A face

I’ve been sculpting the face in wax for the figure.  I’m looking at photos and paintings of women who were considered beauties in the 1880s (the period of the clothing) as my models.  The idea is an ideal and austere form- like a Greek statue, but offset with the intense imagery being projected through the mask.

So I’ve gotten the face roughed-out in wax.  It still needs ears as well as detail work, but so far so good.  Then I add the mask.  I’ve got some flat sheets of wax somewhere and can’t seem to find them yet.  Those will be ideal for getting a nice perfectly-smooth surface on the mask.  All I have to do is cut out the shape and sort out the attachment.

As much as I’m not looking forward to ears not including them would be too much of a cheat.  The hairstyles of the day clearly showed the ears, so I cannot fairly cover them, and while I will transition to a different material for the rest of the head, the seam is better hidden under clothes and in the hair where possible, so the ears must also be in glass.

I will have access to the glass casting facilities starting this Wednesday.  I don’t know if she’ll be ready by then, but I can have a test piece ready.  Anyway- I should make a mold of her before casting in case the cast comes out badly.

It feels good to be sculpting again.  It’s been donkeys.