finally...my super gigantic cherub..aka Baby Dax

a few months ago i was at my favorite place (the Strasburg Antique Emporium) looking for something to paint, and for once I couldnt find much. I looked around for a while and probably picked something up (dont remember now) to tide me over but i kept feeling kinda empty like something was there for me but i just wasnt seeing it. it was the first time i ever eft that place disappointed. well, it didnt last long. i ended up going to the flea market next door (same building) where things are generally a little bigger, and a little better organized. dont get me wrong, i like the junky feel, but i never really go next store just because everything looks a little too ... well put together.

so anyway i go next door and i walk down the isle and im on the phone with the husband, telling him i cant really find anything...and then i see.....this....monster fucking thing. this monster cherub hanging ...looming on the wall.  he was so beautiful...he was waiting for me man, im telling ya.  i cant hide my interest. i get off the phone and tell the girl at the front that i wanna buy it. so they send the old lady over who runs the booth and she wants $90 for it. i offer her $60, cash. she said she wouldnt make any money off of it if she sold it at that price but she said ok. i felt bad, because she was a sweet little lady, and i knew she would probably be heartbroken if she knew i was gonna paint this guy like an angel of death so i ended up giving her $70 bucks. she wrapped him up in newspaper and i was on my merry way.

I started on him back in January I think, drew the bones on and painting the black coat on him. hes literally been laying in the art studio since I moved in february....just waiting....like a little creep, with a dead stare. so here he is or was as of a couple nights ago before i did the wings, the horn, his smile and did some touch up work

getting there

Hes heavy. somewhere between 5-8 lbs. his body is hollow plaster (?) and his wings are wood. his back has holes cut out for his wings to insert into the body. he had a piece of coathanger wrapped around the wings which i cut off before i primed him. other than the wings being a seperate piece from the body he is absolutely perfect. no chips, no cracks, no nothing. he was a natural cream color , and i primed him with a little bit of gesso, which i really considered doing a spray primer because i really wanted a smooth finish on him.

and i stayed up til 2 am in the damn morning last night finishing him up. i detailed the wings, and ever since i started on him i saw him with gold trimming the bones...and the horn, and his smile. and like 3 coats of laquer.

here he is....FINALLY

  and heres a close up of the gold trim, and his frank'n'beans.

hmmm...

and here he is in all his psychotic glory, right where he belongs, above my station at the tattoo shop watchin whats happening and giving his approval. and his name is Baby Dax.

my second home.

I doubt i will ever find another like him, but if i do, I will snatch him up with the quickness. He , and the Virginia Mary statue that I did are a close tie for my favorites. and i think im gonna take a week off painting, as i have a shit-ton of drawings to work on for next week, and I feel super satisfied that he is finally done.

thanks for reading!