As I've described before, I create these busts by first making an original sculpture from all kinds of different materials and objects. The initial inspiration for this one was the metal horse and carriage I found at the bottom of an old box in a flea market in France this summer. Scraping all the dirt off revealed a miniature rifle and baggage trunks on the roof! I gave her a military style costume as I really got in to doing epaulettes on my last bust - Tower Bridge Dragoon
Part of the silicone mould taken from the original sculpture I made
I don't show the original sculptures in my posts because I think it might detract from the finished object, but here you can get a brief glimpse of Highwayman's Girl in her costume with fringed epaulettes.
The silicone moulds in their plaster jackets - I get through a lot of plaster and it's HEAVY to drag the bags up to my first floor studio.
I cast the 'lace bodice' from a thick strip of elastic I found in an amazing harberdasher's in Paris - it was old stock and looked like it might have been used for 'industrial' style underwear back in the day. I'm always on the look out for interesting textures to cast from - interesting how quite an ugly mundane material can be transformed into something elegant. (perhaps I shouldn't give away the secrets and spoil the effect but after all, this is a'backstory'blog!)
The silicone has to be built up in layers - usually three, one layer a day for each side and then a day to make the plaster jackets so making the moulds is pretty time-consuming 
Of course I never know if a new bust is going to A) come out well and B) look any good so it's a relief to get both and I am pretty pleased with how this one turned out as the hat was quite a challenge
You may also like the posts on:
Tower Bridge Dragoon
La Cavaliere
Some of the first busts I made
Mme Sacre Coeur
And to see the whole Plaster Bust Collection on my website
I've got another one in the final stages of mould-making so watch this space!
She is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI would love to own a piece of your work.
Personally, I think that it would be very interesting to see ALL of the bits and pieces of junk that go into the model for the bust. In no way would it detract from the finished piece, it would add to the impact of your sculpture. The two pieces are so different. There is that area of protecting the process that I understand.
Hi Kathy
ReplyDeleteAmazingly beautiful work you make, it was very interesting to go through your blog and your website.
You ask me to tell you, if I know a log cabin is for rent - I will remember it!
The cabin I show on my blog, is for sale for 4.9 million NOK. But then you buy it all, which consists 10 houses and with a plot, which is on 13,300 m².
The main house has a number of Norwegian cultural treasures, among other things, rose paintings (rosemaling) on the beds and on the walls. This was painted by Norwegian artists for more than 200 years ago.
A perfect place to get inspiration - I will love to live there!