#398 At the foundry: Patina, the power of color, con't . . .

Please start this series about patina with post #391, Feb. 13

Below, is a new sculpture entitled Branching Out.  
The patina was achieved by heating the bronze with a propane torch and sizzling on cupric nitrate. 
 Next, ferric nitrate was stippled while the bronze was still hot.  I routinely use this classic, simple patina. 
Note, the cupric nitrate that remains in the negatives.

Branching Out

7"H 12"W 7"D

Copyright, Sandy Scott

#397 At the foundry: Patina, the power of color, con't . . .

Please start this series about patina with post #391, Feb. 13

Unlike cupric nitrate and ferric nitrate, which requires the bronze to be heated before application . . .

liver of sulfur, which produces black and brown, is applied to the sculpture cold.  

Below, is the sculpture Ovis Aries.  The top image shows the cold application of liver of sulfur.  

The lower image shows the sculpture after it has been heated with a propane torch and cupric nitrate 

has been sizzled onto the bronze.  Note the blue color . . . if ferric nitrate had followed the cupric application, 

the color would have changed to a warmer, yellow green.  

Ovis Aries

16"H 13"W 5"D

Copyright Sandy Scott

#396 At the foundry: Patina, the power of color, con't . . .

Please start this series about patina with post #391, Feb. 13

Color is more powerful than form and the patina color choice can enhance or detract from the overall
presence and emotional effect of a sculpture.

Below, are two images of Moose Fragment I with two different patinas . . .

The top image employed ferric nitrate, and the bottom cupric nitrate.

Moose Fragment I
17"H 8"W 4"D
Copyright Sandy Scott

#395 At the foundry: Patina, the power of color, con't . . .

Please start this series about patina with post #391, Feb. 13

Cupric nitrate and ferric nitrate are both applied with heat.  As more heat is used during the application of ferric nitrate, the color changes from a pale yellow to a deep, rusty red.

Below, ferric nitrate is applied over cupric nitrate which produces a  

greenish patina due to the blue  undercoat of cupric nitrate . . .

as additional heat is applied and more ferric nitrate is stippled on, the patina darkens and vibrance is enhanced.

Bison Fragment II
20"H 25"W 8"D
Copyright Sandy Scott

#394 At the foundry: Patina, the power of color, con't . . .

Please start this series about patina with post #391, Feb. 13

The patina color choice can enhance or detract from the overall presence and emotional effect of a sculpture . . .

color is more powerful than form.

The chemical, ferric nitrate produces yellows, golds, rusts, and reds while cupric nitrate produces blues and greens. These two chemicals along with liver of sulfur, which produces black and brown,

 are the "big three" and are most often used for bronze patina.

Below, are two images of Buffalo II Fragment with two different patinas . . . 

the top image employed ferric nitrate and the bottom cupric nitrate.

Buffalo  Fragment II

Copyright Sandy Scott 

#393 At the foundry: Patina, the power of color, con't . . .

Please start this series of posts about patina with #391, Feb. 13.

The color of the patina can enhance form, but it can also negate and overpower form.
Typically, I have a patina in mind as I create the sculpture and I always consider color very carefully.  

I routinely use color to suggest the natural color inherent to a species, such as the Great Blue Heron . . . 

the chemical, cupric nitrate, produces blues which is the logical choice for the bird.  

Always remember, color is more powerful than form. 

Nesting Heron
15"H 25"W 26"D
Copyright - Sandy Scott

#392 Happy Valentine's Day!

Hearts Entwined

Copyright, Sandy Scott 

#391 At the foundry: Patina . . . The power of color

Ancient bronzes emerged from the earth and sea with beautiful blue and green patinas due to the copper content of the bronze . . . the color was acquired through age.  Today, sculptors "age" their bronze sculptures by applying chemicals to the bronze and different chemicals produce different colors.

Author, friend, and fellow sculptor, Tuck Langland comments in his book From Clay to Bronze: "You make the sculpture for critics, and the patina for sales.  While it is certainly true that a bad patina can make a good sculpture look bad,  and a good patina can help a bad sculpture look better - don't skimp on this final but crucial step."  

The use of patinas and the color of a bronze has a profound effect on the sculpture's final appearance and the impression it makes on the viewer . . . color is more powerful than form.

Below, is my sculpture of a cat with three different patinas.

