Second Anniversary Giveaway! [CLOSED]

I'm Catching Fireflies is two years old! How crazy is that? Never in a million years did I think I'd be able to keep this going for this long. This wouldn't be possible without you, my lovely readers, which is why it's time for me to give back!

Like in my previous giveaway, there are THREE awesome prizes in store for THREE lucky readers!

1. YOUR choice of any one(1) pair of eyes from MAKOEYES!

2. A Mori Kei headpiece courtesy of Whimsicute!

3. Three Cute Friends Bookmark Set courtesy of Ribonita!

COOL RIGHT? HERE'S HOW TO JOIN!

1. Follow I'm Catching Fireflies on Google Connect or Bloglovin.

2. Like I'm Catching Fireflies on Facebook.

3. Share this blog post on Facebook, Twitter, or reblog this post on Tumblr.

4. Comment on this post with your Name and Email, links to your shared/reblogged posts, and specify whether you're a BJD owner or not.

You may post multiple times on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. Each post=1 more entry for you! That means sharing once on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr automatically gives you 3 entries! However, make sure to set your posts as public otherwise they won't count.

This giveaway is open to both local and international readers. The giveaway will close on Friday, January 31, 2014 and the winners will be selected via Random.org. Results will be announced on Saturday, February 1, 2014. Good luck!!!

Because I'm a Doll by Kazuki Takamatsu

Beautiful, serene-looking dolls posed amidst dark, sometimes macabre and violent backgrounds are the subjects of Japanese artist Kazuki Takamatsu's series of paintings, "Because I'm a Doll".

Takamatsu mixes both traditional and modern techniques to create his signature "depth map style" paintings. Depth maps are computer-generated images that show the distance of the surfaces of an object or scene from a viewpoint. These images are used in creating 3D animations and computer graphics. However, instead of using a computer, Takamatsu uses gouache to achieve this effect. He painstakingly paints layers of semi-transparent gouache to create the illusion of depth. The monochrome color scheme adds to the evocative atmosphere of his creations.

His usual subjects are innocent, melancholy young girls as either victims or perpetrators of violence, but for this series, a lot of his subjects are female ball-jointed dolls. I'm not sure why he used dolls this time. Perhaps to emphasize fragility? Or maybe it's a criticism on the expectations placed on girls?

Below are some of my favorites from his series.

Photo credits: Kazuki Takamatsu's Facebook Profile

Costume Embroidery for Game of Thrones

The third season of Game of Thrones concluded this week and now I don't know what to do with my life. LOL. Just kidding. In all seriousness though, I have a small hole in my heart where the show used to be. I can't believe us fans have to wait for another year for the new season to arrive! :(

Replace with "I NEED GoT IN MY LIFE!"

Even though the wait will be hard, the show is one of the biggest TV productions there is nowadays, so the wait won't be in vain. Every little detail is carefully planned and designed, and the amount of work and dedication put in every set and costume is astounding.

AND THOSE COSTUMES. My gosh. I recently stumbled upon the website of Michele Carragher, one of the costume designers of the show. She's done incredible embroidery work on some of the costumes! Her attention to detail is ridiculous. I was blown away.

It's too bad we can't see much of it in the show, so here's my little tribute to Ms. Carragher's work. Below are some of the costumes she's done for the show. Click on the photos for a better view. SPOILERS AHEAD!

Sansa's wedding dress was one of my favorites in the third season. Love the little story on the embroidered sash. It starts out in the back, with the joining of the Tully fish and Stark direwolf (Catelyn and Ned's wedding), then the war between the Starks and Lannisters, symbolized by the intertwined direwolves and lions, and how the Lannisters now have a hold on Sansa (hence the lion on her nape).

Cersei is probably the character with the most wardrobe changes in the show. This dress looked simpler than her other looks (I'm talking about that gorgeous armor dress!), but check out all that embroidered detail on her shoulders and sleeves! It's so opulent, which is perfect for her character.

