Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture

[mite5255]

All I can says is F%^KING WOW , I admire anyone that can take an inanimate object and make a life like object from it, or even an abstracted object from it , that looks fantastic

[F.C.]

Thanks, Mike... Wait till after I get that head fixed more correct then watch as this thing starts coming alive.

[mite5255]

OH F%CK are you going to do a Frankenstein

[mite5255]

Because Of You Frank, and Richard, when ever I see bronze or metal art work I now look at it in a more appreciative manner, I have even visited a small gallery just to look and ask questions. I'm hoping that I can eventually come across someone who'll let me sit in and possibly help. I really wish I had some artistic ability, but alas I have none, so all I can ever hope for is copy a resin model or find someone as I said before who'll let me sit in

[F.C.]

Mike, if you can communicate through writing you can communicate through art. It just takes time and effort to learn tricks in how to define shapes, trick the eye to perceive more than what's there, etc. Abstracts are a perfect example. It took us time to master use of a pencil to write our own name. Only one's desire to strive to clean up the strokes to make one's signature to be more calligraphic, separates the average typical writer from one who's got an eye for artistic aesthetics. There's an old gal (a bit older than me) in our sculpture class I'm teaching whom I swear seemed to have "0" art skills beyond that of a kindergarten child. She wants to learn and stays at it and by damn she's start'n to get the hang of it. In fact, something she did on a personal piece of hers she's been toying with over the summer months literally floored me. She's managed to figure out how to create the appearance of a thin sheer cloth draped over a body part that you can actually "SEE THROUGH"... but it's CLAY!! How is that possible? HAHAHA. Imagine a medium that's entirely opaque yet visually tricks the mind to perceive transparency!! Yes, I've known of this technique for decades, myself, but always steered clear of it 'cause I never liked the result of my attempt at it. Not enough practice, in other words. This gal took a hint and pushed it till her barriers of understanding broke down and now she's mastered that technique. She taught me, now, is what I'm saying. It's all about desire and determination to learn and master manual techniques of manipulating a medium and planning the removal (or addition) of material to create a relief image. The more you practice the better your hands get at capturing the images your mind wants to create.

Mike, if you ever want to take a bit of vacation here in the US, .."me cassa es'su cassa!" (my home is your home). Plan it when I'm doin a sculpture piece and I'd be sincerely happy to let you assist. There are multiple stages that require considerable effort in all statuary work. Building an armature is one... building up the bulk of the anatomy, another... finishing details, yet another, ... make'n a mold of the finished model (very time consuming task of rudimentary effort),... making the wax impressions from the mold and re-assembly in wax as an original, ... then re-sectioning the wax in pieces to accommodate casting with the crucible volume capability, ... then re-assembly of the bronze cast through brazing, TIG, or MIG welding, ... and finally the patina effort. It's all necessary and I must say it's perceived as a labor of love in my mind. I've helped other artists over the years get through some of these tasks which has encouraged my own creativeness and taught me things I never knew prior. Art is sharing, Mike... not just sharing the vision that's created, but sharing of the techniques used to create those images. Like teaching someone a language, or how to write, to better their ability to communicate. This is why I've been documenting the processes involved in resurrecting this bear. Everything I do to create this bear is designed specifically to represent the full image I intend for it to present, and to accommodate the foundry equipment I have to cast it, as well.

It's all a labor of love, Mike....

[mite5255]

Thanks for the offer Frank, I'd definitely pay you a visit if I ever get to travel over your part of the forest, plus a few other members could expect a knock on the door also, could even slip up to Canada and down Mexico way for a look......Question Frank...All the pieces will need to be welded, how did they weld the large bronze statues together that were cast a years ago before modern welding processes were used... In Europe there is some very large intricate bronze statues so they must of I guess had some way of welding them together

[F.C.]

They were hand forged together, Mike. Some genius figured out how to make a flanged male and female fitting. They designed the joint (like an arm or leg to a main body) to be tight as a duck's ass (that's water proof for you laymen). Then when ready to fit one male end into a female end they heated the female end (the torso for instance) (kinda like fore sex, don't'cha think?)) which widened that opening and then they inserted a chilled male end (like the leg or arm). When the female section cooled the opening shrunk, the male end expanded once back up to normal temp. Then all they had to do was lightly hammer the seamed joint which eventually malled the joint closed till it became virtually invisible. The patina, then masked any tell tale evidence once all the final sanding and cleansing prep was completed.

[mite5255]

It never ceases to amaze me on how things were done 100, 500, 1000, 1500, years and beyond, just look at a old clock, the work to hand build them would have been enormous, but I guess in a 100 years plus they'll wonder how we did things with such primitive tools

[Rasper]

One advantage they had back then was there was no welfare system. Every man had to earn his living. In the US now, over 50% of the population is on a government payout. They have to import Mexicans to do most of the real work. But now I hear the Mexicans are getting welfare too, at least in California, even when they are illegal. And get this—they move back to Mexico and the state of California mails their welfare checks to them here in Mexico. Hey! I live here in Mexico. Maybe I can get some of that free money.

Richard

[F.C.]

Progress pics from yesterday and today's efforts. Didn't like the ears nor their position so I removed them till I got the forehead, snout, jowls, and lower jaw right. I'll re-create the ears in clay when that layer's being put on. Just about done with the body in general and will try and have the automotive bondo applied (to fill air cavity holes in foam) and will do a thin coat over most of the foam body basically to give it a sealant so the clay won't get contaminated with foam dust and loose debris. I'll carve a generic claw out of wax then mold that and cast multiples to insert into the feet during clay application. The mouth I intend to make a form fit cavity mold then I'll fill that with wax. Once the wax chills I'll remove the mold form and carve out the teeth, gums, tongue and partial lips. When I get them look'n right I'll fit them like a set of false teeth and use clay to model them into place and form the remaining lip details and blend all together so ya can't see any fitment marks.

Clay's been ordered as of yesterday and should be here mid next week. 200 lbs I ordered. I've tried to keep this model fat and defined enough to minimize any clay use for detailing. I'm planning on liquefying this clay and brush it on thin, uniformly, then add more build up with brush in areas I see necessary... then detail that clay hide with more crease strokes defining hair and hair folds to make the overall image "POP" with depth of contrast details. Ears will be modeled with slab clay and attached then finished along with the final detailing of the hide.

Yet another step closer to finishing this 10 yr vision. And I'm actually on track with the schedule I told my client to expect. I said I'd have it ready to pull a mold from within three months or there 'bouts. Figure another two months to mold & model the wax then section that to invest in plaster for burn out and casting. Then another month to weld and patina. Pending how cold this winter will be that schedule may have to be extended 'cause I don't have any insulation in the shop. But the cooler (cold) weather would be ideal for making the wax model with least chance of tweaking the wax out of shape prior to be invested. The investment molds can then be wrapped in insulation to preserve them till better, more comfortable weather arrives for burn out and casting.

Gawd, I LOVE THIS STUFF!!! HAHAHAHA....