and make-up.

Roman does a test shot in front of the back-drop.

The models, Miguel, Nola and Summer came and got photographed, however we had one model drop out, and we couldn’t find a replacement. I decided to try some post production techniques which might solve the issue, but we won’t know until I get to editing.

Nola, Summer and I shooting some images for Thamos.

After Miguel and Nola had finished their shots, we worked with Summer alone in a costume change.

Roman holds up the reflector board to symbolize the sun rising on Summer who is modeling as the Queen of Egypt.

 

June 13

On June 13th, we took Roman on his first subway ride. Jadi drove us to a parking lot where we got on the subway and rode down to Chinatown to look around.

Roman and Jadi pay the parking meter. Then, we took Roman for his first subway ride!

The subway starts underground, but then you come above ground to get to Chinatown.

Roman's first time on a subway!

Jadi and Roman liked to make jokes while waiting for the subway, and there was a lot of laughter for the entire trip.

Roman and Jadi at the Subway stop.

We briefly walked around Chinatown, and then went to eat at a Dim-Sum restaurant.

Roman in Chinatown next to a Scary Dragon.

At the restaurant, Roman was overwhelmed by the quick service, and chose some fried shrimp to eat. He picked up a shrimp and was startled to see it looking back at him, and threw it back down. Then, he tried his hand at using chopsticks (honestly, it’s a pretty sad sight), and while peeling a shrimp to remove its eyes, it popped off his plate, flew clear across the table and directly into Jadi’s tea-cup the moment she started pouring herself a glass.

Roman's first time eating shrimp eyes using chopsticks resulted in this. A shrimp flew across the table into Jadi's tea while she was pouring it.

Then, Jadi took us to a fountain to make wishes and throw in coins.

Roman and Jadi in Chinatown

Roman inducted Jadi into Team Awesome. I think once he gets enough members, we might have a play-off like the NBA or something.

(Whispers) Team Awesome!

Then Jadi went to work, and Roman and I went to visit the Hollywood Sign.

Me (Top) and Roman (Bottom) at the Hollywood Sign.

 

June 14

On June 14th, we had our second photo shoot for “Der Stein der Weisen”.  Our friend Katie stepped in at the last minute (taking off work) to fill in for another model.

Jadi prepares Katie's hair for the shoot.

Zaden modeled as the character Nadir, and we all got in my tiny car and drove out to a canyon near Malibu to take some photos.

Zaden.

The shoot was a fantasy style shoot with costumes based off of video games like Final Fantasy. In the picture below you can almost see Zaden’s cat hat.

Here I am photographing a "Der Stein Der Weisen" picture. The costumes were influenced by video games like Final Fantasy and Magna Carta.

Katie and Zaden were very fun to work with!

Zaden, Me and Katie

 

June 15

On June 15th, I bought around a hundred dollars worth of pastries, and we went to Candice’s house to prepare for and shoot photos for Don Giovanni.

There were six models in this shoot, including Roman.

Here's a shot of the Don Giovanni set-up with everyone getting ready. It looks like I'm picking the Zanni's nose! (on couch) Jon, Danica, Joshua, Krista, Candice (on ground) the back of my head and Roman in a mask.

The scene that I chose to illustrate was from the party near the end of Don Giovanni, where the players play popular tunes and Leporello tries to sneak food without Don Giovanni noticing.

Here's a shot of Don Giovanni and his ladies taken while I was shooting.

Everybody at this shoot looked soooo good! The models were fantastic, and were styled by Jadi and her friend Molly who did all the big hair!

The Players and Don Giovanni model their outfits.

The shoot went fairly quickly, and everyone was very pleased with the results.

 

June 16

On June 16th Jadi, Roman and I went to Melrose to go shopping. Roman tried on some horrible pants.

Roman tries on Sexy Leather Pants on Melrose.

Then, we wandered around for a bit, saw a show at the Griffith Observatory, saw our old friend Samantha and went back to Jadi’s.

 

June 17

On June 17th, Jadi made us a big breakfast, and then Roman and I headed home.

We stopped at a fantastic outlet store just outside of Las Vegas, perhaps for a little longer than we should have, and arrived back at the Baker’s in Utah at 3am.

 

June 18th

Then we drove back to Montana after eating at Chik Fill-a.

It was a very nice trip! Jadi was a wonderful hostess, and Roman is a great traveling buddy and they are both such good friends and supportive of my artwork and the things that I do.  It was wonderful to spend a week with them.

Now, I will start to work on the post production and editing of the photos!

Cat Hat!

Cat Hat!

Some things I’m working on.

Here are some of the things I’m working on for my shoots in Los Angeles this Summer:

I’m making some Commedia Masks for the Players in Don Giovanni.

Columbina Mask for Don Giovanni

A dress intended for one of the players:

Barbier style dress for Don Giovanni

Working on some Trapunto pants for Nadir in Der Stein der Weisen:

Building Trapunto pants for Der Stein der Weisen

The missing Queen from Thamos, Tharsis’s wig:

Tharsis wig for Thamos

Nadine’s corset for Der Stein der Weisen:

Corset for Der Stein der Weisen

These are just some of the things I’ve taken pictures of. I’m still going strong!

Making The Philosopher’s Stone (Jewelry Tutorial)

The Philosopher’s Stone wasn’t invented just for Harry Potter, you know! It has existed since the ancient Hindu people told of a magical element that could turn all metals it touched into gold, as well as grant immortality and raise the dead! It could probably also change your tires and give you an oil change while it served you pina coladas on a beach!

