Days End Studio...: Order of the Opus Gluei

Friday, September 2, 2011

Friday, May 20, 2011

Order of the Opus Gluei #101: Get Steamy!

Been having a bit of an extended 'art vacation' since getting back from our Honeymoon Trip to the Canadian National Steampunk Exhibition (CNSE).
Before the trip I just whirrring away creating... figured it was time for a break. This Steampunk Birdhouse is the 1st thing I've made in May.
Quite surprised I made it this long without getting messy! ;O)
*cough cough* In the Studio anyway, the gardens are looking lovely though.
I recently stumbled on a 'new to me' Challenge Blog
Order of the Opus Gluei
and HAD to do this one:
Challenge #101 - Get Steamy

Steampunk is an art form that is influencing art, writing, and other aspects of popular culture. It embodies fantasy and sci-fi aspects with roots in the late Victorian era (late 19th century). Some of the more common art aspects are gears, brass and copper contraptions, goggles, intricate looking devices,
and so on.
Some of you might remember an old television series - the Wild Wild West, in which the actors portrayed government agents in the employ of President Ulysses Grant and they were able to do amazing things from their seemingly mundane railroad car (which was secretly tricked out) - to me, that's kind of the idea of steampunk. A wink at what is possible scientifically and entering into the realm of the fantastic.
Almost a quaint sort of technology that seemed limitless.
Those seeking some more highbrow examples can look to the works of H.G. Wells (The Time Machine) and Jules Verne (the Nautilus submarine, for a start).
So, hopefully you are getting the gears in your brain humming and clicking with all that steampunk can embody and can turn that into a bit of art to share amongst us.
We want you to GET STEAMY
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I made a Steampunk Birdhouse with Clockwork Bird in residence.

I started with a wood house I got at the 2nd handstore, spray painted it silver (car paint) in between rain showers here.
Then dry brushing and adding sh-tuff: lots & lots of sh-tuff!

Roof:
Bell from inside an old rotary dial phone handset on the tippy top with a clock gear tip.

1st Side/Front:
More watch & clock bits'n'pieces.
'Home' sign from Pressed Petals Monday Metal.
'Screw' is a brad.
Lightbulb is a burned out turning light from our Van.
Square 'studs' are metal stickers.

Lil'Clockwork Birdie:
Pulled apart, spray painted (gold and bronze) dry brushed and reassembled.
Wind-Up Key is a Blue Moon Charm.

2nd Side:
Phone, clock and other parts.
'Screws' and Disc are brads.
Butterflies are de-golded scrap metal from Cohen & Cohen (local salvage HEAVEN!).

3rd Side:
Painted over in Bronze, layered with Little Yellow Bicycle 'lacey cardstock' gears, then everything drybrushed.
'Screw' Brads.

4th Side:
Copper screen (metal salvage) layered with a prima flower 'vine'.
Brass leaves are also de-golded scrap metal salvage from Cohen & Cohen.
One sided Key from 7 Gypsies and Key Hole from Keepsake Craft, 'screw' brads.
Micheal's pearl stickers, bunched strip sliced apart.

5th Side:
Painted over in Bronze, layered with Little Yellow Bicycle 'lacey cardstock' gears, then drybrushed. Another de-golded butterfly and part from inside the old rotary dial phone.
'Screw' brad.

6th Side:
De-golded butterfly, metal dragonfly, 'screw' brad on the roof.
White Rose charm, brad disc, more of the sliced up Micheal's pearl sticker strip, Steel Magnolia from imaginisce, de-golded flowers, bit more of the copper screen, some springs and leaves punched from an embossed metal sheet torn off an old planter.