It's the Answer!!
I've been processing photos of the unexpected progress I hinted at the other day in the tease. Got so many photos, there's no way I can tell the whole story tonight. But---wait no longer for the Answer (in so many ways)...
Surprise, the secret is (Yes, Nick!) the interior set for the Writing Mouse's House--built in a box. Seen here sitting on the work bench at night looking like a small world that dwells along side our own.
What started as a random cardboard box, saved roots, tape, and tubes, is turning into the little Mouse's house inside the roots of the Answer Tree. Much to be said about the fine furnishings as soon as possible...
A midway progress shot of clumps of newsprint being added to shape the coving on floors and ceiling as well as facial features of the Answer Tree's persona in the back right-hand corner (not fully seen in this shot.)
As the flexible cement and sanded grout was applied, the (plastic bag protected) furniture gets sculpted in among the roots and "mud". The tunnel inside the Answer Tree's mouth will make for some nice reverse shot cut aways of the Mouse walking across his living area from deep down inside of it (center image). The marvelous acorn tea set made for me by talented Sharon Ferg in New Jersey, looks perfect at this in-between scale on the Mouse's sideboard, a cuppa waiting to be enjoyed by the fire. I used mesh plastic bags painted with copper base metal finish for the glass insets on the sideboard's display doors. I found that touching each juncture of the mesh with a toothpick dipped in morecopper paint added just the right scale effect to look like solder on metal for the door fronts.
This post only teases the fun further I'm afraid, but the next moment I have, I'll be thrilled to share the rest of this Mouse's tale. I had surprises myself making this set. One was the face that appeared as Constance began to layout where the furniture and features (like windows) would go. This screamed to evolve into the persona, the actual facial personification, the face, of the Answer Tree above. The tunnel through its mouth leads further into the Tree and emerges next to/behind the hearth inside Rana's side of the Tree where it is always toasty warm.
I can't wait to show you his library.... Seeds are Books you know (at least there are now in 1/2L!)
What started as a random cardboard box, saved roots, tape, and tubes, is turning into the little Mouse's house inside the roots of the Answer Tree. Much to be said about the fine furnishings as soon as possible...
This post only teases the fun further I'm afraid, but the next moment I have, I'll be thrilled to share the rest of this Mouse's tale. I had surprises myself making this set. One was the face that appeared as Constance began to layout where the furniture and features (like windows) would go. This screamed to evolve into the persona, the actual facial personification, the face, of the Answer Tree above. The tunnel through its mouth leads further into the Tree and emerges next to/behind the hearth inside Rana's side of the Tree where it is always toasty warm.
I can't wait to show you his library.... Seeds are Books you know (at least there are now in 1/2L!)
I love this set! And I especially like the first image where the box sits on your workbench…
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
It's great to see work in progress pictures, because this is so helpful to everyone who wants to create little worlds on his or her own.
Absolutely, Jessica! I can't imagine anything more fun than making these little worlds to tell a story!
ReplyDeleteoh my lord, that acorn tea set is PRECIOUS! seriously cute.
ReplyDeleteThanks, gretchins!! I'll have to show the tea set from the side so you can see the teapot handle in it's ohsocuteness.
ReplyDeleteSharon makes trays to go with her sets but I used it to try to make a mirror for the birds long ago. I had to cut a potato chip-thin piece of branch to make the one used in this set now. The handles are made from willow vine.
Acorn Tea - just add hot water and the pot provides the flavour!
ReplyDeleteI love shots looking through a tunnel or arched door, showing only part of what lies beyond, inviting us to walk into the set.
Woohoo, I guessed it! Looks like the Writing Mouse's cousins, the Setbuilding Mouse and Propsmaking Mouse, have been hard at work here.