Portrait Sculpture of a Young Labrador Dog

Meet one special original

"Make Me ! ?"

Here we are Basil...the base of the form of the head in place on the supporting armature

Looking a little strange without the ears, but so important to have the correct shape of the  head first....some ears will be made as an early sketch...to be taken to show Basil at his first sitting for the clay.

We have had a good series of days at Basil's home, watching him and  spending many hours forming his portrait

Back at the studio many more hours work and  the details and then the fine details are  added. The  lovely spring weather meant I could take advantage of the good natural light and warm days!

Basil the Labrador, with his intelligent expression and

  big soft looking ears

Deerhound portrait Sculpture

This is the image of the  super Deerhound called Cassley.

The armature has been made with extra thick steel rod, as the head from nose to stop is nearly 12inches long!

The next stage is to increase the armature to support the clay, but stay within the final shape, and to then build up to the topline.

It is always exciting to see the first clay  go on and start to build up.

 Patience is needed as the  long steady build up is ahead.

Development up to the topline, and the beginnings of the eyesocket,

and starting down towards the  jawline

 

The  width is also starting to be developed.
One challenge is to sculpt the  bone structure and  muscles first
and not to see the  hair, all the lovely  hair!

Applying the layers of hair last, will give the proper appearance of depth of hair and  structure below.

The  neck is being built up and the  last details of the  topline developed

To give an indication of  where we will be going  some of the  key points have been sketched in

The  shape of the nose improves as the lower parts are added and the  bottom jaw  and chin developed

We now have the head of a long dog !

The sketch of an ear will be replaced by  two, both reinforced with special supporting metal mesh

We have come a long way...the  reinforced ears have been temporarily sited to check how they look. More  hair has been sketched in to support the  layers of hair that will be developed.

Some test  eyeballs have been added...which look strange without the  eyelids!

We have had a great session with  the  Deerhound and owner, and the  eye and ear are in place. Now the profile has been checked, the  base for the  coat and hair is built on.

The ear set closer to the head has been chosen...it has been an amazing experience  to discover how this great dog can change the positions of her ears an eyes and face!

The ear folds into the line of the head when the dog is up and ready to  run into the wind.

Marvelous

Just so you know  it does not all happen on its own...here is JOEL at work

here the  other  side  slowly progressing

and the front  view developing

There has been much work  on the  sculpture

The detail of the hair and  features is  added  little by little

And the  other side

Here is the happy original

Many more hours working over the detail and making small but important changes, and visits to the studio from the  original and  her kind owner.

The owner pleased and happy with the sculpture.

Next off to the foundry ( carefully!)

The mound made, wax taken and then checked and worked by JOEL - the casting went well and  a beautiful patination and then the unveiling

Fabulous - What a dog and what a sculpture