Steampunk, perhaps?

Unfortunately, my user acct. on the shared computer I am currently using was hit with a nasty virus recently (it's now been cleansed) and destroyed all the WIP pics. I had saved on my computer of my latest mask projects. :(
-Thankfully, I had already uploaded a couple to my DeviantArt acct.: http://EMasqueradeGallery.deviantart.com -you can check the WIP folder in my Gallery for the latest WIP photos. Soon I'll get around to posting them in here, but for now...a text update:


I am currently working on 3 mask projects. Each is another bird mask.
2 of these will be for sale once they are finished and have been photographed to my liking.
-1 mask will be another Phoenix, the 2nd an "Enchanted Phoenix" -this one has been tumbling around in my gray-matter for a number of years now. It's going to be a bit larger and more ornate than my usual Phoenix masks...more jewels, feather styling, etc. I'm not sure yet whether I'll keep this one or sell it, we'll see.
And lastly...the 3rd mask will be a bird but with a Steampunk theme to it.

The Steampunk bird mask:
-I've picked up bronze colored acrylic paints for the feathers and I might dry-brush parts of it with dark brown or black for an aged look, not sure yet on that, though... I want to give an effect like it's made of metal, so there will be 'seams' where the 'metal' is fitted together with little gold studs as the nail-heads.
I'm trying to do a 'hammered metal' affect in the clay, but with the characteristics of the clay as it dries...I'm not having the greatest of luck with that so far. It seems to have taken somewhat with the beak, though.:)
-I've been trying to figure out which metal-accent color I want for the beak.... I've got liquid metal gold, silver, and copper....I'm hopping back and forth between the copper and the silver on the beak against the bronze of the feathers. I'd do some kind of dry-brush black effect over the beak to 'hopefully' better bring out the hammered metal effect in the clay.

I wish I could say I had some cool metal accents to add to this piece, but as this is my first attempt at the Steampunk style, I'm going to start off rather simple with this design.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks!