| These
sculptures come from a desire to capture
physical energy and expression in bronze.
They are both realistic and
understandable. Modelling a figure
in action requires a thorough knowledge
of human anatomy as well as being able to
express individual characteristics of the
subject. They are based on intensive
observations of human form and movement.
Everyone has the same basic bone and
muscle structure but different
characteristics and its these different
characteristics which make each sculpture
unique, it is up to the artist to show
these differences.
Developing a
sculpture starts with models and life
drawing. I first develop drawings for the
armature, I decide on scale, proportion
and how the weight is carried by my
subject. The armature needs to be built
with the greatest care and attention, it
is the key to the pose and needs to be
accurate. Now I'm ready to build the
armature out of steel, wood, chains and
wire, with the use of a plumb line. The
armature needs to built strong enough to
support a large mass of clay.
With the armature
built I am ready to add clay always
considering the subjects bone and muscle
structure. Once I have built up the basic
form I mark out the main lines to use as
guidelines. I can then start to develop
individual features and expressions to
bring the subject to life. During each
stage of development I smooth out muscles
to create the more rounded contours of
the female form. I model the clay over
and over again until I am satisfied with
the finished sculpture.
The finished
sculpture is now ready to have a multi-peice
mould taken from it, and then it's ready
to be cast in bronze using the lost wax process.
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