This channel's about art and creativity, working on entertaining projects to improve our skills and try new mediums. We let you know what we know, show our successes and our failures, share what we learn, and try to have a blast doing it. If you like to have fun with art, creativity, and pop culture, you might enjoy coming along for the ride.
Vince Dorse is an award-winning cartoonist, freelance illustrator, and the creator of Untold Tales of Bigfoot. Michelle Miller is a fiber-sculptor, occasional needle felt instructor, and a willing participant in all of this ridiculousness. Long Lost Friend Studio is my own small press imprint that I use for my books and illustration. But it’s also some friends and I hanging out at my studio, making art, trying different mediums, and learning new stuff.
Those two monsters are SO iconic, it's hard not to love them! Glad you liked this one (and very happy to hear from you!). Hope your October is fun and spooky so far.
This turned out amazing! The Fly figure himself is a scary warning to not meddle in the mysteries of the universe or if you insist on making an attempt keep your basement laboratory clean. But what really blew me away was the stand!! So many details and lights..It looks incredible. I think it is your best Gallery 1988 submission yet and that is saying something because " The Monster Walks" was as the Beatniks say neato.
I love the original (1958) Fly, but I have always absolutely LOVED how the fly head in Return of The Fly (1959) is SO MUCH BIGGER! So the design leaned heavily on that giant head. I just love the cartooniness of it. As for a clean basement, if we had attempted to teleport from our basement studio any time in the last month, we would've been genetically melded with (and I'm not kidding) either a snake, a mouse, or about fifty yellowjackets. Yeah. Rough month in the workshop. 🙂 But we're glad you like the Fly piece. It's one of our favorite Gallery 1988 pieces too...so far (ominous foreshadowing).
Also, I to had to Google the "help me" scene, because I realized the The Emperor's New Grove paid homage to that very scene. Thank you for the continued education!
And thank you right back because I have *ducks* never seen The Emperor's New Groove and so I never realized The Fly was referenced in it! I wonder if there are kids all over that didn't catch that reference. This was a good, productive comment. We need more of these. For the sake of the children! 🙂
Share and share alike, I always say! 🙂 And yeah, that figure! Honestly, keeping him in the box makes me feel safer here at night. What a face! Thanks for watching and commenting, we really do appreciate it!👍
Very cool concept with great results. The version with the lights makes a perfect Halloween night light. Fun Fact Director John Carpenter said he planned to have Michael Myers utter only one line during the entire Halloween series: "Hi fellas, what's happening?" I think I read that somewhere.
🤣 IF ONLY! "Hey fellas, what's happening" was an ad lib to make Michelle laugh, and when it did, i edited it in a second time when she wasn't around. All around perfect greeting in any scary situation. Glad you guys had fun with it.
Soo many points to make! Nothing like jamming my opinions where they aren't wanted. 😅. 1. Abby, my 4 footed floof, always runs to the tv when she hears the bark at the start of your videos. Love it. 2. What simple, yet creative and striking ways to do this! This is perfect to get families to sit and do a craft together. 3. Vince, how kind of you to donate your time to make those paper monsters for the kids. They are great!! 4. For myself, i can always tell the difference between Arts & Crap, as i find myself in the latter category more often than I'd like...but then i just say flock it. 5. Michelle , he DID get you that rake, and he DID let you make all those crafts....can't you just support him, a little? Hahaha! You guys are the best!
Thanks, Stu! And yes, he's been toying with the idea of engraving my name into the rake handle with a Dremel. I sometimes forget how lucky I am to work here. 🙄
@@LongLostFriendStudio 😂 Right?! HAHAHAHA! And maybe next year, if you're good, he'll buy you a broom. I somehow suspect he won't outlive that purchase though. lol
Hey, thanks! I don't know if you saw the Sleepy Hollow Poster we made a video about. I did several drawings of Ichabod on that poster. If you search "Sleepy Hollow" in our videos, several different Ichabod sketches come up. Happy Hallowe'en!
Thanks! The air had just turned cooler a few days ago and the skies looked overcast and the leaves started covering the streets and sidewalks. I know it's only the first day of the month, but I hope it doesn't fly by too quickly! 🎃💀🧟♀👻
A great start to Halloween. Vince, you really did a great job bringing this fiend to life, or bringing him back from the dead? I don't know which applies to this creepy monster.
Thanks! He was just a quick one I rushed out to hit the first day of October. Now I'm fully in Halloween Mode, physically, mentally, emotionally.... There's no turning back until November 1st when I start running White Christmas on an endless loop. 🙂
Hey Vince or Michelle.... I am currently starting to become picky? snobbish?....selective! Yes, that's it.... selective about the brushes I choose, because I seem to go through them quicker than I'd like, and I always find that i end up with a split at the end, or a stray hair out of place that really messes me up when i go in to do tight detail work. I mainly work with those flowy acrylics that people use on miniatures. Do you have reccomendations, as you always seem to get nice crisp lines and fine detail. Not sure if it's just experience, or i use the wrenches of paintbrushes in lieu of a hammer.
