C.V.SmithARTWORKS
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Sculptures
    • Bronze
    • Clay / Apoxie Clay
    • Plaster
    • Wood
    • Stone
    • SLIDESHOW
  • Galleries
  • Contact
  • Book
  • River Arts
  • BRAF
  • Saltwater Artists
  • CMCA
  • Yarmouth Art Festival

Branch Hole Back Side Details ... Maple Wonderland, Part 4

4/11/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Back side areas of concentration
​    The back side of the piece of maple that I have been writing about in my last 3 blog posts had a totally different character than its front side. I kept the central area containing the heart-like shape at the top and the callus material around the opening in their natural state, and concentrated my efforts on the surfaces surrounding them and the side edges shared with the front. 
​   The only way to address my concerns about the viability and visual value of the upper right side "tendril" was to asses and reassess it from all sides as I gradually carved, sanded and shaped it. Once I decided that the tendril needed to stay and had re-enforced the weak area it at its base, I was able to finish refining it.
Picture
Upper "tendril"
Picture
Reveal
Picture
Re-shape
Picture
Repair & refine
        I had identified an area at the bottom of the piece as the only place where I would be able to securely insert a rod to mount the piece to a base. I shaped and smoothed a "path" down the left side past the lower "tendril", continuing around and up along the right side, leaving a "nub of wood at the bottom. After drilling a hole to accommodate a 1/4" rod, I refined the area around the eventual insertion site. At this point I decided that the tendril needed to be removed  and, after doing so, I was able to further shape and refine the area.
Picture
Identify
Picture
Create "nub"
Picture
Refine & assess
Picture
Remove & refine
     I wanted the hole that I drilled from front side to the back side through the top behind the "heart" to serve as a visual connector between the two sides. I gradually opened the hole wider and curved the area around it on the back side, thinning the surrounding walls. Finally I changed the curve at the top from convex to concave, then refined and sanded the area. 
Picture
Rough out
Picture
Open & explore
Picture
Revise
Picture
Refine
      After adjusting the texture of the surfaces around the edge of the callus, making the right side smooth and creating a tradition from smooth to rough on the left side, the final step before mounting the piece on a base was to coat it with satin polyurethane. This process brought out a variety of color variations both in the natural surfaces and the sanded surfaces. The piece was ready for mounting with rod to base...tune in for Wonderland Part 5.
Picture
Poly
Picture
Opening detail
Picture
Base detail
Picture
Tendril detail
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Cynthia Smith, Maine artist, originally from Connecticut. Taught art at secondary level for 35 years, retired in 2004. Sculpts in bronze, wood, stone, clay & plaster. Her work can be seen at several mid-coast Maine galleries and shows.

    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    October 2022
    May 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.