erinmakesstuff's Monster History Lesson

I get asked ALL the time what gave me the idea for my monsters. Here's a more fully explained answer... with some visual aids! 

To begin this brief history lesson, I got my undergrad degree in Visual Art from SUNY Fredonia [go Blue Devils!] and double majored in Painting and Ceramics. I have always LOVED making things and learned that I also loved teaching. So in 2007 I went on to RIT and majored in Art Education. The transition from spending all my time taking Studio Art classes to taking mainly Education classes was a bit weird... but it was made a bit smoother because we could take 2 studio classes our first quarter...

well... sorta smoother. I didn't really get the "pick of the litter" as far as class choices went. So the one class I ended up with was "Ideation and Series" where we basically had to propose a idea for a body of work and then spend the final few weeks trying to pull it all together. 

I proposed two more serious painting ideas based on work I did in undergrad and, as a throwaway third idea, proposed making a series of stuffed monsters based on doodles from my sketchbook. When I presented my ideas to the class, everyone took the monster idea more seriously than I expected.

The next step was to figure out how to make them. 

I knew how to knit [or at least how to knit hats] and I knew some things about felting so I decided to try to knit monsters. The first attempt was, well, a learning experience. I named him Morton.

I didn't have much of a plan for the eyes and teeth. My first attempts at eyes were felted balls of white yarn with push pins for the black part. The teeth were cut up pieces of clear plastic packaging that I used Elmer's glue to attach. At first Morton only had one arm and I just tied knots to make fingers. 

"Grond" was my second monster attempt. He was bigger and I tried a different technique for the arms. The monsters now had duct tape triangles for teeth. I didn't like that solution either so after several trips to AC Moore, Jo Ann Fabrics and Michael's, I bought a bunch of buttons and some shell beads and found something that worked! I figured out how to make arms too! Here are all the monsters I had made by November 11th, 2007. [Notice the alterations to Morton!]

"Albee" was the first monster I knit that had two points. She still remains as part of my collection. The bigger brown button is from a sweater I used to wear all the time.

I got an A in the class and when it ended, monsters crept into my other class projects. I used my monsters to illustrate a presentation on how to teach Art History [there was a cute rhyming story that went with it!] and to illustrate an artist book on why I wanted to be an Art Teacher. Monsters snuck into my paintings and drawings too. 

Since then monsters have evolved. I wrote out a pattern once, but mostly I work through trial and error. Some of my newer monsters have tentacles, some have tails and some have ears. I've made monsters to resemble a woman's pets and even a monster with antlers. It's fun to look back on my first attempts at monster making. They have changed so much! I throughly appreaciate everyone who has encouraged me along the way and supported my work! You all keep me inspired to create new and different monster designs!