#431 In the studio: Bird anatomy, con't . . .

Please start this bird anatomy series with post #403, March 10.

Sculpture involves the consideration of three dimensions - width, height, and depth.

                        All shapes and forms in nature can be reduced to controllable simplicity.  

The artist must think in terms of these elementary shapes and forms.  

Shapes: Shapes are 2-dimensional and have length and width

Simple shapes are the foundation of drawing, and to draw accurately we must use all these shapes - 

circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, ovals, etc - in correct relation to each other.

Simple shapes and form are the foundation of sculpture.
A sculptor learns to think in terms of these basic shapes and forms.  

Details are simply decorations on the surface of these shapes.

Form:  When depth is added to shape, it becomes form 

Typically, I begin a sculpture with drawings.
Shown below, is a preparatory drawing of a Western Screech Owl.
The artist must determine what shapes are important for identification and establish the larger shapes first.

Below, is a two hour block-in of a Western Screech Owl.
Notice the assemblage of exaggerated shapes and form . . .
drawing lines and waypoints on the clay is an effective way for the sculptor
to understand form and large masses as the sculpture develops.

Shown below, is a preparatory drawing and clay block-in of an owl's head.

A drawing can do the work of thousands of words, defining something that cannot be described in words.
Through drawing, the sculptor transfers an intangible idea into an understood design.

Shown below, is an original etching.
An etching is a drawing executed on a metal plate, then etched into the plate with acid.
The plate is covered with ink, then wiped clean allowing ink to remain in the etched lines.
Paper is placed on the inked plate and printed on a hand-pulled press.
Much more on the etching process later.

All sculpture, etchings, and drawings - copyright Sandy Scott

#264 In the studio: Armature

Sculptors are builders:  We construct things and must get to the business of building by understanding armature, structure, bones and joints - not only where they attach but where they articulate.  

Shown below is a two hour block-in of a Screech Owl modeled at a recent demo.  See post #254.

The image on the right shows the model turned slightly to reveal the pipe support.  Note, the pipe flange has been attached to a wooden wedge which creates an angle . . . allowing more freedom to work under the sculpture.

#254 In the field: Prix de West Invitational

This weekend, the Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition opened at the National Cowboy Museum and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.  This is my 24th year at the gala event and I was invited to present a bird sculpture demonstration and talk.

My subject was the Western Screech Owl and I showed the audience studio procedures, preparation, and modelling techniques.  I gave a brief chalk-talk about bird anatomy, armature building, and how to block-in a bird in flight.
nationalcowboymuseum.org/ and nationalcowboymuseum.org/research/cms/.

Shown below are preparatory drawings for my screech owl demo.