I.Lewis on tue 16 nov 99
------------------
May I suggest that before investing in many manufactured tools, Subscribers =
who
are turning to sculpture try to examine Bronzes by Jacob Epstein. This early
twentieth century sculptor seems to have avoided using anything but his own
hands to shape and model clay portraits which were eventually cast in =
bronze.
Portrait sculpture may be about creating a likeness. But it is also about
bringing forth the spirit of a subject, be it as simple as a sea worn pebble=
or
as complex as a war memorial. Yes, tools have a place in the scheme of =
things
when use with circumspection. But applied freely, they give clay a =
mechanistic
quality which may be at odds with figurative intentions. Hands working clay =
give
expression to form and surface which is not obtainable in any other way.
I would support the advice already given, especially texts about the =
processes
of Bruno Lucchesi by Margrit Malmstrom, published by Watson Guptill, Terra
cotta, ISBN 0-8230-5320-2 and Modelling the Head in Clay,ISBN 0-273-01315-3
Ivor. Who=92s high school students modelled caricatures of teachers in terra=
cotta
on coiled armatures.
ken tighe on wed 17 nov 99
------------------
Good advice Ivor. And congratulations for what you are doing with high
school students. Yes, our hands and fingers are our best tools. I do
figurative work where the head is often the size of, say, half a large egg,
smaller even. I have large hands and thick fingers yet they do 90=25 of the
work on the head and face (granted I'm not Jacob Epstein. These are
production pieces that will not win prizes but that nobody will throw rocks
at either.) At the very tail end of the modeling process is where the tools
come into play. Remember, if the shape and gesture don't read right, all
the elaborate detail in the world won't save it. Detail on most figurative
sculture are like the little sprinkles on top of a rich, mouth-watering
dessert. Ken. (Whose only high school student is his own child who could
not care less about art.)
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
=3E------------------
=3EMay I suggest that before investing in many manufactured tools, =
Subscribers who
=3Eare turning to sculpture try to examine Bronzes by Jacob Epstein. This =
early
=3Etwentieth century sculptor seems to have avoided using anything but his =
own
=3Ehands to shape and model clay portraits which were eventually cast in =
bronze.
=3EPortrait sculpture may be about creating a likeness. But it is also about
=3Ebringing forth the spirit of a subject, be it as simple as a sea worn =
pebble or
=3Eas complex as a war memorial. Yes, tools have a place in the scheme of =
things
=3Ewhen use with circumspection. But applied freely, they give clay a =
mechanistic
=3Equality which may be at odds with figurative intentions. Hands working
=3Eclay give
=3Eexpression to form and surface which is not obtainable in any other way.
=3E
=3EI would support the advice already given, especially texts about the =
processes
=3Eof Bruno Lucchesi by Margrit Malmstrom, published by Watson Guptill, =
Terra
=3Ecotta, ISBN 0-8230-5320-2 and Modelling the Head in Clay,ISBN =
0-273-01315-3
=3E
=3EIvor. Who=92s high school students modelled caricatures of teachers in =
terra
=3Ecotta
=3Eon coiled armatures.
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