Blog Archives

"Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore..." The Raven

9/28/2021

Each time I create a new character a new mystery begins for me to explore. The Gooblin King is no different. He is evolving in a direction I hadn't even had a clue of when I began. I spend a lot of time getting to know the ins and out of my characters especially when it comes time to costuming them. What I had in mind for the Gooblin King is not where he is taking me according to his Raven.

Why a Raven??? Well, Hir'aeth (the Gooblin King), did try to use bats as his messengers first. Now bats work well in the dark, but during the bright daylight hours they left a little to be desired. Not being able to see past their noses nor ever asking for directions if their radar was on the blink were just a few of the daylight issues if the message needed to be delivered immediately.

Good thing the Gooblin King, like all of the rest of his species, likes to tinker and make mechanical devices. He decided after the bats fiasco, what better way to deliver secret messages than to have them delivered by his own flying machine.

Now the Gooblin King tinkered out many designs for his mechanical flying machine, but none of them had the ability to be his eyes and ears in his kingdom. After several days of contemplation (and a surprise visit by a bird who flew into his cave by accident but that is another story), he realized that he would create a mechanical bird! And better yet, this bird would also have a magical mechanical optical that allowed Hir'aeth to see through. What a better way to see the world than from a birds-eye view!

So began the process to create his steampunk mechanical Raven along with dressing the Gooblin King. I will admit, even after 40 years of dollmaking, my characters never bore me and it is always fun to see what mysterious adventures they take me on.

0 Comments

And the competition is on...

9/21/2021

0 Comments

As Druzzy, King of the Trolls, sat on his throne only partially listening to a troll speak about about the rising costs of bridge construction, his mind was really focused on his plans for the young Wish Dragon. "I must have it," he muttered silently to himself as the speaker continued, totally unaware that his royal audience's mind was miles away and many years into the past.

Once he would have considered Hir'aeth, now the Gooblin King, a good friend. That was many, many years ago and before that moment. "Ah, if he hadn't dropped it, I would have had it," thought Druzzy. It had been their first search for a collectable. Both had boasted about how they would be the one to find the rare and precious bone sculpture. It was a one-of-a-kind as only one had ever been made by the great Dragon master artist, Di-Zane, but it had been lost when Di-Zane left with the other Dragons. After many years of searching, both the troll and gooblin had finally found the Dragon's lair. Little did they realize that Di-Zane also left clever little devices behind to keep his secrets. As Hir'aeth was the first to put his hands on the sculpture, a rock came crashing down and smashed it to a thousand small pieces. Hir'aeth barely was able to remove his hands before the stone fell but the piece was now lost forever! "If he would have let me take it first, I would have saved it," Druzzy still thought.

It was from this day forth that started the competition on a less than friendly beginning and as the years continued, that desire to one-up the other became even more fierce between the two. Now, it seemed, to be the sole ambition of each of the rulers over all else! Who will win the next competition?

As the speaker went on about the bridge problems, he took heart when he saw the King smiling and nodding his head. "He must like my presentation," he thought and continued on, not once realizing that the King of the Trolls was really smiling at his own thought that he knew something the Gooblin King did not. "I will get this talisman first," he silently told himself, just waiting to see the look of defeat on the Gooblin King's face when he showed him his newest acquisition.

0 Comments

Burnt Out...!!

9/14/2021

0 Comments

Hewy needed to check on Hungry, the little Dragon, especially after being "asked" by the Troll King to find him. As he followed the trail to Cornelia's cottage, (since that is where Hungry was staying) his thoughts were concentrated on what had just happened at the Troll King's court. "Why does the King really want to meet Hungry?" he pondered. He knew that Druzzy was up to no good, but he just could not see what he wanted from the young Wish Dragon. "I need to talk to the others," he mumbled deciding that was his best course and wondering what was causing this smoke in the air? The smoke seemed to be coming from the direction of Cornelia's cottage! He quickened his pace and after realizing that it WAS coming from the cottage he started running towards the smoke.