Preening Cat 

13"H 9" W 9" D, Copyright Sandy Scott

#390 Remarque: "Marauder of the Night" . . .

The sculptor must break the figure down into basic shapes.  

Regardless of how complicated the animal appears . . . train yourself to see the big shapes first.

 Marauder of  the Night

14"H 8"W 6"D

Copyright - Sandy Scott

#389 Remarque: "Great Horned Owl"

The Great Horned Owl is one of my favorite subjects.  The large, heavily built, barrel-shaped species has a large head and broad wings.  The ear tufts are neither ears nor horns, but simply tufts of feathers.  The nocturnal raptor has excellent hearing and vision.  A unique fringe-like leading edge of the primary wing feathers which allows silent flight . . . enables the bird to capture its prey by stealth.

Great Horned Owl

7 1/2 x 8  Original hand tinted etching

Copyright Sandy Scott

#388 In the field: Settlers West "American Miniatures '13"

Tomorrow night is the annual Settlers West Gallery American Miniatures '13 show and sale.  Located in Tucson, Arizona, the show features works sold at their set price by an Intent to Purchase draw.  Some of the most talented
and accomplished artists creating today provide art for the celebrated show.

The reception begins at 5:30 PM, and the Intent to Purchase drawing is at 7PM.  Patrons need not be in attendance
to participate.  Please contact the gallery by phone or email by noon tomorrow, Feb. 9, and they will fill out an Intent
to Purchase slip on your behalf.

This is an opportunity to purchase one of the remaining castings of the new Cody Moose sculpture . . . 

15 of the small edition of 21 have been sold. 

For information:  http://www.settlerswest.com  

Phone: (520) 299-2607
Email: info@settlerswest.com

 Cody Moose
16H

Working the Singles
11"H

#387 Remarque: "Lord of the Swamp" . . .

Figurative art is not a specimen or a facsimile of nature.  Art must leave an impression and make the viewer "feel" . . . Nature provides the original and the artist calls upon this source to invent.  Art is characterized by originality, truth, and invention . . . leading the observer, step by step, through the world around us.

Art does not reproduce what we see;

rather it makes us see. 

                                        - Paul Klee

Below, is a sculpture inspired by a figure in nature.  

The work can be plumbed and used as a fountain fount for a water treatment. 

Thus, the water becomes part of the design.

Lord of the Swamp
14"H 14"W 10"D
Copyright - Sandy Scott

#386 In the field: Autry Masters, con't . . .

I enjoyed brisk sales at the Autry Masters . . . it was rewarding to see all of the "intent to purchase" names pulled out of the box and posted!  All work was new 

and introduced at the show.

Below, images and memories of one the most important exhibitions of representational art in the country:  

The Autry Masters.  For more information about the show, start with post #379, Jan. 22 and go to  http://theautry.org/masters

Left to right: Joyce Browning, Trish Smith, John Potter, Sandy Scott, Tom Browning

 Jackie Autry, Founding Chair, Life Trustee, and collector of my work

Jim and Jodie Rea, Trustees, friends, and collectors of my work

Friend and fellow artist, Howard Terpning

Howard and Marlies have one of my fountains at their home in Tucson

 

 Fellow artist, Dean Mitchell . . . I have admired his work for many years

Nesting Heron was among my works that sold well at Autry

#385 In the Field: Autry Masters, con't . . .

The Autry Masters weekend is over.  The 2013 Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and Sale was dedicated to Saralynn . . . John Geraghty's beloved wife of 60 years who passed away Jan. 23.  Saralynn shared with John a passion for western art that they channeled into their work on behalf of the Autry National Center in Los Angeles.  Saralynn was a dear friend.  Her beautiful smile and elegant style will be missed by those of us who loved her.

At right, John Geraghty at the Artist's dinner Friday night.  
The show is open to the public until Sunday, March 17.
More about the Autry Masters on Tuesday.

               http://theautry.org/masters

Saralynn Geraghty

1930-2013

#384 In the Field: Autry Masters, con't . . . "Crowing Rooster"

Below, is an image of Crowing Rooster, another new piece that will be introduced this
weekend at the Autry Museum's Masters of the American West Exhibition and Sale.
The high-relief sculpture is mounted for a wall hanging.

For more information start with post #379, Jan. 22 and go to

http://theautry.org/masters

Crowing Rooster
22"H 14"W 8"D
Copyright - Sandy Scott - 2013