Making Scents

[beetiger]

In my neverending quest to push the envelope of furrydom and do what I feel like doing, I was thinking of doing some scent art for Anthrocon. One would expect anthropomorphics to enjoy perfumery and value it as a real artform, right?

I was hoping to custom hand blend massage oils for people according to their species and preferences, and sell these at the Artists' Alley. Unfortunately, I've just heard back from the coordinator, and this isn't a kind of "art" that's acceptable to the Alley. I'm not allowed to compete with the people who draw catgirls for a spot there. This makes me sad.

But I still kind of want to do it. Is this a stupid idea, or a brilliant one? Should I put this out on FurBid? Take preorders via LJ and bring them to the con? Would anyone want something like this?

(ps I have nothing against catgirls.)

Comments

[perlandria.livejournal.com]

I love it.
In pagan circles, there is someone making custom diety etc. blends that get traded back and forth in sample and larger size like cards.
Personally, I find them a bit synthetic, harsh and head-achey but everyone else seems to like them.
I've been know to accept or reject potential dates based on smell alone. Paka smells nummy!

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

I'd be using natural essential oils, except for the animal scents you can't do that way (ambergis and musk and the like). Much less harsh. Most people who blend magical oils are waaaay too unsubtle about it.

[perlandria.livejournal.com]

The only concern I could think of is that scent is hard to contain. For people with allergies, maybe even deadly allergies, there needs to be a way to control at least the display and presentation. What people do with it on thier bodies afterwards is well, not your problem.
I'm just thinking because there was someone using nail acrylic to make fangs in Creator's Lounge the two years before I got there, and it chased EVERYONE out.
And I could snark that anything that makes con furs smell better, but I actually know very few furs that earn that reputation. Then again, it just takes one to stink up the whole place. I'd be really tempted to ask for a super sharp and acrid scent that could be pelted at people who need baths, only what if they didn't think to arrange places to shower? Eeeek! *covers nose and whimpers*

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

Oh, blending oils would be *much* milder than nail acrylic!

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

*bangs his head against the wall, not having thought of that*

That idea is -brilliant-, period. Absolutely brilliant. I wish that you would try to bring them to Further Confusion.

Of course, I'm crazy enough to want to go one step further, and see whether we have good enough noses to understand scent-paintings. For example:

Put the scent of fresh-mown grass across the bottom of a piece of blotter paper. Put the scent of pine along the right side. Put the scent of musk along the left side. Call the scent-painting "Wolf in forest".

Would we be able to understand that, or would the scents get too mixed together? Would it be offensive if I put that in the art show?

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

I would *love* to do this at FC 2006. As of now, I am planning to go to that.

I think your scent painting would be lovely. I don't know how people would feel about putting their nose up to a blotter in the art show, though!

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

*grin* I'd have to get some essential oils and try it out.

What kind of paper do you recommend for this experiment? How long do you think the scents would last?

And I'm really happy to hear that you might be at FC.

[collie13.livejournal.com]

Ooh! Another reason to go to the con! ;)

[elven-wolf.livejournal.com]

I think it sounds like a good idea. If the con people won't let you do it, do it on your own.

[cloverr.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a nifty idea to me; I've always had a nose for those phermones. :)

BTW, keep your fingers crossed..if our finances get a bit more balanced, AC may be an option for me (I've got enough vacation days saved up)

[ladyperegrine.livejournal.com]

I love it!

[beowabbit]

It’s a fabulous idea!

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Brilliant!

Very K'Kree. :)

[architectbesax.livejournal.com]

Classy.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

Sounds awsome, pity they won't let you in artist's alley. :/

[just-the-ash.livejournal.com]

I love the idea. Of course, I don't know how my actual species would factor into a custom scent, because crows spend a lot of time with carrion and dumpsters, and who the hell wants to smell worse than the fanboys? :>

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

I'd probably do something earthy-spicy, with maybe some of the "overripe" smelling florals. That would be evocative of someone who spent their time among rotting things, while actually avoiding the "rotting flesh and garbage" smell. :)

[bookwurm.livejournal.com]

I think it sounds like an interesting idea! Could you get a dealer's table and do it there, maybe in combination with some of the Little Pagans T-shirts? Or share a table with another small business to split the expense and booth-time?

I'd love to sniff what you would do for dragons, but I won't be at AC. :

Art as a sensory experience

[coppercheetah.livejournal.com]

The concept of a 'scent painting' intrigues me, too...

How fugitive are these scents? (This is more a question for how long the effect of a given painting is going to last, as oils tend to be a rather transient thing.)

Are they dissolved in a base that could be, say, added to an actual oil paint or acrylic? Truly, you could potentially have a painting that is as much olfactory as visual: Pines that smell like pines, cats that smell like cats, mountains with an earthy smell, and so on. Adding this as a secondary- sensory component to a piece of work really brings up some interesting ideas.

pines that smell like pines

[perlandria.livejournal.com]

I am getting willie wonka flashbacks
"The strawberries taste like strawberries! The snozzelberries taste like snozzleberries!" Man, a scratch and sniff illustration of that wallpaper would have kicked ass.

[redbird]

If you decide to do something like this on LJ/mail order, I may have to ask you what you think cardinal (the bird, not the church official) and hobbit would smell like.

[birdbard.livejournal.com]

Ooo, Oooo (raises hand), I want to know what the church official smells like!! ;^)

[leswamp.livejournal.com]

They'd probably want you to take that to the dealer's room. See if a dealer will handle it for you on consignment? :)

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

Well, it would be custom, so it really belongs in the Alley, just like other commissions.

I think I'm going to give myself a little extra time to prep, and try to get a dealer table at MFF or FC for all of my various crazy projects.

[leswamp.livejournal.com]

Maybe you could get a dealer to move some of your t shirts on consignment as well?

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

First, my sense of smell is not one of my best features. That said, I think it is a great idea. This is what creativity is all about.

[walkertxkitty.livejournal.com]

I think this would go over well (and WTF...that's not "art"?) I'm thinking that you'd get into trouble if you preorder and then bring them to the con since people would be paying you there. I'd probably handle it the same way you have your other business transactions, either via LJ or FurBid.

[maeveenroute.livejournal.com]

Given the number of people these days who are willing to buy poorly-blended, run-of-the-mill scents (if I smell one more odious patchouli-and-rubbing-alcohol abomination, I may puke), well-made custom scents should go over beautifully.

(And what? Not art? silly people...)

[mistletoe.livejournal.com]

This remind me of an idea I had a couple years ago when I was trying out soap-making. I found a few animal-shapes molds and though it'd be good to sell animal soaps at furry cons. I'd do anything to encourage fans to bathe during the con weekend! ;) But my short attention span found other hobbies by which to be distracted.

I look forward to hearing how this endeavor develops. :)

[atroposnomore.livejournal.com]

that is an awesome idea!