At the end of his life, Mozart collaborated on a fantastical opera called “Der Stein der Weisen” (The Philosopher’s Stone). Not all of his contribution to this piece is known, but they have identified at least 30 mins of music (much of it is duets with cats). This history, however, can be discussed in another post. Right now, let’s talk about the opera.

When a dispute arose between the two sons of the Wise Philosopher over possession of The Philosopher’s Stone, the Wise Man threw the stone into the sky where it was carried away by an eagle. The eagle would only return  when the Wise Man’s sons, either Eutifronte, the evil god of the Underworld, or Astromonte, the benevolent god of the Sky, had a child, and that child had a need for the stone.

Needless to say, there arises all sorts of trouble when many years later, Eutifronte, evil god of the Underworld, arms a teenage boy to the hilt (with an evil sword of dooooom!) and sends him on a quest to murder the sky god, Astromonte, who has mysteriously carried off the boy’s girlfriend. This opera is essentially anime or manga set to music.

Well, I am currently planning and constructing the “Der Stein der Weisen” props and costumes for my future photoshoot, and today I decided to Build a philosopher’s Stone.

My basic ideas were inspired by Twisted Sister Arts on Etsy an Illinois based wire-weaving jewelry maker. I wrote to her about my project, and though she was very busy with commissions she recommended her tutorial article in the current issue of “Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine” (Dec/Jan. Page 34).

A Twisted Sister Necklace:

A Necklace Designed by Twisted Sister Arts on Etsy

So I gathered together some supplies, and dumbed-down what I learned from her tutorial to my skill level! I very seldom make jewelry. I find that I never am able to create what I imagine, and it’s always easier for me to purchase finished items. The Philosopher’s Stone needs to be unique in a number of different ways, however, and it I knew from the beginning it would need to be custom made.

Here is the process I went through to make my Philosopher’s Stone!

Blue Moon beads, Large Crystal, Small Fiberoptic Gem, Two different gauges of Wire

Step 1. – Gathering Supplies

• Blue Moon Beads – Package of two sizes of silver metal beads
• Large Crystal
• Blue Fiber Optic Gem
• 22-Gauge Silver Copper Wire
• 16-Gauge Silver Copper Wire

Last Spring,  I found a Large Crystal at the Museum of the Rockies, and I thought it would make a nice Philosopher’s Stone. It has a basic “I’m just a rock” quality, while still remaining unique and interesting, unlike a rock you’d find in the garden — which would probably be boring, and just make fun of your fat mother all the time.

Today, I gathered together some of my wires, and bought some beads and a very interesting Fiber Optic Gemstone that looks like light is shining through it no matter where it’s placed. (It even has a very faint glow in the dark!)

I wanted a double gem quality, as if the stone is some sort of sci-fi/fantasy machine that joins Earth and Sky.

The first step is Basic Weaving.

Step 2. Weaving

• My first step was to take a 28″ length of 16-Gauge Silver Copper Wire and fold it in half.
• I then cut a 14″ length of the same wire, and placed it in the center of the folded wire. I left a few inches of a tail hanging over the bottom.
• Next, I cut an unmeasured  length of 22-Gauge Silver Copper Wire (I pulled it to the length I would when threading a needle, around a yard)
• I wrapped the smaller wire around the base of the thicker wire, and then began a basic weave (over/under) around the three 16-Gauge strands.

Every ten coils, I placed some tiny metal beads on the line.

Step 3 – Beading, and Weaving

• Every ten coils (I think one made it to eleven) I placed the small sized beads on the 16-gauge lengths of wire.
• I then continued weaving. (If the 22-gauge wire ran out, I just curved it discreetly into place on the line, and started again with a new length.)

After the eighth line of beads, I split the wire, and started weaving only to lines.

Step 4. – Splitting the Weave

• After the eighth line of beads, I split the wire (2 strands to one side).
• I started weaving the smaller wire around only two strands of the thicker wire.
• I continued adding beads every ten coils.

After the 4th line of beads, I split the wire again, and continued wrapping only one strand.

Step 5. – Finishing the weave

• After 4 more rows of beads, I split the wire again.
• I continued wrapping the single 16-gauge wire until I ran out of 22-gauge wire.
• I left the other two strands hanging.

Moulding the Wire to the stone and gem.

Step 6. – Moulding the Wire to the Stone and Gem

• I then took the woven wire and played around with it until I found a mould around the stone and gem that I liked.
• I left the long ends hanging, roughly coiled into spirals.

A rough arrangement of wires and stones, beads added to coil tips.

Step 7. – Arranging the stones and wire, capping the coils.

• I finalized my arrangement choices. (Some of the tail ends coiled over and under the woven strands.)
• I  tightened the coil ends, capping them with small beads. (I don’t solder, so I used a hot glue gun. Lame, I know.)
• I put the stones in place and (again) hot glued the metal to the crystal.

The Crystal proved to be so heavy, and my Jewelry experience so limited, that I just hot glued the metal weaving to the rock as an easy fix to the setting.

The Philosopher's Stone Front View

Step 8. – Finalization

• I added another “s” coil of capped wire to finish it up.
• Finished!

While I’m done with the wire work, I may decide to add a charm or two at some point in the future. If that happens I’ll update this post!

Philosopher's Stone Side View

So, that’s what I came up with! It has none of the elegance or craft of the designer that inspired it, but as a prop I think it looks sufficiently fantastical.

When it makes it to the photo shoot, it may be attached on a chain, or something. I’ll decide that when the time comes. For now, I’m going to put this Philosopher’s Stone in a box, throw it into the sky for the eagle (He’ll bring it back when I need it!), and start planning the costumes!