Start Before you're Ready!

Happy 2017 everyone! I hope that each and every one of you, whoever you are, whatever you do, and from whatever part of the world you're taking the trouble to check in at my blog.... I hope most of all that 2017 is a happy year for you.

It's not exactly a quote, but it is inspirational -  Richard Branson advised others to 'start before they're ready'. It's excellent advice and I myself am so looking forward to what can be accomplished in 2017. I hope some of you have plans to try something new, or find something new in life that makes you happy. And on that note, people often write and ask me for advice on starting a career as an artist, or simply for advice on a clay technique. I want to encourage more of you to do this. Your emails will always be answered and I am happy to help wherever I can. My email is here and my website contact page is here. :)

I flew in from Blighty the other day and am fast settling back into LA life, breakfast tacos, coffee and ready to hit those 15 hour work days again quite gladly! In fact, I am already starting on a new witch character...

...But first...  let's look back at 2016, with another of my annual 'year's round-ups'!

My year started with more witches for 'Good Witches Bad Witches TM', and these punctuated 2016 at regular intervals. At your request, I started creating some videos (at my Tall Tales Productions YouTube channel) of the behind the scenes, so you can see how they're made. In February I guest-starred in the Food Network's 'Cake Masters' as a miniature expert, and by June I'd worked with Buzzfeed to bring you a live miniature making demo and also a 'Tiny Tasty' parody (I shot two miniature recipes being assembled just like a Buzzfeed Tasty recipe), - one of these videos was the most watched Buzzfeed video of the week. I created new tutorials and my website was revamped and a web-store finally added. (Huge thanks to all who support my business by purchasing consumer products and prints from me). I started creating timelapse videos of me working which caught the attention of Instagram headquarters, who profiled me as one of their 3 top favourite picks out of 500 million unique users! Lucky me! I also put together my first book which most of you know will *finally* be available this Spring! I did some more illustrations, concept sketches, made more scale miniatures (some of which you'll see published in magazines this year) and some fun cartoons using Photoshop (disclaimer - the Trump / Bernie cartoon does not reflect political views at Tall Tales - see more here!). And in my personal adventures, I stayed at a chateau in France with my family, made mini trips to San Francisco, attended balls and other such silly LA events and felt like Dorothy in a surreal field of California poppies. 

Happy 2017 everyone - I value and appreciate you all. Thanks so much for taking an interest in my work, and please continue to be involved, leave comments, ask questions and share your work with us as well.

Some witches I created in 2016...

...and more witches...

...and more...

...and yes, more...

...finally, the final witch creations of 2016!

One of the behind the scenes videos at creating a witch

Guest starring on 'CakeMasters' Feb 2016

Buzzfeed Live demo, June 2016.

Tiny Tasty video parody created June 2016.

Some illustrations and sketches I did, 2016

Some cartoons I did, 2016.

Website re-design! 2016.

New webshop at www.tall-tales.com!

The new book and tutorials created, 2016.

Just some of the miniatures created in 2016.

Timelapse videos of 2016.

Trips and fun of 2016....!

the Unusual Suspects

This line-up of elves is brought to you by Tall Tales Productions...!

I promised a few photos of the making of the characters of the Father Christmas / Santa Workshop (as seen here) and so here it is. Don't miss the previous post about constructing the set as well.

The characters were all made using polymer clay and are in one inch (1:12) scale. The elves have aluminium wire necks and legs, for added support. but the very simply designed penguin and snowman do not. All were finished with chalk pastel pigment and / or paint. Take a look at some of the steps below and as always, feel free to email me with any queries. I am still selling elves at the moment, but will finish at the end of Jan 2015.

As you can see, I started with the heads and hardened them separately. The feet and hands were also hardened separately before being attached. They were assembled and painted in stages.

Don't forget you can right-click image and 'open in new tab'. That way you can zoom.

The penguin had candy glued to him, which was also made using polymer clay. 

Invading Spain

... A second appearance in Spanish miniature model magazine!

Okay, so the title of this post was perhaps a little misleading... But I am looking forward to a more extensive feature in the Spanish magazine 'Miniaturas' later this year at any rate. This was from Dec of last year and I just received my copy in the mail. 

