Process: Modeling the Doves

These photos document the work that continues on the large-scale sculpture the will be used to memorialize  ECU students that die as students. It is called Broken Circle of Doves (I think), by Trey Martin. I was hired to model the doves. 

My previous post shows the armature construction process. Next is to get clay on that armature and sculpt the details. If the armature is done incorrectly, and sometimes its hard to tell until you get that clay on it, then you'll have to cut or add to the armature. 

I'll just briefly take you through the basics of "fleshing out" the armature. 

Wrapping the birds in newspaper and plastic helps to beef it out and seal it.

Now you can see the bodies more clearly and begin adding clay to the surface.

The bottom bird now is covered in clay, but with no details.

Wire is added so that the clay will stick to the underside of the dove.

This is a tool I made so that can make a raked texture to the surface.

My buddy Matt Grady was able to help me out by adding clay while I was teaching at PittCC.

We used a commercial Plasticine. It is softened to a mud consistency when heated in a microwave.

Get that clay on there Grady!

After a couple of weeks I have modeled the feathers, the eyes, the beaks and have decided that this is the completed "model".

I think I'm sitting on the floor for this shot. Remember that this is going to be bronze and about 6 feet from the ground.

Random notes: Birds have been represented in art for thousands of years. There are many different ways to represent the feather pattern on the wings. I decided on a pretty basic design of major, secondary, and then into the textured body.