Gift for a Special Birthday

 Making the Marvellous Gift

 There are certain people and animal companions that are a real gift to us - and I have been privilege to make sculpture portraits that celebrate lives and become that special gift.

Often such portraits of unique Dogs are the gift for a special birthday and are a secret until the reveal....and here we are the making of a portrait head of a  wonderful Poodle person.

Here the inspiration and next the study of the subject and his character.

A surprise present for a special birthday - A commission of a portrait sculpture of a much loved dog - the Poodle Porthos

Some of the key dimensions

The armature has been readied

 The main side profile has been built up 

and the ears sketched in as a reference

Next the key profiles are worked on - ears removed  

to gain access to the cheekbones 

Now we have all the hair detail to put in

First on the nose

Then the left side

The new ear flaps are made and just tacked on for reference

Next work on the coat detail on the tight side and up over the head

The appearance of the head will improve as I work on the ear detail and hair. 

The expression of this lovely dog's eyes are beginning to develop.

It is rather dark in the studio today.

After more and more sessions on the left side and neck 

Such eyelashes!

There has been an intense time working ready to put the left ear in place and start to achieve its textures

Happy Dog Days!

Now the right side

 And now the neck

The ear set needs some attention and the right ear and last patch of hair detail to be worked on

All covered and the other ear in place  - next to work it all in and add more detail to the hair

Such a lovely look developing

A Marvel Labrador

 Such a unique friend and companion - part of the family.... we follow the making of a portrait head of a very special dog for a very special occasion ... superlative doubling intentional!

The making of a Labrador Dog Portrait Head

Such an intelligent and soft look...

Here we go on the cause to make a portrait head sculpture of this lovely family friend. First a selection of the key images and much study. A little like an iceberg - much happening behind the scenes.

Front

Side

higher ear-set

A key design image

Then the drilling, cutting and fixing of the steel rod and wire to support the clay

Next the fix of the wire and first clay

First Clay of the sculpture

Comparing with the Lovely Original to see the topline of the Labrador Dog

And the first build on the width

Just seeing how far to go!

but as with all project starts - keep going!

And the scale - Life size - 12" ruler

Work continues

You can see the use of pins as we fill out the profile of the dog sculpture from the front view

The line of the front of the ear is sketched in to check on proportions and you can see that the eye socket is developing. Fine details of the shape of the nose and forehead will be attended to once more of the width is built  up.

Another good series of sessions and filling out of the neck area and cheeks and some to the muzzle of the Labrador dog.

Next more study of proportions and measurements.

These sessions  and we have a dog! 

I have cut support mesh for the ears and have just set them on temporarily - what a difference they make.

A good series of sessions and much more of the planes of the face are thickened out.

A decision will need to be made about the neckline.

The ears are only sketched in 

Pins back in key places

The eyes in and ears sketched back into place

MORE Intensive sessions begin

All the connecting surfaces need to be checked and gradually added to and amended. 

The next sessions also included more work on the eyes and a beginning of those eyebrows.

So we now have a Labrador portrait head and are starting to see the characteristics of Humphrey

More intense sessions on the Humphrey clay and many details of the planes of the face and cheeks especially are coming into place.

 Also the beginnings of those eyebrows. 

We are also about ready to fix the ears on permanently.

It is hard to see all the work - but the sides are being brought to the same levels.

Including the shape of the lower jawline. Working in the fur of the eye-brows 

and forehead.

Time to begin the details of the eyes

and the start to make his nose and chin

The eyelids are added and the eyebrows started to merge in. Hours and hours to put in all the finer details and the beginnings of the key look of the hair.

The lips and lower jaw have had attention

The marker pins are still in place

 Next more of the final details