Wednesday, May 7, 2008
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Violin Relief Sculpture for Music from Angel Fire
Step 1, I wrapped the violin with plastic wrap to keep it clean. I traced the shape of the violin onto a piece of tracing paper and drew a two inch grid over it. After finding a picture of Beethoven on the internet ( a painting by Josef Karl Stieler) I enlarged it with the computer and placed a one inch grid over the picture. I made a sketch of the basic facial parts from the original photo of the painting and enlarged it as I drew it onto the sketch paper comparing the two grids. Next I put clay onto the violin and started modeling as you can see in the photo. I used the two inch gird to measure for location and size of the face, and placement of the eyes nose and mouth. The grid and a ruler allowed me to check my work as I went along for accuracy.
Violin Relief Sculpture for Music from Angel Fire
Step two, here I am continuing with the modeling almost finished with the clay part. I worked on and off modeling for about three days until I was satisfied; it is always a good idea for me to let my work sit for awhile; this gives me time to critique it and tweek it here and there.
Still Modeling
Tweeking
At the Foundry
This is Michael Hamilton's mold making place at Taos Foundry. Here he's cleaning up the recessed areas where I used some vegetable oil to help smooth the surfaces. His concern is that the silicone product may sit on top of the oil rather than the detail of the sculpture.
At the Foundry
Molding Products are by Smooth On and can be purchased at Smooth On.com or the Sculpture Depot in Colorado. There are three products: Mold Max 30, the catalyst, and Thi-Vex.
At the Foundry
Here Micheal is mixing the two products : Part A and Part B. The ratio is 10:1. Here you can see the bowl is resting on a scale to make sure the measurements are accurate. The third product is added to increase the thickness rapidly. If you happen to order some of these products, complete directions are on the containers.
At the Foundry
Here Micheal uses his drill with an attachment to mix the silicone materials.You don't have to take your shoes off to do this.
At the Foundry
Micheal adds heat with a hairdryer to loosen up the mix so that it applies well and lessens the curing time.
At the Foundry
Micheal is applying the silicone mix carefully making sure all the recessed areas are filled. The print coat is thin so it can dry without bubbles which make pits in the finished product.The Mold Max 30 debubbles itself as it dries. The successive coats of the silicone will have increased amounts of the catalyst Thi- Vex to make them thicker more rapidly. The number of coats is determined by the size of the cast and how many times the mold will be used, or the size of the edition.
At the Foundry
The first coat is finished. Successive coats will be added over the silicone to make it stronger, depending on the material used for the cast. This particular piece being small and not anticipating other casts, will not need as many.
At the Foundry
Finished first layer
At the Foundry
This is a picture of a "Mother Mold", which is a plaster mold made over the silicone mold to reinforce it and keep it firm in place while pouring the cast.
At the Foundry
This is another coat to the mother mold. As I said in my latest post, Micheal uses FGR-95 which is a gypsun based plaster enmeshed in a fabric; it is soaked in the bowl of water and applied over the previous layer. After the layers dry, he will remove both plaster and silicone molds and pour the cast. Stay tuned.
Removing the "mother mold"
Here Micheal is gently lifting the plaster mother mold from the violin.
Removing the silicone mold
The silicone mold is now gently lifted.
Trimming the mold
After examining the silicone mold, Micheal uses scissors to trim a place where the mold would block the flow of the casting material.
Mixing the Cold Cast Bronze
These are the two materials for mixing, Smoothe Caste 300. purchased from the same source as the silicone mold. He will also be adding powdered bronze flakes to simulate the real bronze effect.
Mixing the products
Using a measuring spoon, Micheal puts the two products in separate cups making sure the amounts are correct before mixing them together.
Adding the bronze powder
The bronze powder is added to one of the cups before the two are mixed together.
Mixing products
The products are mixed by hand with a disposable spoon for approximately 30 seconds. You can see the mold in the background ready for the pour.
Pouring the casting material
The first layer is poured into the mold being careful to cover all the negative areas. This will be the surface of the sculpture.
Second Layer
After the first bronze layer dries, Micheal mixes two more layers of the Smooth Caste 300, which are white unless some color such as the bronze powder is added.
Removing the cast from the mold
After all the layers are cured the cast is removed from the mold.
