Friday, August 31, 2012

Here's a collaboration I did with one of my talented friends, Carolina Tello! She is a concept artist in the gaming industry and kicks a lot of ass, if you didn't know that yet. She approached me for a feltie commission last month because she wanted to give her husband, who also works in games, a unique birthday gift. They have an adorable imp character that they co-created and she wanted me to make him into a feltie. When I saw her concepts for him, I melted and agreed to take it on!

First, she gave me full reign in redesigning this guy in my own style, which basically meant he was going to become a gumdrop shape ;) Here are some of the passes I took on him:


Next was the felting stage. I built him over a wire armature and embedded wire in the ears, so they can be posed. I try to do something new with each commission that I take on and for this guy it meant sewing him some duds. I am not very capable when it comes to machine sewing. I knew this, but wanted to try anyway. I have mixed feelings about the results but I think it's good for a first pass. I learned a ton about needle types and got a little better at understanding pattern making, but I have a ways to go yet. 





Still, he was crazy fun to do and I always love doing these sorts of commissions; that is, the ones that are intended to be special gifts. It is an honor when a friend entrusts me with making a gift like this and I am always sure to thank them for the opportunity :)

So on that note, I have a few more commissions to finish up, then I am closing out commissions until next year. I start my advanced character design class next week and have a couple of events to make inventory for in the fall, so free time is a luxury I won't have for felties :[ It's for the best, my 2D skills have been atrophying in the last few months and it's time to work those art muscles again.

Oh yes, on the rat front, everyone is doing well at the moment and I am welcoming another rattie into my home this weekend. He is a gentle, old soul and has quite a story, which I will be happy to share in the near future. <3 p="p">

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