There’s a tiny, tiny pond in the courtyard of the building where my workshop is. It looked a bit sad over the winter months but this week some visitors came to stay. Three men and a little lady. Apparently, they come and stay every year. So does that mean it’s officially springtime? It’s the little things that make life a little brighter. #ducks #springtime #spring #officewildlife#threemenandalittlelady #pondlife#cadogan #glasgow #glasgowwildlife#littlethings #brighterbetter via Instagram https://ift.tt/2FjyrMY
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It seems appropriate being a Thursday to swing in a throwback. For today here is my first puppet I ever made. He’s a hippy character complete with spliff. A rod puppet I made in my 6th year at high school. I never had any instruction or reference on how to go about it and since that was back in the dark ages (1992), there was no internet and You Tube was just a twinkle in an eye. Made of string and rolled up paper I think he turned out pretty good in the end and the fact he’s still in one piece 25 years later says something. #marchmeetthemaker2019 #throwback #tbt#throwbackthursday #puppet#puppetmaker #hippy #character#banthebomb #puppetmaking #making via Instagram https://ift.tt/2UVufJy Designs always start with talking, thinking and writing. Mostly lists for me. Then drawings are when it starts to look like something. Then more talking, re-thinking and re-writing and then more drawing. Depending on what it is, it then needs to have some practical happenings, prototypes potentially, and then more talking, thinking and drawing. . However, sometimes things just get made and have no time go through a process. Hopefully, it’s been done before (or something similar) and can be replicated easily.? . It’s what works, the best situation is when you have plenty of time to think it all through, however my reaction to distant deadlines is quite goldfish-like; I expand to size of the space. Not literally of course but rather always think there is plenty of time and end up doing everything last minute. Ask my mum, she always laments my school days exclamations of having homework due the next day, having had it for weeks. Apparently. I’m not so sure if I was that bad but to be honest knowing myself...it probably was true. A close deadline is your friend! Makes you DO IT!! #marchmeetthemaker2019 #deadlines#designprocess #design #making #drawing#talking #writing via Instagram https://ift.tt/2Y7db5H Taking it from the point of view that I could choose anyone living or dead, my dream collaboration would be with the late, great Jim Henson. Of course. I loved the Muppets as a kid and I was devastated when they announced on Blue Peter that he had died. He was like the cool uncle who made toys that came alive. Who wouldn’t be intrigued by that? As technologies advance and times and fashions change, the basic Muppet is still in demand. He was so innovative, knowledgable and always kept a sense of fun. To work at the Creature Workshop must be an amazing experience and the Henson Company, before and after Jim left this realm, has created such a legacy and inspiration. I know I’ll never run out of things to learn but to have had even day in this man’s world would have been spectacular. #marchmeetthemaker2019 #jimhenson #henson #muppets #themuppets#puppetmaking #making #inspiration#mentor #fun #dreamcollaboration#knowledge #learning #creatureworkshop via Instagram https://ift.tt/2Jn9fdC I seem to make mistakes all the time but hopefully the more I do things the less mistakes I’ll make. That’s the theory. I just have to start making the same things instead of always trying new materials and techniques...every...heckin’...time. All transferable skills!? My most expensive mistake was not using silicone thickener in my first Baby head attempt. The second one went much easier. Lesson learnt! #marchmeetthemaker2019 #thickener#silicone #puppet #puppetmaking#mouldmaking #mistakes #lessons #learnt#learning #propmaking #modelmaking#jenkilgour #pigsticks#pigsticksproductions #pigsticksp via Instagram https://ift.tt/2udprDR The Insta auto post kinda worked but I've still had to do some editing. Will work on that...anyway, here it is (halfway through), my Insta Challenge March Meet the Maker 2019...enjoy. :-D I must get more organised for weekend photo prompts. I have decided that my working life (that which is dictated by me) should be during the week only. Unless I have errands to do and such like. My friend and artist Jenny once said when she started out, she felt guilty if she wasn't in the studio everyday. She then realised you have to have other life...in your life. So she decided that weekends needed to be down time, otherwise when do you stop? All work and no play makes Jack a nervous wreck with nothing else to talk about and no life experience. Obviously sometimes the life/work balance doesn't always allow for such luxuries but I think while you can, you should. And at the moment I can, so I am. It's Sunday and I'm still in my pjs watching another marathon session of The Mentalist on Amazon Prime (other streaming providers are available) and drinking copious amounts of tea. Jenny got me that teacup for a birthday and I love it. So delicate, makes me feel like a lady. Pinkies out! I didn't watch The Mentalist when it was out on tv but I'm truly addicted. Sometimes I guess the killer correctly but sometimes I get a curve ball. Anyway, I digress once again. Today, the making project I am working on at the moment is having a relaxed Sunday, drinking all of the tea. Hydration is very important. I might put up a shelf later. This evening's plans are to go see the fantastic Jim Jones and the Righteous Mind at Tuts with my pal Chris. It's going to be awesome. Tomorrow however, it will be back to the grind stone. I'm going to be designing a puppet, mucking about with expanding foam and thinking about a film project proposal. So drawing and thinking and writing. But more drawing and thinking. Not a great fan of writing, it takes so long and is quite tiring. To be fair though, I quite like rambling on here, however, the sort of nonsense that comes out my stream of consciousness probably wouldn't go down so well with Creative Scotland. #marchmeetthemaker2019 #whatimworkingon #puppet #puppetmaking #designing #tea #theimportanceofhydration #sundayslouch @kingtutsofficial @jjandtherm @jandersonyart via Instagram https://ift.tt/2HEbc2Y The first few months of 2019 have seen a few changes happening. After the bizz of last year, I found myself lacking in the work department and wondering how to remedy it. Doing all the networking and contacting and harassing folk until they give in, I've still a way to go but after a few fortuitous meetings, I feel I've made some headway. In the meantime, I have a new workshop! After taking over my mum's garage and house to make the Touring Network Box, I felt it was time to get a better/bigger space than my tiny spare room. My mum thought it wise too as I don't think she would happily let me make such a mess again! So after a bit of thinking, I asked the good folks at Surge if they would let me use some of their cavernous space at the new HQ in Cadogan Street. Fortunately, they said yes and we struck a deal. I've spent the last month or so moving things in bit by bit, buying new tools and thinking of new projects. I've got some new puppet making on the horizon with Mother's Ruin performer Jessica Innes, so fun times ahead. I'm a big fan of Instagram and have documented how I've been getting on in my Insta @PigsticksP. I've also joined in this year's March Meet the Maker Instagram challenge. Set up by artist Joanne Hawker, she invites makers of every discipline all around the world to post an image or video a day with prompts that she's given in a list for the whole month of March. It's been really interesting and inspiring seeing people's work, methods and spaces. I do love a monthly challenge as it really gets you focused. To make this blog a bit more interesting (hopefully!) I'm now going to post my Instagram ramble posts here. There's supposed to be an app that can do it automatically but I'm not convinced. Anyway, will see if it works! If you'd like to see what I've posted for the first half of the month, go to my @PigsticksP Instagram account here and if you're already on Insta, give me a follow to continue reading my very interesting ramblings. |
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