Displaying work; an internet journey.

It's been nearly a year now since I actively started using this blog and promoting my work online (with the intent of selling). Its been an interesting process. I tried a few online galleries to get going; Deviant art proved great for getting feedback and a way of drawing people to the blog. It was interesting exploring how people were directed here, and I was amazed how often I found my work promoted on other sites, always respectfully and with links here.
Two weeks ago I started a facebook page called The Professor's Steampunk Emporium. I feel the name Impsandthings doesn't really reflect the steampunk work. I found many steampunk sites on facebook and 'liked' them and posted links to my work. Again an amazingly quick response and 50 'likes' already plus a lot of extra blog traffic and more followers here.Thankyou to those of you who come back again and again and add comments, it's great to get feedback and know I'm not working in a vacuum

All this has made me realise the need for better quality photos of my work. I saw on Tom Banwell's blog (a really talented maker of steampunk masks) some time last year the advantage of quality photos to enhance the work.
My aim is to create some sets for some of my pieces, maybe add smoke and good lighting but to get the ball rolling I took some quick pics with a arker painted background. White is not good for such darkly coloured sculptures. So far this is just a piece of mdf with sponged browns and black acrylic but already I can see the improvement.

The Captain

New Directions

My last few pieces have encouraged me to explore some new directions. Firstly creating smaller detailed more human figures although with slightly styalised faces. Secondly more machine base work like the bike and this is one reason for making smaller figures as they have to become part of a bigger piece.
Having a new direction always makes me motivated so I now have two sculptures underway; an aviator who will be hanging below a dirigible/airship in a pilots seat (seats are great fun to make as I found with the bike) and the guy below.

In these photos of the early construction you can see the basic shape made up from wire card and reinforced newspaper (two layers glued together, edged with thin wire and covered in masking tape then coated in pva)

Originally he was going to be a punk with spiky hair, I found some lovely blue thread joined in tassles at the local craft store (Creativity) and imbedded them in the plasti roc head, the look I wanted was pinched from a Keith Newstead automata I love his work both his automata and the figures he adds to them. They look simple but are a result of very clever and skillful use of materials.

However as he developed he took on a new character altogether:

For some reason he has taken on more of a C18th cavalry officer look (with added straps and buckles).

I really like this type of jacket and the red was a nice change from the usual black and brown leather I go for.  Below you can see I've started to explore a breathing mask for him. He may also get a jet pack or wings or even a BFG. He needs something as he's a bit static at present.