Thoughtful Thursdays: Big-Eyed Dolls!

So what's with my obsession over big-eyed dolls, cartoons, and other miscellaneous characters? I've always been drawn to them. Oh, and juxtapose a big giant head with big giant eyes on a tiny little body... well, then I'm in love!

Perhaps it's that eyes just draw you in (pun intended!). I mean... there's so much emotion that can be read from looking at the eyes, even if they are drawn in.

Maybe it's because in addition to being adorable, they just happen to be a little scary. Cute and creepy... that's definitely me!

Or maybe it's because they look so sad. You just want to scoop them up, tell them it's okay, and make them feel all better.

But whatever the reason... I am inspired and amused by these wide-eyed wonders every time I look at them. And what could be better than that?

Thoughtful Thursdays: Dimension!

No matter how hard I've tried (okay, I didn't try that hard!) to keep my mixed-media collages on the flat side, I pretty much always end up adding some kind of dimensional objects to them! It just makes the whole piece pop a little... makes it more real... and a little more interesting!

For this mermaid piece, I needed her to have a little offering of some sort. So I cut a piece of cardstock in the shape of an oyster... and painted it with acrylics. I then brushed some Perfect Pearls Pigment Powders over top to create that cool inner-oyster sheen. I wrinkled up the edges... attached it to the collage and then glued in some freshwater pearls.

Pleased with the results, I liked the subtle way it added to the otherwise flat piece. A little dimension goes a long way!