The day job is finally slowing down a bit, so I had a chance to get a bit farther on the sculpture of my father. It still needs hair though and a bit more refinement, much like he did in his later years. Stupid cancer!
I'll be casting into plaster and transferring to marble when it is finally finished (soon I hope).
As a fun historical note, after creating marble busts of the deceased, the Romans put cremated remains inside. Not that we will do that, but I think it is kind of interesting.
Just think of the rich 'crematey' center the next time you are in the Louvre or somewhere with ancient marble busts.
In an effort to make more photo-realistic paintings (none of the interpretive modern art crap for me thanks), I bought a 'value finder'. It is basically a $5 little piece of cardboard with different shades of grey running from white to black so you can better isolate the colors in what you are trying to paint. I suppose I could have just printed one myself, but what if I screwed it up or something? I mean, getting ten shades of grey just right? Better to leave that to the experts.
My defacto neoclassical painting mentor Paul has a good article on this kind of Munsellishness here.
Hope that everyone had a good weekend, I did for a change.
Mio padre è morto di cancro lo scorso dicembre. Qui c'è il busto di lui che ho fatto...
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You're a talented man my friend.
ReplyDeleteI'd like some ancient marble busts on my mantelpiece. Of course, when I say busts...
Fantastic way to channel grief.
ReplyDeleteAnd way healthier than crawling into a bottle of vodka, like I did.
Mo - thanks! Hmm, after the link on your post today, oh wait, that was a link to something other than busts.
ReplyDeleteSas - Thanks, and sorry to hear that you had a rough time with the grief before (or if anyone reading is). Sounds like things are going great for you now though, you'll have to put up pictures of your idyllic cottage...
An artist, too? HOTT.
ReplyDeleteP.S.- Love my "never miss Thursdays" tagline. I remembered an AMAZING one for this week...
Your sculpture is coming along very nicely. You are one talented bloke, Eric!
ReplyDeleteThat is interesting about the cremated remains. It makes sense...but yeah, I'm definitely going to be thinking about it around old, marble busts...not that I'm around them much!
You had me at "rich crematey center".
ReplyDelete: )
I plan to have my cremateyness crammed into a man-made diamond. Because I'm classy like that.
The words "rich crematey" make me want a latte for some reason...
ReplyDeletelol Lilu... I can't wait to read TMI Thursday, I live my life by its teachings.
ReplyDeleteLopez, thanks! And try not to think too much about it if you are around them... ps - I want to see the self-portrait when you get around to doing the bucket list.
;) S&C, I've often wondered if someone was made into a diamond, would it be weird for someone else to do the 'grill' kind of thing and put the diamond in their teeth. Oh, yeah, that would be weird.
When I go, I want to be encased in a big block of casting plastic like a bug in an icecube and set adrift in the ocean, so a passing boater will be freaked out when they see me.
Vegetable Assassin, mmmmm... Charbucks...
I'm surprised you've never used a value finder!
ReplyDeleteSeriously nice work on the sculpture eric, and I was afraid you were going to say bronze, but you came through with marble. Can't wait to see it done.
What a beautiful way to honor your dad.
ReplyDeleteP.S.
I kinda mentioned you and some other fellow members in my post today ;)
You clever old thing! Really good job, Eric :)
ReplyDeleteFascinating about the cremated remains! It does seem kinda fitting.
Mr. C, I'm still fairly new to all this art stuff so the value finder wasn't on the radar.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yes, it would be a travesty not to put it into a nice marble old-style.
Dutch Donut Girl, Thanks! I'll have to check out the post this afternoon and make sure I'm living up to the bylaws and charter of the new organization.
:) Thanks Girl Interrupted! Still not finished yet, but it's getting way closer.
Yeah, it's not a bad way to keep that stuff I guess. Hopefully, Mom will like it.
I SO wish I could do that! It's already amazing.
ReplyDeleteOMG.
ReplyDeleteYour sculpture is already amazing! I can't wait to see it when it's finished!
Vic, thanks very much, and good to see you are up around and vicambulating again. Um, is it ok to use that since it is now your word and all?
ReplyDeletePwn Star, thanks so much! A while back I wasn't so sure, because the sculpture was looking a bit like Christopher Walken. I'll definitely post pics when done.
ps - be careful judging books by their covers lol
You Sculpt! Ah ha... made me curious so I went back and browsed your old posts. LOL.. (uh, no comments). I wondered how you stumbled across my blog. Now things make a little more sense. Must have been the drawing thing! BTW, the guy in the book is tired of hanging around upside down ;) You did good though. Left brain, right brain, it't all about observation and not labels. I'm dying to get back to the oils I've just begun to explore, but darn if the pencil work doesn't take alot of time. The sculpture looks good so far, I'll have to keep an eye on it for completion.
ReplyDeleteSide note.. I always learn something when I drop in here ;) thanks Eric!
Merci de votre passage, une magnifique sculpture à voir, bonne journée
ReplyDeleteToni J - lol *trying not to make a comment*. You are so right, and it's weird it took me so long to understand that one all-important aspect of just drawing what you see.
ReplyDeleteDon't completely give up on pencils as you go into the oil paints, you have a great talent there with the pencils. And, thanks, hopefully the sculpture will turn out well in stone. ;)
Musearevelise - :)
Merci, c’est très gentil!
J'ai bien aimé votre blog.
The sculpture seems to be shaping up great. You are quite talented, and I agree - what a wonderful tribute to your Dad. Keep up with the good work :)
ReplyDeleteMi dispiace about your padre.
ReplyDeletePearl
Ailurophile, thanks! I'm fairly new to sculpture, so I hope it turns out ok.
ReplyDeletePearl, thanks, he's in a better place now. Cancer can take a lot out of a person. :(
BTW, your blog has some good observational humor from what I've seen and I noticed you follow Gravel Farm so I'll be reading yours.
That's superb.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to seeing how you transfer it to marble.
Il tuo vivere l'arte è un qualcosa che va al di là di un semplice saper fare... si capisce che sei un artista di vita dal modo in cui ti esprimi dal modo in cui ti guardi intorno... bravo! :)
ReplyDeleteAre you a good singer! Greetings from Italy.
:)
Thanks Jules, hope the upcoming vacation is a great time.
ReplyDelete:) Anna, grazie mille e le sue parole sono apprezzati! Sempre bene hai posto, ragazza...
(I sound like Billy Joel when singing, but not particularly proud of that). ;)
I have learned something--didn't know about the Romans putting the remains inside (sort of makes sense, as a gesture). The sculpture is terrific. Wow.
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