One sip to Immortality

Ever craved the secret to eternal youth, immortality? Mystics, necromancers and sorcerers from East and West claim to have found the key, the mysterious water which grants immortality to the drinker.

I created these potion bottles in tiny one inch scale for a miniature project based on the topic of Nicholas Flamel and the Elixir of Life. The project was just a quickie which took up the past 2.5 days, including photography yesterday (see the photos included). Some photos are to be published, and I'll update that in my 'publicity page' here on this blog as usual.

Want to live forever? I'm selling extras to collectors and some will be sold at the magical marketplace of Whimsic Alley on Wilshire Blvd, CA.

See them in the making below as well, and note the stone spiral floor which you saw in the making in previous post here. 

A Dragon Day

It's a gorgeous day here in LA and Griffith Park awaits, so I'll make this a quick update. ;)

Since my Easter post the other day I received several requests for crates of dragon eggs and some other commissions centered around dragons. This leads me to what I've been up to today. I'm taking a few days off from 'Myrtle the Witch' to create a pretty unusual and interesting dragon piece in one inch scale.

Below you can see me making dozens of new design dragon eggs, wooden crates lined with hay, hutches and stone flooring. The clay I'm using  for the stone slabs is paperclay (not my usual polymer clay), so it's not cured or fired with heat, but dries hard over 24 hours. I started the floor yesterday and finished it this morning with dry brushing and scenic scatter.

Enjoy some work in progress pictures and watch out for the finished piece which I shall photograph before I ship it off.

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.

Magazine and Books

Another little feature to share - this one's from Dec of last year (2012) and I just received my hard copy in the post. Ashdown Publishing (US) put out their usual Christmas issue of American Miniaturist magazine and included a 2 page piece on my work. They used photos from 2010 including the famous Santa's helper elves at the conveyor belt and some holiday food.

Click the magazine cover on the left to be taken to their site.

I was featured 3 times in December last year (front cover and full feature in UK magazine - post about that here), this feature and an appearance in Spanish magazine 'Miniatura' which I'll share tomorrow.

Aside from magazines... Ashdown Publishing have put out some new books. I did the front cover work on two published at the end of last year - Halloween and Christmas themed books about the art of miniatures. You can find them at iTunes and on Amazon as Kindle editions. Just follow the links below.

Here's some larger images of my work used in this magazine. Guess those elves don't get old do they? They've been featured in the UK, US and Spain several times over the past 3 years!

Here are the two books published by Ashdown. Please note that I contributed photography and some editorial but that was the extent of my involvement. The books are a collection of work by several miniaturists assembled and edited by Ashdown.

Dragon Egg Hunt

Draco Albionis, Draco Serpens, Draco Niveus ®... whichever kind you're looking to acquire, you're sure to find un-fertilised dragon eggs in many varieties at the Tall Tales marketplace this Easter.

Wishing everybody a Happy Easter today with photos from a fast turn-around dragon egg project I worked on back in 2010. It was one inch scale and there's a matchstick on the market stand photo for reference.

Have a great Easter everyone!
- Caroline

Formal Address

I'm delighted to say that Tall Tales Productions has moved and is now to be found in Los Feliz, in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California.

My workshop / office will be based here, whilst workshop classes will be taught elsewhere and exhibitions will take place across the US and Europe (check back for schedule of events).

Really pleased with this space and took some photos to share yesterday. It was built in 1927 so it has Art Deco features and great hardwood floors. Now the fun task of unpacking 6 suitcases and many boxes...!

Hitting the Bottle

That's right - the frustration of awaiting the keys to my new place in Los Feliz (near Hollywood) has forced me to hit the bottle. ;) I can't really spread out and focus on any particularly expansive miniature sets right now, so I am tackling little props in bulk such as these hand-blown glass bottles and jars. I have them hand-blown by my glassblower in NY and I finish them off.

If molten gold, gathered moss, mugwort and soot are on your shopping list then look no further. As usual, I've made far more than I need and sell any extras at my online shop. They've been popular sellers for years and featured in a magazine in the UK in 2010.

Taking a quick break from Myrtle illustration.... I thought I'd share some photos of these glass bottles of magic matter against a matchstick...
(I took these photos back in 2010).

Cutting it in Burbank

I've had my work cut out for me these past few weeks. Literally cut out for me - I've got this brilliant new table saw which cuts all my wood for me so I don't have to struggle away with a handsaw - yippee!

My workshop is semi-unpacked in a space in Burbank until the end of the month when I get the keys to my new place in Los Feliz. So I've been focusing on sets and some furniture (including painting these chairs pictured below). Some sets will be 1:12 scale (the chairs are) and some will be 1:6. Of course some very large exteriors will be made on a much smaller scale (in cases I don't want to use matte paintings).

Aside from that, I just had a great mini break in San Francisco... you know what it's like being cooped up in a hotel room - felt like getting out and stretching my legs in an Alcatraz cell. Our prison tourguide was hilarious - definitely worth the trip if you're ever in the area.

Will have more to show when I am finally settled into my new place....!

miniature model sets, miniature sets, making miniatures for film, san francisco burbank film production

Wellies, Oxen and Angels

From Wellington, New Zealand, to Oxfordshire, England to Los Angeles in the US...!

After 18 months of inadvertently chasing winter, Tall Tales Productions and I have touched down on American soil. Yes... we're back and I am super excited about settling into a new space in Los Feliz (a brilliant area next to Hollywood and Silverlake), un-packing and getting down to a frightfully long list of commissions. I'll also be pitching 'Myrtle the Witch' as an illustrated children's book at the Bologna Children's Book Fair next month (well, my literary agent will be) so will focus on that before Myrtle movie sets and share some artwork here on this blog.

Out of Interest...
Having landed the other day, my first priority was shipping a Frog Prince engagement ring to its new owner so that he receives it in time to propose to his girlfriend on Valentine's Day. Just made it. See photos below (click to enlarge) and note that I just had a feature about my jewelry written up in a US magazine which comes out in May. Will share at that time.

Stay Connected...

Did you know that I recently created a Tall Tales Productions Facebook page? If you're too busy to check blogs but dip in and out of Facebook then click here to become a fan and stay connected to our news. ;)