Live Model Class

This is the sculpture I am working on in the live model class. This has been a fun class because it has had so many new things that I have not tried before. One is working with WED clay, a water base clay that we will fire in a kiln. Second is working from a live model, this has been very challenging but also very exciting. Third, is that I have never tried to capture an ethnic look, so this has also been a challenge.

I think one of the next times I am in class I will take a picture of the model with my sculpture, I will post and see if you think I am capturing her likeness.

Updates to Sculpting Class

A few more updates to the sculpture in the class that I am taking. The top picture so me trying to add hair
The hair has been more of a challenge then I had initially thought it would be. The teacher explains it in shapes and ribbons. Easy to say but not so easy to implement.

The bottom couple of picture show more progress on the hair, I think it is getting a bit better.

The bottom picture of the latest updates. I think I am getting close to finishing this sculpture. Then I will need to start the molding and casting process.

Two Steps Forward...One Step Back

Here are a few updated from the previous week at my sculpting class!

Last night was my sculpting class again. I enjoy this class, but there are some things that make it difficult and frustrating.
One is the drive, it is a 30 or so min drive to the class, then you add onto that, that I am 30-35 minutes in the opposite direction at my job and that amounts to a lot of driving.
Second is that it is only 2 hours, but he lets you come and work when you can so I try to go early and get a bit more time on my sculpt. Some of the students that live close can come on other days and work. Makes me wish I lived closer.
Third, the class is not a structured class… meaning that you are pretty much on your own and the teacher moves around and helps where needed. This is good in some ways and not so good in others. I think I crave more structure then what is given in the class, but I also don’t want to be held back when someone new arrives so I don’t really see how this will change, except maybe my attitude about it.
There is a bright side note to this issue. Starting the middle of Oct. he (the teacher) will start a 6 week live model class, so that will be a structured class where we will be sculpting a bust from looking at a live model. I think this sounds difficult, interesting and fun. So I think I will sign up to participate. And on a side note, to this side note, the model will be an African American woman so I can see if I can capture the nuances of this nationality… that should be fun and challenging!

Some more updates, and a reference shot to give you an idea how big she is.

So my evil sculpting nemesis, symmetry raised its ugly head at me last night in class… Aughhh!!! I think I will never shake this!! One of the struggles of sculpting this way is that I am used to holding the small doll head and being able to move is around in my hand to see all the angles that you need to make sure you are as symmetrical as possible. Not that I always succeed even with the small doll head. With a head this size and it bolted to a wooden block, standing on a sculpting stand, you area bit more limited at being able to pick it up and look at it in all the different angles. Sure you and see the profiles, bend down and look up at it etc. So the instructor came by to look at my sculpture and commented that one eye was set back a bit from the other. Really??? Stink! Now that he pointed that out I had no choice but to fix it!! Two steps forward...One step back

She still needs lots of adjusting, I'm not sure about her hair. It will just have to wait til next week.

More Progress

A few more updates from the head I am working on in class. I think I am getting a resemblance to the reference photos I am using, but I am not going to post those until I am finished and if I am happy with the outcome.






















Right now I know that this looks a few years older then the photos I am working from. So I will need to try and remedy that this week at class.






















One big problem that I see is that I will probably not finish this in the 8 weeks of this class. Good thing it is an ongoing class. I have a few more weeks in this session though so I hope I can get a bit more done.

New Art Advetures Continued

A few more updates on the face that I have been messing with. I think I am starting to get a better feel for the clay, but still not certain I like it.






















I messed with the left eye (in the photo), it still is off, so I am not to pleased with that. The other proportions of her face seems a bit better.























Tried to fix her left (in the photo) one more time and I think it finally looks a bit better. I played with some hair.... hmmmm, not sure about this. I guess we will see what the teacher says when I take it to class on Thursday.

Finally FInished (I think)

So I think I am finished with this doll... Finally!! I know that she needs wigs but she was made for my brother and sister in law and the last few fairies that I have made for them, she redoes their wings with stained glass.

So I don't know if I will make any wings. I need to talk with them and find out what they want. I have some pretty blue wings on transparency I think would look nice.






















I kept her hair long, that is what the customer likes :) It is hard to see in the photo because her hair is so dark but there is a tiny braid around her head. I think it looks pretty good.

New Art Advetures

I have had a few months of feeling rather stagnant in my sculpting so I enrolled in a traditional sculpting class at an art center. I am trying my hand at a portrait sculpture. But I will be happy with a general humanoid likeness at this point in the process. I am really struggling with the softness to this clay, and unlike polymer clay there is no rubbery ness to it. I know that is not a word. But polymer clay has some bounce so to speak to it and this clay does not. I wanted a challenge and a new way to look at things and to try something new so I guess I got it! Hopefully
I will be happy with the finished product... Time will
tell.






