Cleaning up the cast
Fitting the cast to the violin
Using steel wool to polish the cast to a bronze finish
Final stage
Here Micheal paints a patina over the polished sculpture.
Final Steps continued
The patina is wiped from the high surfaces leaving the dark color in the recessed areas.
Finally
The sculpture cast is polished again on the high surfaces with steel wool to bring out the bronze shine.
Back in my studio
These are the materials and tools that I used to adhere the sculpture to the violin. First, I used the acetone ( finger nail polish remover) to clean up the violin where the plastic wrap left some residue. On the plate is steel wool and sand paper, used for polishing the sculpture and cleaning up residue around the edges of the sculpture. The hair dryer was used to blow small particles from the recesses of the sculpture. I used JB Weld around the edges of the sculpture to adhere it to the violin, cleaned up the edges with sandpaper and acetone, then applied masking tape to protect the surface. The next step involved backfilling the sculpture with bondo. Yes, it is the same product used in body work on cars. I used the tools on the right to help me control it and wore gloves and a mask for the fumes. I also used a fan and opened the windows. The gray box is my dremmel tool set which I used to shape and trim the bondo after it cured.
In My studio
Here I'm trimming and shaping the bondo with the dremmel after the materials cured.
In My studio
The sculpture is in place.
In My Studio
Here I am beginning the collage phase of the violin. I downloaded a violin quartet by Beethoven from the internet. Using my copy machine, I made copies of the music and words in about four different sizes. Next I started arranging letters and notes of different sizes together in a sequence. First the title of the composition, then Beethoven's name, and finally different sequences of the music. By varying the sizes from large to small and changing the direction, I added the element of movement to simulate the flow and movement of the music as it flows around the violin, carrying the viewer's eye in a movement that would have the same feel as the music itself.
In My Studio
This is the back of the violin; you can see the letters and notes plus the staff that I added in various places.
In My Studio
After adding the collage elements, I glazed the violin with a Gamblin oil painting medium called Galkyd. I thinned it with mineral spirits and added transparent oil paint color: Transparent Earth Red, another Gamblin product. I hung the violin up to dry.
In My Studio
Here I have begun the painting process. I am using oil paint.
In My Studio
In this photo I am working on the back of the violin adding the element of color using neutral and warm colors in a gradation from top to bottom and vice versa in various places to add to the movement.
In My Studio
After a few days of painting, tweeking and touching up, I decided the music was conflicting with the sculpture. At that point, I glazed over some of the background elements with the transparent Earth Red and added some highlights to the face of Beethoven with gold leaf paint.
In My Studio
The next to the last step is to glaze the violin with the Galkyd medium, which dries transparent and gives it an enamel-like finish.
In My Studio
After letting the violin dry for about a week or more, I added the final coat of spray laquer on the face of Beethoven and the waxed the wooden painted parts of the violin.
In My Studio
After the glazing has had several days to dry, I sprayed the Beethoven sculpture with laquer, and waxed the whole violin, and polished it. Here it is finally finished.
In My Studio
Here is the view from the finished back side.
In the Studio
I like working on more than one model at a time; it gives me time to reflect and contemplate changes and gather new inspiration.
Freedom
clay model ready to go to the foundry. I'm offering discount prices to anyone purchasing before I take it to the foundry.
Fantasy
This picture shows some of the armature and wiring needed to support the model in the sculpting stages.
Fantasy
This picture was cleaned up with photoshop, the wires are not removed before the molding process. Fantasy is also available at precast pricing.
Devine Assist
This is my third model; Initially I had planned to make another female with wings, but when I started sculpting it looked so masculine I changed my mind. A little devine guidance?
Devine Assist
You can get a view of how it really looks now before it goes to the foundry, wires and all. There are aluminum wires approximately 3/8th of an inch thick as the armature and I used a copper wire mesh for the wings under the clay.
Pleasantly Pregnant, from The Secret Life of Pears
This bronze was the result of an inspiration at 3 am in the morning when you find youreself awake. It is a reflection of the human experience from a totally different perspective. I have others which I will post later or you can visit my website : www.wcrogersart.com
Guardian Angel from the Secret Life of Pears series
Guardian Angel is another bronze in the series The Secret Life of Pears. For more views visit my website, www.wcrogersart.com
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