Smoke was rolling out of the windows and the door. Fearing for his friends he was just about to run into the cottage when he saw Cornelia, Efem, The CAT, and Hungry all standing near the bee hives. As usual, The CAT was just looking at everything and smiling, Efem and Cornelia were both coughing and wiping their watering eyes, and Hungry, if a Dragon can look apologetic and embarrassed, was wringing his front paws together saying that he was really, realllllly sorry.

"Is everyone okay? Where's the water buckets and I will start trying to put the fire out!" asked Hewy as he started towards the well.

"Hewy, It's fine. The fire is out," Efem was finally able to tell him after she had stopped coughing. Cornelia grumbled, since Efem was coughing again, "We have found out that when Hungry gets excited, he spits a little fire and a lot, and I do mean a lot, of smoke."

It took Hewy a minute before he realized what was happening, then since everyone was okay, he started laughing. This is when The CAT joined in as he also thought it was funny. Knowing that he was Hungry's Spite, The CAT was enjoying both being fed by Cornelia and Efem as well as the entertainment of these Wish Dragon's lessons. Hewy, soon realizing that both of the Dryads were not as amused as him, quickly stopped laughing but still could not take the smile from his lips.

"And to what do we owe this visit from you today?" growled Efem as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "You are not scheduled to be Hungry's teacher for another couple of weeks."

Having almost forgotten his reason for the visit, Hewy quickly told them of his meeting with the King of the Trolls and his concerns. "I agree Hewy, he is up to no good," answered Efem. "The question is, what do we do?"

"I have been thinking about that and the best I can come up with is to send Hungry somewhere for a while so Druzzy won't be able to find him until we find out what he is wanting," answered Hewy. "The problem is that I can't think of anyplace safe and where he won't be seen."

It was The CAT that came up with the answer. "Well, since your places aren't fireproof," smiled The CAT, "Why not send him to Dewin's for his lessons a little early? With the shabby way your homes are built, at least the cave won't burn down..." With the withering stares he received from both Efem and Cornelia, for once The CAT did not finish his sentence. Standing up and slinking away, Hewy could hear The CAT muttering something like, "sure, blame the cat..."

Now Dewin, being a wizard, had given the others each a crystal to communicate with him over long distances so they could keep in touch. They decided that would be the best for Hungry and after the smoke cleared, went back inside of the cottage where they told Dewin about their concerns and request. Shortly Sprigg'n, the Spite that had attached herself to the wizard upon his arrival to the Realm, arrived and they (Hungry, The CAT, and Sprigg'n) were off to the safety of Dewin's cave.

As they left and Hewy watched them crest the first hill and disappear from sight, Hewy finally felt that Hungry would soon be safe... ahhh, but will he? There seems to be others who also wish to see the Wish Dragon and not all of them from just curiosity. "Now," wondered Hewy, "in the meantime where I am going to disappear until this blows over?"

0 Comments

Silver or Gold???

9/8/2021

0 Comments

The Gooblin King was poured, cleaned and into the fire he went. Now he is what is called 'bisque', the porcelain before it is painted.

But where do I begin in the painting process? What skin tones do I use? Will he be young or old... which in faery years can be really, reallllllly old. *smiling*

In pondering this dilemma I knew the King of the Trolls, the Gooblin King's rival, was rich looking in his purple and gold when the old saying of
"Make new friends but keep the old, One is Silver and the other is Gold" popped into my head. Now the relationship between these two kings will be an interesting tale to develop but there is still an underlying element of friendship between them I feel. The other saying is keep your friends close and your enemies even closer which might even have some merit. *smiling more*

So silver is what will suit the Gooblin King. And like how easily silver can be melted and fused into other things, so are my china colors. For they are like silver in that they melt and fuse onto the porcelain. Porcelain is glass and can't absorb paint... it can only fused or be sealed (for example) like in a glaze.

It is this relationship of the paint not hiding the porcelain completely and the porcelain allowing the paint it's space that gives the overall glow to this media that continues to still amaze me years later.

So now off for another infusion of color to bring my Gooblin King to life.

0 Comments

"Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore..." The Raven

And the competition is on...

Burnt Out...!!

Silver or Gold???

Greetings

Archives

Categories