What does NSF mean? “Not for Sale.” It’s artist speak for “It’s mine, and you can’t have it, not at any price!” Feel free to contact my estate after I die, or offer me a ridiculous sum and I may cave. ;)
I love that piece, it’s amazing, but someone else bought it first. Will you make me another one exactly like it? Each piece is created by hand and is one-of-a-kind, even if it was possible to recreate a piece exactly I wouldn’t do it. Part of their value lies in being the only one in the world. I can come close to recreating a color scheme, or make a similar shape, but I can never make the exact same thing.
Why do commissions cost so much more than the opening bid amounts I see on eBay? A commission takes significantly more time. Opening bids are just that, the opening bid, somebody else could bid too. If nobody else bids and you win at the opening price, congratulations! But the opening bid amount is not intended to be the value of the piece. I set opening bids at the lowest price I’d be willing to accept, which can vary depending on the detail of the piece.
Do you teach classes? No, but I'm happy to answer any questions you have and show off how I make things on Twitch! www.twitch.tv/carriemichaelcosby
What are those nifty wings made of? Fantasy film or Angelina Film, as well as wire, glue, paint, possibly clay or liquid clay, as well as outdoor gloss to seal in the finish.
What tools do you use to make clay jewelry? Wire and various pliers to make armatures. A pasta machine to condition the clay. My favorite tools for shaping clay are knitting needles, hand-shaped sewing needle tips, #4 filbert paintbrushes, an x-acto knife, and a small stylus.
Doesn’t the paint chip on your flexible dragons when you bend them? I use high quality acrylic paint in very thin layers. The paint is also flexible, and sealed on with a layer of flexible liquid clay, so it won’t come off.
I heard that artist quality acrylic will bleed into the clay and look ridiculous after a year or two, no matter how amazing the original paint job? I made my first polymer dragon in 2007, and he looks exactly the same as the day I made him. In my experience the materials I’m using are sound.