Here's the article and images used. All of these Christmas miniatures were from a UK commission I undertook last summer whilst living in New Zealand. I built a one inch scale Scandinavian living room and a Christmas barn. Take a look at the gingerbread house below - it would fit nicely on a one pound coin / nickel. Everything in the photos was designed, built and photographed by me as part of this project. An American editor took an interest and pointed Miniaturas in my direction. You can read more on this particular project here.

Find all magazines and books including my work in the About section of my blog.

Ringing out the Old Year

Christmas 2012 is a wrap and it's been brilliant! I usually take the few days between now and New Year's Eve looking back on what I've accomplished in the past 12 months and what is going to be achieved in the next.

I spent Christmas at home in England with my large (and expanding family) eating my mum's fantastic food, drinking mulled wine and posing for photos with everyone I'm related to. I'll be back in Los Angeles in early Feb.

In 2012 my work was featured in 11 trade magazines (published in the UK, US and Spain) and 2 books (including 4 front covers), 2 web features, a tutorial commissioned and published by a US magazine, continued to sell my work in over 40 countries worldwide, expanded my business, taken some big commissions, lived in New Zealand for 6 months and got a little bit of work in on my short film 'Myrtle the Witch'.
2013 is going to be even more productive... ;)

Just had word that an interview I gave in November is now online so I thought I'd share a link to it and share some of the pictures they used below. It's a fun 'Take Ten with Caroline McFarlane-Watts' interview and you can find it at the Craft Institute website here.

Stealing Christmas...!

Here's a project I worked on from September - November this year. It's a whimsical candy gingerbread model village in 1:12 scale which I designed and built myself. I also sculpted this interpretation of the Grinch based on the illustrations of Theodor Seuss Geisel aka Dr Seuss. 

The set is filled with candy houses - each one handsculpted from clay and decorated with candy which I made in the traditional cane method but 12 times smaller than any candy canes you'll be eating this season. :) The set was lined with layers of faux snow and cheesecloth material. 

Working on this set reminded me of one of my first miniature jobs when I was 23 years old - one year graduated from my Film Degree at Royal Holloway. I had a stint in the art department of Leavesden Studios on 'Harry Potter' and assisted in the building of Hogsmeade village. I've made whimsical fantasy buildings since then of course, but anytime I work on a magical village I think back to that very first time!

In other news - I'm still stationed in Oxfordshire, England and enjoying log fires, trips to Tudor barns all done up with Christmas markets and yesterday a trip to Hever Castle (the birthplace and family home of Henry VIII's second wife - Anne Boleyn).

Candy gingerbread village in the making...

What? - Front Cover Feature again?!

Yes - I'm a cover girl again!

First, a little Tall Tales update...
I set sail, or took to the air rather, from Wellington, New Zealand on the 20th November and just a hop, skip and 30 hours of flying later I arrived in London Heathrow. I'll be based and working out of the UK for the next few weeks until I fly back to LA in early Jan. Short film 'Myrtle the Witch' will just have to wait until I'm back in the US...
I said goodbye to 'Windy Wellington' - a cheery little city with quaint restaurants serving lamb, lamb, and lamb as well as most things with a side of beetroot and aioli  Always beetroot and aioli. I loved my 5 month stay, loved the people, loved Weta Workshop and look forward to returning.

A bit of a shame to miss The Hobbit premier on the 28th, but still, it's nice to be back in Tolkien's neck of the woods - Oxford (where he penned The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.) Besides, I'm enjoying the numerous industry screenings I'm invited to in London! ;)

The photos below show a commission I undertook whilst in Wellington for a client in the UK. It comprises of several Christmas scenes in exact 1:12 scale (one inch - meaning 12 times smaller than real life) and it took me about a month to complete. Everything was built by me, from the hardwood floors I laid by hand, to every tiny piece of food and piece of holly decor.

English publishers Warners Group Publishing took an interest in my work and featured me in their 'Dolls House & Miniature Scene' magazine as well as giving me the front cover for this month's issue.

Here are some photos I took of my work on this project and the feature itself.