the bird that never came home

[smkie]

I love ducks too. Saw a lovely black one at the lake yesterday when my grandson and I was visiting the geese. She had a fish hook caught in the side of her beak. I tried to lure her up with food and almost caught her, it would have taken just a second to reliever her of it, but it was a no go. She only gave me one chance. Didn't seem to be impairing her ability to eat, but it was certainly swollen.

Thanks all for the compliments. maybe you will have encouraged me to finish that dog. Has been sitting around since before Christmas, back when Hy went into the hospital and our world turned up side down. I almost threw it out a few times, but would add a little set it aside and work on something else. The lady who asked me to make it never got back with me, and honestly I didn't like her at all for some of the things she said to me when I called and let her know it wasn't going to happen for the holidays. I had told her initially there was no promises....a child in the hospital wasn't a good reason for not getting it completed according to her... so it stayed on the back burner. I could have finished it after the holidays but I just didn't. lady has no idea how the creative process works, totally stressed out is a halt to all brain ability for me. Since then I thought forget about her, and just make it any old dog so I should get it done.

[Brattina88]

I LOVE your artwork! I especially love the ear kisses, one... just... <3

[Barb04]

Smkie, I'm in love with your newest bird. It's simply gorgeous!

[smkie]

What is funny is the texture is because I didn't get back to it in time to get a good burnish. Texture covers up a lot of flaws. I used my car key to make the texture, I did it before on some of the fish to make scales. Gg said I should have made the "feathers" go the other way, but if I had it wouldn't have started nicely at the head. The secret about the glaze is understanding which break up nicely and which do not, and I did a coat of g white over the yellow salt to ensure a pale cream and no darker brown as on the body. I used slip in the eyes so there would be no glaze running. WHen I dipped the bird (putting my fingers over the eyes) into the bucket of yellow salt I pulled it out and blew hard on it over the head, and down the side which made the glaze thinner, and there for darker. Other wise it would have been too uniform. Went back in with a brush and put the glaze in the right thickness around the eyes.

i have been wanting for some time to do a series of dogs interacting with people. Do what you know best right? i just should have finished the body and face on the human before I put the dogs in. I have made it really hard to get in there and clean it up. I am not sure how much detail to put on the face. I didn't want to go with none, too Hallmarkie but I don't want so much that the viewer would not feel a connection. So still trying to figure it out. Height is about 5 inches.

[Shai]

I love your birds, especially that first one.

And "Ear Kisses"...I adore that. Truly.

[Laurelin]

Those are so gorgeous! I LOVE that first bird!

Originally Posted by smkie

I loooove this one! They're all amazing, but this one is definitely my favorite. And that's so sweet of you to make that one for your friend. You did a really good job on it.

[Moth]

Love all the birds...they are so simple in form, but so expressive in the way they are posed

[Renee750il]

Beautiful . . . from the inside out.