I can't think of a way to categorize this post, but...I've been sculpting this maquette for my next imaginative painting and I wanted to talk about the process. Firstly, it's been a lot of freaking fun making this little guy, who I lovingly call "the dog". This creature was collaboratively designed between my friend and I a few years ago, and has been subject to constant change and reiteration. It's been delightful to be able to take part in putting my own spin on it and take inspiration from my friends epic ideas.
I'm using an oil clay to sculpt, and since it does not dry, it has been relaxing to work with without worrying about cracking or shrinking. The kicker is that it cannot be baked into a sturdy form. If i wanted or needed to, I could create a mold using the sculpt and cast multiples out of plaster or some other material. My hangup with the oil clay is my self-imposed inability to paint directly onto its surface (mostly due to cost and wanting to reuse the clay after each project). If I need to see the exact sculpt in color, I would need to go the mold route, which I am not the most experienced in.
It's been a while since sculpting a creature, a thing that does not exist in our real world. I referenced dog skeletal and muscular anatomy diagrams for reference when creating the wire armature for the sculpture. To bulk up the armature without using too much oil clay, I wrapped the wire with tin foil and tape. The armature is sturdy but also flexible, and I have been able to manipulate the pose even after covering the wire with oil clay (it doesn't hurt that oil clay is also very pliable).
This is what I've sculpted so far. It's really been a lot of fun to get back into sculpting, especially an imaginative creature like this. It's somehow easier to make something from nothing with my hands than it is with paint, and I aim to challenge that inner conflict in time. But for now, enjoy some pics of "the dog" so far.
-Gigi M.
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