Shooting Miniatures - A Day in the Life of...

Aside from emails from people asking me how to make this / how to construct that... I get ever so many questions about how to light / photograph / shoot miniatures.

All I can say at this stage is - flattering, but there are better people to go to for advice! I'm just the go-to girl in Hollywood for miniatures and mini scale sets. ;) However since I've recently had a lot of interest in how I work and a BIG commissioned project for Independence Day this year, I decided to share some images here. The models are in 1:12 scale (all created by me), the cameras used were Canon DSLRs, the lighting was a basic 3 point lighting kit. I'll share the magazine feature when it's out.

P.S. I know you haven't heard much from me this month. I have been manic working on wholesale orders / commissions - especially this 4th July one. I'll update you on what's been happening in my world soon, I promise. I'll also share some more magazine features I've been in since I last blogged.

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From the Dragonkeeper

Lucian 'the Dragonkeeper', as he is known by his friends and enemies, keeps in scarce contact this time of year. Knowing that it is the time of year the dragons hatch their young he's wise to do so. None can get close to the nest of a dragon like Lucian and fewer have a scorched tale to tell of failed dragon egg theft. He has sort of a knack for it and if you're in need of a dragon egg then there's only one wizard to go to.

Draco Niveus - the dragons of the Nordic mountains... Draco Serpens which slither in the low black rocks of China... Draco Albion - the great beasts of the British Isles... name any of the seven species of dragon and Lucian knows where and how to steal their young.

Enough about the sordid Dragon Trade. If you want a crate of eggs you know who to come to. I am selling them at my online store and here's the photos for the project they were originally for. Shot them yesterday and now I really have to get moving as I have biiiiig wholesale orders for Toronto and Paris. ;)

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Interested in the making of? I blogged about them a few weeks ago here and it's worth remembering that a full tutorial will be available in Aug/Sept in a miniaturist magazine (I'll share it when it's out) and an expanded dragon project (still in progress) will be in my book which will be out later this year.

Come inside my Potion Room

You might want to keep on my good side once you know that I have a room full of potions...

Sharing a commission from last week. It's a scale miniature Potion Room with a table filled with potion bottles of varying shapes and sizes - all in glass and mixed media.

As you can see from the below 'works in progress' photos, I made the wall panels from wood, heavy cardstock (Bristol) and paint. I added gold leaf details. The floor is another of my spiral types which I did using Polyform Model Air clay (incidentally, Polyform approached me and asked me to create a tutorial for their website, so I'll post about that when that's complete and up).

I am slooooowly but surely working on Myrtle. The thatched cottage is almost finished, and I'll share updates on that again soon. Hard to focus much on Myrtle at the moment as I have big commissions for Australia, Paris and Toronto on the go...

Fantasy at the Fair

Two weekends ago I exhibited my Pixie Dust Miniatures (the brand I created in 2010 to sell scale fantasy miniatures to private collectors) at the Whimsic Alley Fantasy Fair on Wilshire Blvd. This buzzing marketplace of muggles is what LA Weekly referred to as the "best substitute for Diagon Alley" in 2009.

Here are some photos of my table in the Great Hall, which incidentally had floating candles beneath a sky facade. It wasn't the type of show I usually do but it was enormous (and profitable) fun and I met some great artists also exhibiting there.

Oh, and yes, there are sorting hats here because I was warned there would be a lot of HP fans about... but I never do this usually! If you ever visit my Pixie Dust Miniatures store you'll find only my own unique designs. ;)