Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture

[Jammer]

Teeth look great, he does look a little harmless with them.

[F.C.]

Wow Frank… just … wow.

Thanks Latz.. Still a LOT of progress yet to do before I get it nailed down to a final but it's get'n there.

[F.C.]

Teeth look great, he does look a little harmless with them.

Yeah, he do look a bit harmless huh!! That'll change dramatically soon enough. Lots of detailing yet to accomplish not just in the teeth but over the entire body. It evolves as I put effort in it so until "IT" decides it's done evolving I can only attempt to keep up and oblige. The more it evolves, the more exciting it becomes.... and that's the point, I suppose... to let art lead one during creation rather than restrict the vision to one's own desire to be done with it. I want this one to give off body heat and give the viewer the sensation its eyes are following them and it's about to lurch forward & slap 'em down. The closer I get the more it metaphorically "speaks" to me what it wants so I simply go with the flow.

[F.C.]

And another day apply'n clay to this bear. Decided the best approach is to go with the flow... bit at a time till it's done... stop being so impatient. Here's today's progress pics of late. Note, I've decided it needs more mass around the neck. Due to weight and balance issues I used crumpled up newspaper to create mass then sheathed that in 1/4" clay slabs. Also worked on the face a bit, added eyeballs, eyelids, and snout. Tomorrow will be roll'n out more slabs of clay to bring this bear's anatomy into more correct proportion. The lower legs, for instance, also need considerable mass. As my friend Jonathan Lotton (a licensed bear guide in Alaska) stated this morning bears are dang near nuth'n but fat and ass when the hide's removed. Somehow I knew this but for whatever reason I've been creep'n up on it rather than just goin for the fat and ass from the git go. Anywhooo... I'm like'n the progress so far. Tomorrow will get more headway now that I've got a plan for developing mass without the excess use of clay and the added weight.

[mite5255]

Holy shit Frank, that's magnificent

[F.C.]

Thanks, Mike... Here's today's progress. Cold as an ex-wife's tit in the shop all day today. Not freezing, just miserable wet cold. Made for a sloooow effort due the clay chilling too quickly and make'n it difficult to manipulate.

[dallen]

starting to look a little like the ex

[mite5255]

starting to look a little like the ex

Those teeth look fantastic

[F.C.]

After some serious research compare'n photos of actual bears with the current body I've built on this bear of mine I've determined the neck needs more mass as well the lower portions of the hind legs and the bear's ass, as well. Problem is, that's a LOT of clay to add, which I've only got about 100 lbs of clay left. Spent the day experimenting with wadded up newspaper pressing wide thick masses of that over areas needing build up and then covering that with a 1/4" slab of the clay. Seems to work for building up mass but the after effect is rather spoungy and would require brushing on yet another 1/4" of clay to stiffen it up. Beats wasting a few inches of clay though. Still... by the time I get those areas built up I'm still going to end up running out of clay before I get the whole bear covered to my liking. Guess I'll be hit'n up my investor for another clay order. This is a huge sculpture!! HAHAHA... Going to have to spend a month, at least, figuring out how many pieces and where to dice it up to cast when it's time. LOL....

[F.C.]

Will post more pics once I get those masses more proportionate.