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10 October 2008
As you may have noticed, the nude female anatomy is my favourite source of
inspiration.
I create my models in clay or Plasticine or even in wax. Clay and
plasticine are easy to work with but do not support their own weight and
often require an armature. Wax will stand on its own but is much harder
to model.
I often work from imagination, bending these little women in whatever pose
I fancy, they always comply.
I also like to work with a live model. It takes me about half an hour to
make a rough sketch. I then refine this sketch in the loneliness of my
studio over countless hours and only ask the model again late in the
process to help me check anatomical details,
such as fold of skins etc...
I can also work from photos. I take a number of pictures of the live pose
from different angles and use these images as reference to model the clay
in my workshop. I prefer to take these pictures myself but I have also
been working from images that people send me over the Internet.
I have also been experimenting with 3D modeling software. The learning
curve is fairly steep and the cost of having a 3D computer file printed or
milled as an object is still prohibitive. This method also requires me to
make an intermediary silicon mold to make a Plasticine duplicate. I then
used this
duplicate as a blank to modify and refine what was
modeled on the computer.
Whatever the modeling technique used, once I am happy with the overall
sculpture, I dip it in molten wax to smooth out the surface. Anatomical
details such as belly button, facial features, genital crease, clavicles
and dimples that I have exaggerated in the original sculpture become
suggested more than shown. Instead of dipping in molten wax, I sometimes
spray several layers of paint to the same effect... I then make a final
silicon rubber mold which I will use to make wax replicate ready for the
casting process.
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