Play Art Director!

My schedule has cleared up for a little bit, which leaves me some much needed time to do personal artwork. I got the chance to sit down doodle last night, just to see what sort of imagery sprung up. I did about 10-15 different watercolor drawings and one of the themes that I was most drawn to is Objectum-Sexuality.

Objectum-Sexuality is basically when someone falls romantically, sexually, physically, and emotionally in love with an inanimate object. It is very rare that someone identifies as OS and usually only happens with women.
It sounds strange but is it really that different then a teenager kissing a pillow and thinking about a boy? Or a stadium full of little girls can love a heartthrob, to the point of tears, and not feel competitive with each other?
I find the idea to be very romantic; the need to love so badly that real emotions can be projected onto something/someone without any sort of actual exchange.

When I normally work on a project for a client there are several phases of roughs, feedback, sketching, feedback, tight sketching, feedback, coloring, feedback, and then final. I did these four rough "concept" sketches and I'm interested in which ones stick out to you and why. I'm also interested in your suggestions and ideas on where I can take the idea.
These four drawings all evoke in me the "unrequited love" feeling I get from the concept of an Objectum-Sexual. I'm hoping they do the same for you.
Whichever drawing seems to be getting the most attention is one that I'll explore further.
Feel free to comment below or email me jdavidmckenney@gmail.com
looking forward to your feedback!

The Kiss (bleeding)
Satellite of Love
Mass Passion
Ladyhawke

Wigs, Wigs, Wigs

In addition to my illustration work, sculpting, and doll/puppet making...I've been experimenting a lot with making Rococo wigs. My friends and I did a photo shoot with the very talented photographer Adrian Buckmaster for the next Dances of Vice Rococo dinner party on July 11th. I made all but one of the wigs shown here (I cannot take credit for the beautiful lace fronted red wig worn by Candace)
Going clockwise from the far left we have myself, my beautiful boyfriend Eric, Andrew, Jessica, and Candace. Not featured is Shien Lee, who's wig I also had no part in, but is the powerhouse behind Dances of Vice. She's quite a knockout!

Shien
Andrew
Jessica
Me and Eric




Powdered wig making process photos:

I like to start with a long wavy wig like this one (at this stage I call it "The Jerry Hall")

and then I slowly curl, sculpt, support, spray, and color the wig. Here is an early process shot.
It's easier to create a tall wig upside down.

On the far right is the same blonde wig, now colored white.

I'm not really sure where I'm going with all these wigs but they are so fun to make! I'm thinking of starting a small wig making business and selling them on the side. I've started decorating my house with them (on a beautiful stand they kind of work like a potted plant or bouquet of flowers)

It's so hard to find a good powered wig these days and I know a lot of you people out there want to be Marie Antoinette for Halloween this year.
Let me know! I'll start taking orders!

Wig and Wig-Stand making

My friends and I went to a Swan Lake Masquerade Ball by Dances of Vice last weekend.
Amazingly fun

To get into the theme, I made a powdered wig for myself out of a long $20 white wig that I purchased on Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn, and a lot of matte acrylic spray. It turned out so well that I ended up making, or helping to make, wigs for almost everyone in the group.

Here is my dear friend Jessie and myself posing in two of the wigs that I made.


and here is the entire group shot and a video of the evening.


Rock 'n Roll eh?

Anyway I love my wig so much that I want to look at it always, like a fake plant or bouquet of flowers, so I decided to make my own wig-stand to display it. I hate the Styrofoam wig-stands you buy at the wig shops, so I 'm making one out of Water Putty.


It's an amazingly versatile material. I highly recommend it to any 3-D artist...It's cheap and you can get it at the hardware store.

I haven't been super good at documenting my process of the display stand but here are a few photos.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3 (with little painted on lips)

I think I'm going to make her white and put a crackled paint finish on her.
She's almost perfect!
Stay tuned!

Beyoncé as Bettie Page

sketch:

both created by building up layers upon layers of thinned out brown ink, then a little red ink, then black ink.

Fahsion Illustration: Alexander McQueen Fall 2010

Sketch:pictured:




The entire collection can be seen here