I’ll recommend something but with the caveat that I’m speaking only from my limited experience and, as far as brands, I try not to get too hung up on it. Also, if you’re gonna be doing any miniature painting, that’s not my bag. So you may need to check in with someone who excels at that particular skill for brush recommendations. Okay… I’m currently using Princeton Velvetouch brushes for inking and watercolor. They’re synthetic, I believe, affordable, and they hold their point for a good long time as long as you take care of them. I think they do a decent job, and maybe they’re not perfect, but if asked they’d say the same thing about me. I used to spend more on Winsor&Newton sable brushes, but found that they didn’t last considerably longer than any others, and sometimes they shipped to me pre-split! I figured why spend the extra money when I have to replace them quicker anyway? I’ve since stopped ordering brushes online and prefer to go into an art store where I can check the bristles personally before purchase. Broad picture, over time, both your tools and your preferences will go through changes, so I try to find brushes decent enough to get the job done, take care when I clean them, and if they consistently start to disappoint (looking at you W&N) then I jump ship and find something new. RIght now, that's Princeton. And now we wait for the Princeton brush sponsorship to roll in. Here we are waiting. Any second now….
@LongLostFriendStudio that is PERFECT information! Thank you! I always pull the Futurama "Fry Look" at staff in the art stores....always selling me something I don't need. For a price I can't afford....and then I make a crappy choice anyways. Haha. I have bought the cheap bulk brush packs from Michael's for painting foam etc. Because that matters less. But those small detail brushes always split on me. Maybe it's how I wash them. Little bit of dish soap and water...that's all. And I would never hold you accountable for my tools, choices and skills. But your advice is much appreciated. I admire your skill and proficiency! When I was a kid, I wanted to be nothing more than a Disney animator, and drew anywhere on any thing I could. But sometimes life has other plans....
Ooh Michelle!! Does V need some salve for that massive burn? "When is your silent Era?" An instant classic! Lol!😂 and Mr Vince, as always, drawing and inking on point, and an outstanding representation! Now, I did NOT know that the screenplay for this picture had survived....but very astonished that Hollywood has not already tried to reboot this 15 times already, with Tom Cruise and Jim Carrey, and made it a franchise. That figure is amazing. I have Dracula, the mummy, Frankenstein....but I do not have that one. I always tell people these purchases are for my child. I do, however, neglect to tell them it's for my inner child.😅.
Oh Michelle! I am SO sorry that you feel that you have to shill for Vince to finance your "butt-lift"! I myself, am in need of an everything lift, but the bank rejected my second mortgage application for that purpose. *sigh* Regardless, ALWAYS love your work on the classic scooby villains, as you never disappoint! It's a treat to watch masters of their craft at work. Thank you for the uplifting video! And the Shaggy impression may need a little work... but the Creeper impression? SPOT ON!
Let me tell you, Stu -- he had to do that take twice because he was laughing too much, but the first time he said "neck tattoo." Oh how I wish I'd have just kept the first take. 😉 Really glad you liked this one. We try to make them fun, and it always feels nice when people tell us that they had a good time. Thanks for letting us know! ❤
Whimsical, fun and beautiful work! By the way, I recently used your video to make an 8 page mini-comic for my girlfriend in the style of the "love" comics of the 60s. . She loved it!
hey-HEY! I'm happy the mini-comic video worked for you! Are you talking about those Romance comics from the 60s?? I LOVE THE COVERS ON THOSE THINGS! They're a hoot! Some sad girl hiding in the bushes, watching a couple walk by on the sidewalk...."I love Bob with all my heart.....but I could never steal him from Nancy!" Thanks!
Awesome work on the Scooby Villians Vince, they look fantastic and your color choices really add to the creep factor. The Kingston Mansion diorama is on a whole other level. You both should have your own series on PBS. Little Bump loves it and so do I.
Little Bump's had a tough life, so I hope we brought some joy to that guy. Wait a minute....WHY, IT'S JUST MR. CARSWELL, THE BANK MANAGER!! Glad you liked this one. It honestly is one of the best times we have when we get to work on these images and shoot these idiot videos.
Luckily, the commission IS sort of a continuing series for us. The client seems to like these and I'm pretty sure we'll be doing more before long. Glad you're having fun with them!
