Clay Mockup with armature

[Anthony Filetti]

Well folks, here's my first stab at creating a clay mockup. I built an armature and added clay to this model. i modeled the figure anatomy only and haven't decided to add clothes and other items to the mockup or just draw them on after I have taken pictures to create my blank from. Let me know what you think (really i want to know...)

Thanks!

[Anthony Filetti]

Re: Clay Mockup with armature

...ok, lets try those first 3 pics again(sorry)...

[Thomp]

Re: Clay Mockup with armature

Tony,
if thats the pose you wanted, it looks like your well on the way to making a new charature,

looks like a ballet-a-renia? or a outfielder running to get under an intended homer

it should provide you ideas where the tight areas will be, and how to navigate the bandsaw or blade, when making the blank...

I find maping the block difficult when just drawing on the block. then trying to remember where all the features are through all the pencil smudges where i made modification 22,24,30 on the block.

i too wish i would have taken that much time with my armature ,

i was experimenting with some facial expressions and what would change them, fooling with eyes and eyebrow, closed mouth open mouth,
my armature was a single stick not much bigger round than a toothpick, it worked fine while we had cold weather, but now its getting warm, the head about like a big black olive and is sliding down the stick as its growing a horn...

thanks for the idea with the solder and copper wire.

[Krum]

Re: Clay Mockup with armature

Good start! Can I ask what the pose is of ? If your going to do a realistic figure that's why the ? of the pose. You can do a search for the pose look (online or mags) and help with what pose your going for. If it's a caricature look your going for you have a great start! Interesting. Will be watching to see.
Krum

[Anthony Filetti]

Re: Clay Mockup with armature

Thomp had it right its going to be a caricature guy in a ballerina type pose, its for an upcoming competition. It will be interesting to see how it comes out.
I've decided to add the clothes to the mockup as Thomp said its hard to draw it on afterwards.
This really is an exercise in making the leap from carving someone else's work to working from my own designs (BIG leap believe me...).
Cathy, I used google image searches to find this pose, it helped greatly both with the pose but also with the detail of how this figure works out.
I'll keep everyone posted with my progress as it is going to be one of the more difficult carving I've done to date. Another reason for such a dynamic pose is that the depiction of action is part of the judging criteria. I can only hope to have some measure of success, either way this is going to be a learning experience.

[mwilleson]

Re: Clay Mockup with armature

Looks great Tony!!

Keep us posted as the carving evolves.

[Krum]

Re: Clay Mockup with armature

Thanks Tony! Now I understand why such an extreme position. Never watched them perform. How long before the showing? Your going into the project with the right attitude! Will watch for more postings.
Krum

[Anthony Filetti]

Re: Clay Mockup with armature

Cathy,
It's not until late summer, and I'll need every bit of that time. I don't have much in the way of down time, so every minute working on projects like this are treasured. Mike (mwilleson) is also working on a carving from a clay model so we're swapping ideas.

I figured I'd put these pictures up for reference and to document my first time working in this fashion. Any help or comments is appreciated.

I've decided to next add the clothes and other items to the model before proceding further, I'll post pictures of this next stage once completed.

[BobD (Archive)]

Re: Clay Mockup with armature

It's funny,
I was talking with Marv Kaisersatt the other day about his design process. He does a clay model for nearly every carving he does...in fact, he said he's got several clay models in his house that he may never carve! For him, even making the armature is a creative exercise!

Bob

[Colin-Partridge]

Re: Clay Mockup with armature

Tony now you have done it another thing for me to try. I have often thought about it but never tried it. You have inspired me to go get some clay. thanks for sharing this could be benficial to a lot of us here.
Colin

[mwilleson]

Re: Clay Mockup with armature

It's funny,
I was talking with Marv Kaisersatt the other day about his design process. He does a clay model for nearly every carving he does...in fact, he said he's got several clay models in his house that he may never carve! For him, even making the armature is a creative exercise!
Bob

Bob,

I can only hope you were talking to him about the design process because WCI plans to do an indepth article about him and his methods!

I'm not trying to start a rumor here, but that would be a good article....or maybe a series of articles.

Go ahead and run with it Bob! Wink

[BobD (Archive)]

Re: Clay Mockup with armature

I can't say any more right now....

Bob

[Anthony Filetti]

Re: Clay Mockup with armature

...Marv...article...this is sounding good...

Colin, give it a try it's actually quite interesting. I like you have always been a Jack of all Trades, master of none and found this to be quite entertaining/fun. (BTW, you are a carver, ya just hadn't waken up to that fact...as an example you took the time to explain the Sumac species and how you derived the cool colors inside, my fmost faorite woodspirits I've seen to date!)

I had seen a few mockups around but Dave Stetson's book (caricature carving from head to toe) got me interested in it as he starts with a skull he crafted (a feat in itself) and used clay to add the musculature to the skull and cervical vertabrae, then he added a thin layer of clay as the skin, it was really interesting.

I had also picked up some Andrew Loomis drawing books, one of which was figure drawing. Of course this included drawings of figures in the nude. I wondered why they were drawn in the nude until someone told me that if you could get the basic anatomy correct adding clothes is easy. It's the foundation you want to work on. Once mastered you can derive any figure from it, even the exaggeration used in Caricature. Marv's book does alot to address building a foundation and how modifications to that foundation affect expression. (...**** Ima begginin' ta sound lots more learned than I truly am...)

Forgive my rambling, but this is my outlet for discussion as I don't get around other carvers often enough...