I always thought Catelyn Stark's costumes were more austere than the other characters', but seeing this photo makes me wanna rewatch the show just to see her other clothes. I thought the scarf was a plain one, but wow, they really put a lot of detail into it. I love the Tully fish embroidery!

The Qartheen costumes were some of the more colorful ones in the show, but I never noticed that there were bugs on their clothes! Kinda cool, kinda creepy. I guess it's a clue about Qarth in general: looks can be deceiving.

Who knew even pirates had luxurious clothing? Salladhor Saan's costume is proof that even pirates dress fancy!

And now we arrive to Dany. I gotta say, initially, I was disappointed with her wardrobe this season. For a good part of the season, she's been seen wearing the same dress... well, that's what I thought. It turns out that they're all different! Notice how in the first dress, the "dragonscale"-like pattern is isolated on her shoulders.

After she sacks Astapor, the pattern grows and crawls down to her chest. It's a subtle hint of her transformation from wannabe queen to full-fledged conqueror.

And by the end of the season, she's become the mother of an entire nation. Now the scales are all over the upper part of the dress, with added gold embellishments. Stunning, just stunning.

Definitely a dress fit for Daenerys Stormborn, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, and the Mother of Dragons!

 

There are a lot of other costumes from the show that I want to feature, so you can look forward to that in the future!

Photo source:  Michele Carragher's Official Website

Kingdoms of Twilight and Magic Doll Show

The STRYCHNIN Gallery in Berlin, Germany will be holding an exhibit titled "Kingdoms of Twilight and Magic" featuring talented doll artists such as Marina Bychkova of Enchanted Doll and the Popovy Sisters (whom I featured in an article here).

The show will open on May 10, 2013 at 7 p.m. Here is what the gallery has to say about the upcoming show:

"More and more artists have established themselves as doll makers and it’s grown to a truly worldwide community; and why not? These are highly talented artists, so multidisciplinary that only through this medium can they incorporate their vision of fashion design, sculpture, illustration and character design.  Thus, many of these artists also work in film and animation production; “bringing to life” what other can only imagine. This we wish to present the audience with the unravelling of “Kingdoms of Twilight and Magic”; an insight into the world of fantasy production, a place where dreams can come to life in the form miniature sized “movie-set”, where the viewer can take a journey “behind-the-scenes”, paying respect to the likes of Jim Henson, George Lucas, Brian Froud, Loreena McKennith, J.M.Barrie,Terry Pratchett, to name a few."

Below are some works from the artists featured in the show:

Marina Bychkova

 

Forgotten Hearts

Christine Polis

Katya Tal

Visit STRYCHNIN Gallery's website and blog for more information.

Kirsty Mitchell's Wonderland

If you have a Tumblr or Pinterest account, I'm sure you've encountered some of Kirsty Mitchell's work from her Wonderland series. But did you know that aside from the photography and editing, she made all the props and costumes herself? My mind was blown when I learned about that. Look at all the detail and artistry! Amazing.

However, what's more amazing is the story behind this set of photos. It's an ongoing project (3 years long and counting) that she did to honor her late mother, who was the best storyteller she knew. It's a touching story, and you can read about it here. Reading it gave me an even greater appreciation for her work.

Below are some of my favorites from the set:
(You can view the whole gallery here)

The Storyteller

Lady of the Lake

Gammelyn's Daughter, a Waking Dream

Spirited Away

The Beautiful Blindness of Devotion

A Most Beautiful Death

An Ocean of Tales, Till the Shores of Home

The Ghost Swift

The Queen's Armada

Gaia's Promise

Kirsty says there are still six more photos left before the series ends. I can't wait to see the conclusion. I'm sure it will be magnificent.

Source: Kirsty Mitchell's Official Website

Anniversary Giveaway Winners!

Thank you so much for all the greetings, well-wishes and participation in my first anniversary giveaway! Without further ado, here are the winners selected via Random.org:

CONGRATULATIONS!!!