Last weeks object seems to have been a bit of a breakthrough for me, I got the object finished on time, started to think of the profile in a slightly different way and I posted the blog on time!
To my surprise I got the idea for this weeks piece last Saturday, it usually takes me a few days longer than that.
I have been feeding my brain by doing some research online looking at a lot of different art/sculpture as I feel that it is something I have neglected for a while with my focus being on producing the work I have been asked to do rather than the work I am inspired to do. I feel a little ‘out of touch’ with the art world, I think this research is bringing another side to my inspiration.
So the idea arrived early, the technique coming from a piece of driftwood I found on the beach, and I actually started the piece last weekend, this object – Donald – is a move forwards from another piece -Doug- I made earlier in the other Cunning Plan series. Well it could be considered a step sideways I suppose. Strangely enough it took me a while to make the connection and it wasn’t until I was moving some of the other sculptures, as they were in the way, that I spotted Doug and thought ‘a ha’!
It took me a while to find a piece of wood in the workshop that was not only the right size but had the right ‘look’. When I did eventually find it I was not 100% sure what it was, even when I cut it I wasn’t sure although I had my suspicions, I liked what I could see of the two colours within the wood. Once I started to carve the wood I realised from the smell that it was some kind of pine, although I have no idea which kind.
I knew that I wanted to push through the piece of wood from one side to the other to create a ‘hole’ in the middle but I did not know when I started what shape would be on the other side or where it would sit. Eventually I decided to put the same shape on both sides but have them at different heights as I thought this might dictate the shape of the hole somewhat.
Donald showing the lower green side of the sculpture
Donald showing the higher orange side of the sculpture
These two images show either side of the sculpture, to distinguish them I have called them the ‘green’ side and the ‘orange’ side as this is the colour of the wood on either side. That is down to the block of wood being part heartwood and part sapwood I think.
I got quite far into the piece early on and then stopped and put it to one side so that I could have a think, it has sat on my carving bench for a few days while I mulled over what to do. I often work in this way, walking away from a piece when I am not sure what to do and working on something else, then going back to it.
This afternoon I picked it up again to finish it off and removed some more wood through the piece until I felt more happy with it. I am not sure that it is completely finished but I have decided that it is better to stop at this point rather than push it too far, although maybe I should have pushed it just to see what happened even if it went ‘wrong’.
Donald showing the orange side at an angle
Donald showing the green side on the angle
I am really pleased that the different colours show through from one side to the other. I think this is another one to explore further and as there is still some left from the piece of wood it was cut from I think I could even make a small series. Ooooo
I finally managed to get myself sorted this week, I’ve not only got my object finished but I will be posting this blog before midnight today, I have acheived both things I set out to do after narrowly missing my deadline last week.
It took me a little while to think of my idea, I have been doing a lot of research around blogs and blogging this week and I’ve found several new blogs that I have thoroughly enjoyed reading, although I am still struggling to find anyone who carves picture/mirror frames as I do (all blog writing advice you read tells you to look for people within your niche). I am spreading my search a little wider to include wood sculpture, more information on what I’ve found in another post.
Anyway back to my idea, it has finally sunk in that the profile is only a starting point ( I know I said that myself in an earlier post but it has truly only just sunk in!) and the profile need not be ‘there’ when the object is finished.
It is easier to explain what I have done with a picture than words, the former is worth a thousand of the latter after all!
Casper in profile shape
This is Casper in his original profile shape, I have cut him into 4 ‘slices’ and put them back so the profile is the same as the original.
Other than the slicing I have not touched the wood in any other way, I just wanted to look at the shapes this time around.
My next thought was to start rearranging the slices to have a look at the possibilities.
Casper Alfie
Casper Bob
Casper Clive
Casper Dan
Casper Eli
At the moment Casper Alfie looks the most ‘pleasing’ to my eye, not quite sure why, need to think that one through a little bit more.
I think that the others have potential, if I remake the original several times they may look good as a small series.
I am now trying to work out how to connect the pieces so that the objects can be moved without falling apart. The considerations are whether or not I want to be able to see the connecting pieces, and what those connecting pieces will be made from – wood is the easiest for me to get hold of, or I do have some copper wire – needs more thought.
I can see a tangent going off from this one quite nicely, I better go sketch out some ideas before they all fly away!
January 20, 2010
Sounds like a strange combination I know, but these three things have been following me around recently. The way I see it all three are interconnected as the illness affects my motivation which impacts on the carving, and as it has been in unpredictable waves I cannot plan ahead for it.
Since before Christmas I have been feeling under the weather with a combination of cold/sore throat/cough/headache which has seriously curtailed the other half of my business (as a biscuit baker). I am feeling lots better now (so much so that I can start baking again tomorrow) but it has also affected my motivation and by association my frame carving.
I find that it fluctuates throughout the day starting with not being able to get out of bed in the morning, I wake up to my alarm but can’t get any further than that, I put it on snooze and wake up when it starts again but just can’t get past it to get up.
After breakfast I’m fine, my motivation has kicked in and lasts till lunchtime yet early afternoon is dreadful, I have to fight to keep myself motivated and being ill has completely knocked this ability away. I pick up again in the early evening and strangely my most motivated part of the day is between 10pm and 2am ( though I try not to work much past midnight if I can help it as I know it makes the next day even worse) I get loads done then and usually really good designs/plans/forward thinking, my mind is at its clearest. Also most of the daily distractions phone etc have disappeared.
What I am working on now is a way to either level out my motivation so that I can operate a ‘normal’ working day or work out how to change my day around so I do most of my work when I’m most motivated, maybe even having a siesta in the early afternoon might work for me, it worked for Winston Churchill after all!
Of course I could be using the wrong word here with motivation, maybe I should be using energy instead. Though at the moment it feels more like motivation than energy.
On a positive note I have managed to get my latest frame carved, and I am pleased about that.
I have started to implement some motivation boosters that other people have suggested and while they work through the rest of the day I can’t find anything to work with getting up.
Do you have any suggestions?
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