scratch board fun

knitwit, originally uploaded by avalilly.

So I found a book of illustrations by Virgil Finlay that reminded me how much I enjoyed playing with scratch board back in high school. I thought I'd give it another try and see what I could accomplish with it.

If it isn't hard to tell, this took a very long time. Scratch board is basically a thick paper (usually white) covered in china clay and india ink, which you scratch away to make the image. I use a tool with a tip like these:

I will be selling prints of this, probably in an edition of 50. My test print at the original size of 8.5" x 11" didn't yield enough detail, so I'll probably make them at 11"x14" instead. I just need to find the best place in which to sell them online and also how much to price them after printing costs.

Once that's figured out I'll throw a link up on here, if you happen to be a prospective buyer!

11/52

olde, originally uploaded by avalilly.

ingenue, originally uploaded by avalilly.

I'm not really sure which one to make my official weekly shot. I like them both. The boy-type preferred the second one, I like it a lot too mostly because I generally reject photos of me from that angle. There's less awkward shadowing in the first one though.

PS: that's a new hair colour! Finally tried a real dye... if you consider semi-permanent real. It'll wash out in about a month or so, but I like it. Looks very red under sunlight. I think I still prefer my natural shade though.

9/52

sequin wave, originally uploaded by avalilly.

Didn't really have a plan for this week's portrait, so I decided to just play and see what would happen.

I really don't want to be in school anymore. I want it to be over so I can just work on what I want to work on... but I know even that won't happen, because I have to go be a real person and get a job and then that'll be getting in my way. Maybe I'm just craving a change.

My birthday is tomorrow!

starstruck

Yesterday, I helped out my friend on a film. She was in charge of make-up and needed someone to help do hair. It was quite a bit of fun, actually. Normally I help with the art direction and set dec, but I got to curl a bunch of hair and style it so it could atleast pass for the 1930's which is probably one of my favourite style eras, so I enjoyed it muchly.

Some snaps:

You can find more in my starstruck set on Flickr!

I'm looking into getting an EF 50mm f/1.8 lens. Found one on amazon for pretty cheap, so I may just have to pick one up. From what I've seen, it takes beautiful photos of people and is a generally great lens for multipurpose photography. Shame it feels so flimsy though. Ah well, it's not like I can afford anything too fancy! Yet, anyways. ;)