Zombie Mizzles- Part 2

Instead of my original sketch, I went with this idea instead.  It was just too disturbing to illustrate my Mizzles as dead cannibals.  But I did keep the dark and ghoulish look to them.  My Advanced Art students are enjoying the opportunity to watch my progress and my process.  They ask lots of questions about my techniques and my process.  Originally, I was only going to use watercolor.  But I decided since I am requiring my students to use watercolor and pen for their finals that I would do the same.

I used Grumbacher Miskit liquid frisket to mask my characters.  Then I painted a variety of washes of blues, greys, greens, and violets to create my background.  Honestly, I've never used a liquid frisket before.  I love the freedom to experiment with my background without ruining the main areas of my painting, but I did run into the problem of it ripping my paper as I removed it.  The paper was completely dry when I removed it.  Does anyone have any suggestions on a liquid frisket they love?  Or perhaps there is a technique I could use in removing it?

 

As for the zombie mizzle dolls, I am still trying to decide how to go about making them.  I have a visual in my mind as to how I think they should look, but am not sure how to go about it.  I need to go get some muted colored socks, or maybe bleach bright colorful ones I have to dull them out.  And then I need to just jump in and begin making it.  Until then, I did finish these guys today!  :)  They just need some eyes, names, and a small background story.

This is what they look like before stuffing!

Their cute back sides!

I'm including a photo of just their shells.  I had posted this image on my Facebook page and was a bit surprised how shocked people were by what they look like before being stuffed. It never occurred to me to show the process of one of the actual Mizzles.

It has been raining off and on today, so I'm feeling inspired to make more Mizzles or to get some more paintings started.

Monday, October 15th is the last day to vote for Mizzle Adventures at www.rawartists.org!  I hope you get a chance to vote!  And a big THANK YOU to those who did!

Zombie Mizzles???

The drama teacher has decided on Night of the Living Dead for the first performance of the school year.  I am so excited about this!  They did this play a few years ago and I loved it!!!  For every school play, the Visual Art department puts together some student artwork for the reception/ticket room of the drama theater.  This year we were asked if it was possible to do zombie/ 50's monster movie posters.  We loved this idea and ran with it.  My Intermediate/Advanced/AP art students are creating zombie self-portraits.  The teacher who took over my Intermediate/Advanced drawing class is having his students create zombie portraits of their favorite teachers...with our permission, of course!  I was going to do a zombie self portrait as a demonstration for my students, but one of my students is in both advanced classes.  I felt it was kind of cheating since he is creating my zombie portrait.  Then I remembered the drama teacher asked me to make 3 zombie mizzles to be used as props in the play.  I then decided I need to make a Zombie Mizzle painting.

This is just one sketch that I began playing with.  I think I need to add more Mizzles.  One of my students mentioned having the cotton stuffing falling out. I love that idea.  I'm finding this idea funny, but very morbid considering my characters are so sweet and fun. This makes them extremely dark.
I'll have to come up with a few more sketches tonight before committing to one.  I'm just not sure I'll be able to use it as a portfolio piece.