Here a close up of that happy face and with his pal - scroll down for the stages in the project to capture his portrait sculpture for a very special birthday celebration.
First stage will be to make the armature and study and measure the images
Wire of the armature for the body, head and legs
First clay working up towards the profile of the back
next to start filling out the front profile, including that Labrador chest
Several sessions later and both profiles have been built up
rear view
Left side, underside coming to profile
More study on key reference points
Intensive sessions to build up the body and match the key points
Noticing the shape of the breast and shoulder
The head is a little high, but will work up to that from the details of the paws upwards
Filling out front and rear views
you can see I have just put a quick hint of the clay on his back legs which will be the development of skin and fur on his hips as he sits
Top line is coming good
As the chest and abdomen are nearly completed the front legs can be fixed in place and filled out ...I must give him his tail !!
The long haul...we can see different areas being filled in and the beginnings of muscle groups developing
as each area comes closer to its finished profile, other sections need to be 'realigned' and altered - the left side is often the one that is worked on first.
The key point reference pins help and turning the sculpture and viewing from different angles.
Also time spent looking at the different images and glancing at the clay sculpture
We have a Labrador head and body developing and some of the character of the individual
View without pins! and a time to rest.
Tail more in place and front paws sketched in.
Here a look at the lovely and inspiring original, keeping him in view
More work, many hours yet it is not so easy to see where we have been!
Filling out the bottom and top lines, studying the angles and adding muscle
the shoulder line is improving
and the body development is noticeable on the Front and back views
in go the pins again
more work needed on the shoulders, rump and neck...then on with the details of the feet and mouth
It is more difficult to see at a glance where all the changes and hours of work have been made
The abdomen is filled out again both from the side and across the width, downwards to the ground. More breadth and muscle on the back legs.
The armature has been strengthened from underneath
and those front paws are now fixed
Different light conditions and more texture to the skin and hair of the flanks, ruff and neck
Checking other angles and a view of the work area
It is more difficult to see at a glance where all the changes and hours of work have been made
The abdomen is filled out again both from the side and across the width, downwards to the ground. More breadth and muscle on the back legs.
The armature has been strengthened from underneath
and those front paws are now fixed
More added to the shoulders and neck
and the beginnings of all that lovely ruff of hair.
You cannot see it happen ... but in among the time spent was 45 minutes of just looking at the clay model, turning it and glancing at the photographs.
I am often asked how long projects take...and I wonder if people would include looking and thinking time.
I also often glance at a work in progress as I pass it to do other chores, and spend hours looking at certain features such as paws, both on the clay model, in images, the individuals paws and studies of bone and muscle.
Notice Rufus often sits with his paws turned out slightly.
Work has happened on the front legs now they are fixed.
Many areas carefully filled in and checked from side to side
Progress to the rear view
You can see a pin placed as a note for more work and study of the jaw line
Now for the eyes and more details of his face
Next to go over all the surface and check the paws, and keep working on the face. The mould made and ...
here he is in wax
and Bronze
His owners comment "Looks absolutely terrific"
