Walkies... and going Walkabout

I've been taking Myrtle's pet snail Noggy for walkies over the past few days. Walkies through temporary sets, green-screens and Maya. For the time being he's tied to the kitchen chair so he doesn't wander off.

As for my walkabout (assuming this term applies to New Zealand as well as Australia) - I'll be packing up my workshop and heading out of Wellington into the Kiwi countryside for a little trip to see some real New Zealand beauty. Just less than a week to go and I will be flying outta here and braving the 30 hour flight back to Good old Blighty. Five weeks after that I'm flitting off back to Los Angeles (yay!)

So commissions are rapidly being finished off, orders rushed out to the post office and editorial deadlines quickly wrapped up. Incidentally, I am a cover girl again this month - I'll fill you in with my latest magazine feature and post photos here of my miniatures and miniature sets which were used for the front cover and featured inside. ;)

Here are some snaps of Noggy the snail from my short film 'Myrtle the Witch'. If you're interested in knowing more about this project and following it as I get going on it full-time, then don't forget to follow this blog and bookmark my Tall Tales Productions website!

A Slippery Subject

Just finished making the first draft of Myrtle's snail - the pest turned pet who currently has no firm name (still settling on one)...

Here he is with collar and leash, and made in one inch (1:12) scale (this means he is 12 times smaller than real life) which makes him the size of a puppy.  Made using polymer clay and finished with paint / mixed media. Later I'll recreate a 3D version in Maya.

Don't forget, he's just a first draft - stay tuned for final versions or get involved and leave me suggestions in the comment section!
Before you ask, yes I think I must have been (at least on a subconscious level) inspired by the racing snail from the 80s movie 'The Neverending Story'. ;)

 Alongside morning cuppa - to show scale.