Categories
Animation

Magus Incognito

When I wrapped up Brains, I began thinking about what my next project should be. I have a sketchbook with a few ideas, including some music videos, and the sequel to The Lunatics (which I played with in the animation I made for the Peale last month). I also am eager to do some 3D stop motion work.

Another idea that’s been rolling around my brainpan is a treatment of some ideas put forth in a favorite book: The Kyballion. Initially, I figured it would be non-narrative. So, I picked up a fresh of The Kybalion: The Definitive Edition and began brainstorming.

This book was recommended to me by a medium in Washington, D.C. years ago, and I’ve returned to it many times. And the copy I’ve linked makes a strong case that William Walker Atkinson is the actual author. This edition also includes Atkinson’s The Seven Cosmic Laws. I’ve had a lot of fun reading this.

The Kyballion cover

I originally intended to make Magus Incognito in the spring, but a festival of hermetic inspired films caught my eye on filmfreeway.com. I seem to work best when I have a deadline, and had to quickly focus my ideas for this. This version is 77 seconds long, and the file I uploaded turned out to be 70.77 MB! I may continue to develop this material into a longer film, but this initial pass accomplishes what I was was hoping to achieve.

The animation can be viewed at doranimation.com.

I also made a dioroama for this animation in a Trader Joe’s green tea mint tin box.

Magus diorama in a trader joe's mint tin - cut paper scene from animation
Magus diorama in a trader joe's mint tin - cut paper scene from animation
Magus diorama in a trader joe's mint tin - cut paper scene from animation
Categories
Dioramas

The King’s Roads

I was invited to participate in a diorama project called The Yonder Cabinet by Kelley Bell and Melissa Penley Cormier, where “a card catalog reimagined as a collection of artists’ interpretations of their favorite literary places.” I received a box which can fit inside a retired library card catalog.

I had a hard time choosing what illustrate. Wandering through my favorite books, I came up with several great diorama scene candidates.

  • Jack Audrey and Stephen Maturin playing music in Jack’s cabin of the HMS Surprise, from one of Patrick O’Brian’s novels
  • The five horsemen in Terry Pratchett’s The Thief of Time, riding out against the auditors.
  • Miniature War on his horse in his back yard, surveying a battle of ants, while Death looks on. Also from The Thief of Time
  • Martin Chatwin as the Beast in Lev Grossman’s The Magicians
  • Fat Charlie talking to the Bird Woman in Anansi Boys
  • A scene from The Sandman
  • Etc.

Hopefully you get the idea.

I chose a passage from Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. I love this book, and Clarke’s approach to magic.

In this part of the story, Mr. Strange walks into a mirror, and travels on the King’s Road to a woman’s sitting room. This road belonged to John Uskglass, also known as the Black King, the King of the North, and most commonly, the Raven King. He was the ruler of Northern England for over 300 years and is accredited with bringing magic to England.

Full diorama, a large rectangular box showing a blue ribbon of road twist through a night sky into a sitting room. Jonathan Strange is leaning out of a mirror over a fireplace while two people look on.
Christopher Drawlight and Maria Bullworth are stunned to see Mr. Strange emerging from a mirror over the fireplace.
Full diorama, a large rectangular box showing a blue ribbon of road twist through a night sky into a sitting room. Jonathan Strange is leaning out of a mirror over a fireplace while two people look on.
The King's Road
Full diorama, a large rectangular box showing a blue ribbon of road twist through a night sky into a sitting room. Jonathan Strange is leaning out of a mirror over a fireplace while two people look on.

I made this diorama from memory, as I couldn’t place my hands on my old copy of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I mistakenly remembered the Mirror being over the fireplace. I only realized the error after it wad complete.

I enjoyed making this very much. I believe the final catalog will be on view at Maryland Art Place.

Categories
Dioramas

Palmistry and Podiatry: The Art of Divination

Palmistry and Podiatry – the Art of Divination. Looking for answers?

palmistry and podiatry

Palmistry Diorama

Podiatry Diorama

Categories
Dioramas

Tarot Tins

I’ve always loved the imagery on Tarot cards, and the endless possibilities for representing them. I thought I’d start with some traditional cards…
Closed tin box

Death Tarot Diorama

tarot 3 of swords diorama

The Magician 3D tarot card diorama

Categories
Dioramas

The Worry Dolls

closed

open

Wikipedia says it best:

“A person (usually a child) who cannot sleep due to worrying can express their worries to a doll and place it under their pillow before going to sleep. Some medical centers use them in conjunction with treatment for disease in children. According to folklore, the doll is thought to worry in the person’s place, thereby permitting the person to sleep peacefully. The person will wake up without their worries, which have been taken away by the dolls during the night.”

The doll is tough as old shoe leather. Literally. Therefore, she’s extremely durable and able to handle extra heavy-duty anxieties  She’s suspended by thread.

wip

leaning

details

Here are a few more:

another

more-worry

red-worry

beauty

wip

simple

wip2

 

Categories
Dioramas

The Magician

the-magician

The third panel in The Beauty of Life triptych.

the-magician-details

BEAUTY-OF-LIFE-GOOD