I sculpt in apoxy sculpt primarily. (It's a 2 part clay that mixes & works like clay for a bit and then cures hard like wood or plastic). It really suits me, you have to sort of plan out areas and then while one area is curing you can focus on something else (or another work entirely). When all is cured you can dremel or hack away at it.
Traditional modeling clay and epoxie clays are 2 diametrically opposed ways of working nearly. One is softer and you have to be much more careful (clay) and the other you can beat upon but it's also a lot less easy to make changes - even the most minor moving of a leg requires hacking & tacking (sawng the leg, moving it to the new spot and somehow tacking - I use super glues - back into place).
I like the breaking/tacking process.. there are all kinds of ways to try first to decide if it'll work or not.. the thing about clay is that the end stages of detailing are nearly impossible in soft clays (although frankly I know some artists are just unreal at what they can accomplish with the soft before casting a prototype to be refined for the final production master). I like the apoxie breaking and thus can get to the refinemnt faster and never have to make a waste mold casting and production master.. I get to work on the same lump that's become horselike from starting with wires, foam or tinfoil and cardboard (my typical start points). THAT said, there is a certain amount of slowness to finding the "form" and "feeling" of a sculpture. And certainly if you do not have to refine it ad infinitum, softer clay is the way to go! :D
Anyhow, well yesterday to get myself feeling "productive" again I decided to ask for a birthday gift of a few pounds of nice soft modeling clay.
I guess I can cast things, who knows if I'll try that hard... it's just giving me an idea of if I want to continue with apoxie or perhaps move on to the wax clays they're making now (which vary in properties but I'm intrigued by those that soften/harden more easily- some clays even enough to stand horses with good armatures! ...well maybe not in our 90degree temps tho..!), but anyhow, the easiest thing to do while waiting was whip out a medallion-esque bas relief.
I'm in LOVE with the softness for the flow of the mane/tail.. not sure how much I like it for the body... lumpy lil body. My first effort with this my fiance looked at and asked me how the horse broke it's neck... actually, he said (this is an inside joke I guess for those who read my FB post yesterday on the NC arts org's health program name).. " now THAT should be called 'Fractured Atlas' ".... btw, the 1st really broken necked one is not the version you're seeing here (but think what you will of course - lol!)... just so you know I completely redid things there with the relief's pose.
I should do this every night before bed while we watch a tv show or two. :D It's just such a relief to do something that flows so much easier...
Had fun making a little "horse sculpt" here to put on the armature. If you aren't familiar with horse armatures made from pipes and fittings you should go check out Lyn Fraley's Wire to Whinny info online to see the REAL process. I just did the wee pony there to tease my guy who made this for me - see how essential the armature stand is? ;)
Anywho, so that was some fun for me from last night to this morning (when the armature stand got bolted on). It'll be interesting to see what tonight brings after dinner! Woohoo! :D
Oh! Sorry about the awful pictures - I have the camera set for studio settings and while I braced it against something it really needs the tripod & hands free timer at those settings so there is no forgiveness for hand movement... the hand-dandy point and shoot one is outside in the vehicle right now... I'd have to put shoes on.... so lazy. I want to get back to work I'm all jazzed & in a hurry! ;) I get really "lost" when I find new media to express myself in - or in "a zone" when I'm really plugging along... last night I started playing and then said, ok, just 1/2 and hour more, my eyes will barely stay open... and then I glanced up and it was 3 hours later. ..! So yeah, I have to be careful with these sorts of projects or I could become lost in them. Good for the creative flow tho - woohoo! :D
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