Every time I see someone working with a dip pen I think "man, I gotta go out and get some nibs!" I just haven't found the time to jam that one in. But I really do want to. You have any suggestions for inspiration that you like? I'd love to see some examples from people who know what they're doing before I stumble into it.
If you want information for a nib/pen I'd recommend the g pen It's what I use and it can produce thick ,thin pretty fluid lines and it's also Pretty beginner friendly
@@Kamitex259 Yeah, I meant more like I'd love to see some "dip pen art with colored inks" for inspiration, but I'll definitely keep the G-Pen suggestion in mind when I hit the art store. Thanks!
Aw, Tyler, we probably won't be making any mini-banjos again for a long time. And that one I made for Kermit? That was my very first attempt at a miniature musical instrument. It probably wasn't all that great. HOWEVER, I know there are other creators on RU-vid who make miniature instruments. Maybe if you do a search for 'miniature banjo' maybe someone else has already made a video like that! Good luck!
Another entertaining and fun display of amazing talents! Both figures look great; my own attempts at needlefelting have been less stellar but I've enjoyed it
Hey, thanks! I'm glad you liked this one, and happy to hear you do needle felting too! I don't think I've hit the point where I can say I 'enjoy' needle felting yet because it still drives me nuts! 🙂 I agree, Michelle did a great job on her figure. Me? I got real lucky this time. 🙂
I'll admit, Jei came out better than I thought he would. But experience wins in the end. Michelle's Usagi is so nice (you should see it in person) that I really don't want to ship him out. If I hide him somewhere safe now, maybe everyone will forget about it and it'll all blow over.....
It's one of our favorite stories too! And it's just about that time of year we start thinking about putting in one of the many film versions of it to get us in the Halloween mood. 🙂🎃
Learning the way of the sword or the felt needle requires the same level of concentration, determination, and blood. Once removed from their protective case my felt needles cannot be returned until blood has been spilled…always my own. A true masterful video of skill and technique from you both. Usagi would be proud.
THIS is the kind of classy comment this joint needs! The drama! The ridiculousness! I see other comments on other channels and...meh...they PALE in comparison to the absolute gold we get here from the kind folks who drop us a line. This one, in particular, struck me because all week -- AAAALLL WEEK -- I've tried to equate my needle felting to the way of the samurai and Michelle was having NONE of it! NONE OF IT! This feels like vindication. Thank you!
Hey! Yeah, my guess is you trade in some blade stability for modularity. Compared to my Leatherman Surge (which is rock solid as far as blade wobble) the Flex has both lateral and medial wobble in the locked position. That didn’t cause any problems while working on this project. The lock seemed secure and it never felt unsafe. For our purposes (making a goofy monster diorama) it worked like a charm. But if you were going to use the Flex under more dire circumstances, that little wobble is certainly something to take under consideration. One other thought is that the specific configuration I’m using might also play a part. I deployed the large scalpel tool on the opposite side of the frame and it sat much more solidly in the locked position, both laterally and medially. Just a real solid feel. Is that due to the machining of the individual tool itself? Or are there slight variances in the width of the individual tools that cause certain configurations to be more tightly packed (and therefore less wobbly)? I don’t know. But I do really enjoy the Flex and its versatility. I think the wobble on the main blade is (so far) something I can work with. But you’d have to try it yourself to see if it fit your requirements. I loved this question, by the way. Thanks for stopping by!
...and then I reminded him there are bugs INSIDE too, and now he's beside himself. 😄Really glad you liked this one. It was fun and we like how it turned out too! -M
Flexenstein goooood! Between Vince's sculpting and Michelle's diorama skills, you both make a formidable duo. Vince, how did you like using cosclay for the face? Looks pretty expressive and very detailed. I considered buying some to make fingers due to their superior strength and flexibility over sculpey.
First, let's get this out of the way: Yes, Bride of Flexenstein is definitely goooooood, but I needed the tool back so her face now resides on a toothpick caddy in the workshop. She still looks good. Now, the Cosclay: We have a small bin of Sculpey that is dying a lonely death ever since we tried the Cosclay. It's not like we even use the Cosclay for too many bendy-flexy things. I just like working with it. It feels a little different than Sculpey, maybe more...tacky? Maybe more oily? It's hard to describe because I haven't touched the Sculpey in so long, but i remember there being a difference in feel. As for sculpting -- in my limited experience with using just Sculpey, Cosclay, and some Paper Clay -- I'd say Sculpey is just as easy to get detail into as any. And It gives me the freedom to make things i KNOW would break if it were any other polymer clay. Definitely give it a shot. I think you'll really like it.
I'll admit michelle did a great job with the Bride of Flexenstein, but now that I've put the tool back in the kit, I keep finding the bride's "face" stuck on other objects around the workshop. 🙂
