Inspired By Life

Here is progress an hour and a half into the new Inspired by Life Class I have started this term. Paul gave several good tips:
1) Displacement: any body on any soft surface (in this case cushions) will displace that surface; note how the points of contact are affected by this.
2) Measurement: it's important to get proportions accurate. On average, a calf = a thigh = a torso to collar bone; a body is 6.5 to 7 times a head.
3) Gravity: see how this affects the human form, how the skin, muscles and fat are pulled towards the floor.
4) Sculptor's Position: Stand between the model and your piece, referring back and forth. It gives a much better perspective than sitting back on a chair.

Another thing I noticed was the negative space, the holes in the model's position. We discussed the work of Boccioni and Brancusi. We are also concerned by Paul's nascent relationship with RAPA (some new mad method of assessing progress of students)

The Queen Square Fair

Be Still & Know!
Pascal getting into belly dancing

Head Sculpture Tips

Underlying structure is v important; work from the skull outwards; stop at the surface;

On my current head: make the impression and form of the hair rather than making it too detailed - give it life! Some good examples of heads are at this site: http://www.portrait-sculpture.org/
Make the eyes have a pupil and an iris; the ears still look a bit stick-on.

The Curse of Duniamataji

Update of Block Print Reliefs

and Buddhas fired white

Evolution

Life Tips

Things learned during yesterday's life class:
1) look to model the structure before the detail
2) the basic structure of the body is the same for everyone - e.g. lengths correlate like "foot to forearm"
3) working from photographs rather than life can tend to produce flat sculpture and distorted perspective
4) ears are usually about 2 ear widths back from the front of the face
5) neck muscles are important

And here's where I am with my head:
Although it's now a better sculpture, paradoxically I think it has just lost a bit of the likeness and I now need to add back those touches that make it look "right"

Fired Bas Relief

And a paper clay igloo???

A New Head

Actually it's quite an old head - my father's - which I have been working on at home. The advantage is I know the subject well; the disadvantage is that I will spot every imperfection. Anyway here is the progress so far. Getting there slowly I hope!

Bas Relief Ready for Firing

Bas Relief Fixing With Paper Clay

The bas relief has a crack on drying that needs fixing

Degrade some toilet tissue by soaking in water. Other tissue will not degrade as well and will become lumpy

Use Paul's Hamburger method - 2 clay patties and 1 tissue ball

Mix until the paper fibres are indistinguishable from the clay

And here is paper clay. It is very versatile and strong. It should generally be dried out on a plaster slab though before working as it's very sticky

Although for a quick fix like this I just dampened the crack and worked the paper clay in

The 10 Minute Earth Mother

OK so maybe it took a tad more than 10 mins but not more than an hour. While crafting this particular wonder I was thinking about the primitive earth mother figures found in archaeological digs that have been dated from as much as 25,000 years ago.

I will concede that this looks more like a modern plastic doll! I am hoping that the pony-tail will serve to keep its head on the body as it dries out this week!

As the model is quite thick in places, I made holes with a piece of wire through the model to the floor. This makes it far less likely to crack on drying or firing. The small surface holes are thinly covered again afterwards.

Bas Reliefs

Work in Progress: Bas relief of a scene in a dream I had in 2004. Ready for the kiln: a Buddha bas relief made from Shaheen's stamps & clay impression of a printing block

One of Shaheen's latest philosophical tiles!

Rajasthani Printing Blocks

Copies of Rajasthani fabric printing blocks created by filling impressions made in wet clay with plaster. I have then painted the top one.

Clay Reliefs

The clay reliefs made a few weeks back have been glazed in multiple colours although we are generally a bit disappointed with the lack of lustre in the matt finish.

Clay Mask 2

This is how the clay mask that was glazed pre-firing looks after a first firing. As you can see the colours have come through unevenly.
I then added some glazes more conventionally producing this on the second firing, retaining the original effect around the eyes and mouth

More Masks

Some complete - on the black mask I have used just tissue paper while on the gold one I have also used newspaper and coloured foil. The tissue paper gives a better finish but several more layers.
These are works in progress. Chris said she uses gum strip for her masks which seems to be the stuff people seal cardboard boxes with. The pink mask is done with gum strip and is indeed very strong.

Papier-mâché Mask

Inspired by Chris's masks, I made and painted this one which itself is moulded on my own plaster face cast from 2007.

Clay Mask

Today I have been made a clay mask, partly inspired by my recent trip to Sri Lanka where "devil masks" are used to ward off evil spirits. Encouraged by Badger and the sudden arrival of several new pots of coloured glaze I decided to glaze the clay while wet. No one is sure what the effect will be - there may be blistering on firing, but we will see next month!

Sri Lankan Woodcarving

I am in Sri Lanka at the moment and found this man carving a Buddha in mahogany by the side of the road in Narigama. He has a good set of carving tools and a nice looking sharpening stone as well as a shop full of interesting pieces.
I bought this unfinished mask from him for Rs 300 (about £1.50!). He said it took him 3 hours to do. If only we were this speedy!