Got some extra clay and was playing around with it to try and get a better feel for it. So I just messed with doing a relief try face. I was feeling pretty happy about her and then took her to class. Hmmm all I can say is I feel like I know nearly nothing about sculpting. The teacher gave me a few ideas so help me. One of my biggest issues is that I want everything to be smooth. The instructor feels that I am smoothing too much.























Last picture shows the teachers adjustments on the right, me trying to copy what he was teaching on the left.

Almost Finished!

How long have I been working on this doll? I don't even what to think about it. But I made some good progress this week.

I got the painting done, her face, nails, and a light wash of color on her body

Here is a picture of her skirt, it is made in a peddle design. Layers of sheer white with pinkish, periwinkle dots and then sheer peachy pink. The color reminds me of the color of ballet tights when I was a little girl in ballet class.

Her top part of the dress is made from fusible fiber in a opal type color. You can't see it in the pictures but the iridescent color in the fiber is the same beautiful ballet pink color as her skirt. I used a silk fusion method that my older sister taught me to stick the fiber to her body. Around the back is some cute rosettes and then in the front I randomly sewed seed beads to the skirt.
I thought I would be able to finally finish her up but when I got into my storage of hair I was out of black! Since she has a very Asian feel I think she will need the black hair. I also think it will be a nice contrast with her outfit. Until her hair arrives she will have to wait.

Boston and Back... and other things

So a few weeks ago my husband, two sons and I drove across the country to Boston so we could set up my oldest son in his family’s new apartment. My son will be attending Babson University and he and his wife have three children (a two year old and newborn twins) so it was out of the questions that they try to do this move on their own. It was also a nice way for us to spend some time with our oldest son before his new life starts across the country.

So we knew we were going to need to drive 10-12 hours a day to be able to get to Boston and start setting up the apartment before my son’s wife flew in with the babies and her mom. The first day across Wyoming seemed to be endless miles of rolling green velvet hills.

Seriously it looked like velvet to me!

We ended day one in Lincoln Nebraska, hot and muggy and limitless corn fields was all I can remember about Nebraska.

The next day was a blur I can’t even remember the name of the city we spent the night at. The only thing I remember is that I went for a run that night and there was a large cemetery by our hotel. I love running around cemeteries! They are always well maintained… clear of traffic… and come to find out what ever town I was in the runners that live there like to run around cemeteries also J The really cool thing was seeing fireflies in the cemetery!! I love them!!

I think I have a very romantic image of farms, I know the reality would not be an easy life.

So on we went… the next night was spent in Schenectady NY, and I feel in love with this city!! I can’t really put my finger on exactly why this city felt so nice, but it was lovely and quaint and felt very pleasant. I told my husband I would like to retire there and open a sweet little book store. I don’t think he has bought into the idea.

On to Boston… my son loves in Norwood and it was about a 4 hour drive from Schenectady to Norwood. The next couple of days were a whirl wind of moving furniture, unpacking, repacking and moving. (You don’t need to know that whole story). Then after all that we rode the subway into Boston and had a few hours to look around Boston.

What a fun place with tons of history, I can’t wait to visit my son and his family while they are there. We had dinner in Little Italy, and OMG!!! It was so yummy! It was wonderful to relax and enjoy dinner with my sons and husband.

The next day Emily (my son’s wife) the kids and her mom flew in and I got to spend a couple of days with all of them before we flew back to Utah. Like I said… it was a whirlwind! But nice to have them settled a bit before we left and good to know where they will be.

As for the “other thing” well I am still working on the flying fairy. I can’t believe how long it has taken me to finish this doll….Aughh my heart is just not into this project the way it needs to be. But I really need to get her done so I can move on to something new….nice segway LOL I have started a sculpting class at the BDAC. It is crazy that I have to drive all the way to Bountiful (30 or so miles) to take a sculpting class, but I am excited to learn and try some new processes and work with some different clays then I am used to working with. I am nervous that I won’t be ready for this, but after months of feeling stagnant I think this class will be good to shake some of that feeling. I guess we will see.

And one last thing and this is a gripe! What is happening to all the doll magazines? For the past little while every time I go to get a new doll magazine I can’t find them. The ones that I used to gobble up and anticipate every month are not there. Oh but I can find 6 different woodworking magazines, and I can’t even count how many scrapbooking/paper craft magazines there are. It makes me feel like my hobby/art is not valued…I am a bit miffed. I guess I am going to have to see if I can get a subscription.