Components, components, components

The flu has hit me again. I don't seem to be getting it really badly, it's like it keeps trying to get me and my immune system keeps fighting back. But it does wipe me out and I've nearly passed out a couple of times when doing something strenuous (ha, like going to the store, I was actually on my knees in Harmons).

So, my typical 15 hour workday has been reduced to about five hours, the rest sees me in bed either sleeping or reading (I'm about half way through Angels & Demons). However, I am making some progress on my competition piece. It has about 40 components in it and all those have to be made before I can start putting it together, I've completed 30%. The fun thing about components though is you can play with them and that's what I was doing in the picture, that is not how the finished piece will look but I kinda like it. It's always a good sign in my book when components lend themselves to many designs.

I was reading on someone's blog, can't remember which one, that Marcia DeCoster is big on working with components. I know some people shy away from creating pieces for a whole but sometimes it's the best and possibly the only way to bring to life what you have in your head. I remember my art professor telling me to "break it down" when having trouble drawing a figure in a difficult position and so when I hit a problem translating one of my designs from sketch to form I naturally fell back on that old advice. Plus, it's so fun to be able to play with the pieces and discover some options you might not have thought about.