Now that I have the size determined that I want my model to be, I have my form ready to begin shaping the backer section first with it’s concave face. I decided 26″ wide, with the shrinkage of the clay the dry model will wind up around 24″ wide. The form will create the rectangular shape of the backing portion behind the mask, the mask will need to be completely modelled free-hand onto it similarly to the way the horse-head model was. A 1918 photo taken when the Commodore was under construction, that’s Grand Central Station on the left and this view was made before the elevated viaduct on Park…

Now that the horse head model has been finished, I am thinking of making smaller version of the Commodore Hotel copper cornice mask: Casts could host an authentic looking, interesting and effective green copper patina on them using either a variety of paints as I used to do, or with one of the real metal and chemically treated coatings by sculptor and patina expert Ron Young whose book on bronze patination I have. Ron Young is highly regarded throughout the world for his knowledge and use of metal patinas. He is the author of the two books on the subject: “Methods for Modern Sculptors” and “Contemporary Patination”.

Now pretty well dry:

Nearing completion now, the left ear is not shorter than the right even though the photo makes it appear it is- the head is turned slightly towards that direction. Left to do now mostly is mane detailing and then overall surface cleaning and he’s done. And now he is completed and drying:

Horsehead model progress 12-8-2013 I did some more work on this today and started refining the left side of the face (not shown) and after using the hoist to get it standing vertically on the work bench I was able to remove the wood form and rough hollow out the head and back. Now laid back on the form’s backer and bottom board I’ll be finishing it up shortly and by then I can hollow the back out a bit more when it gets firmer than it is now.

I am mainly working on the right half at the moment, the cornice I decided to hollow out from the top rather than the back as when an eventual mold is made of this the hollowed out top of the cornice will be molded and that will reduce the weight of casts. The casts will have those hollow compartments on the top but since this would be on the wall above the eye the compartments would never be seen.

Here’s how the template system works:

I started work on this earlier today and stopped at this point for now. The ears are just temporary blobs placed to get an idea of where things are going. I also needed to add a temporary ball of clay under the jaw to keep the head from sagging downward, it sort of looks like a beard in the photo. I will probably need to bring the head outward a little further and/or cut the concave background down a little deeper. This one doesn’t have a design number yet, I was going to use “129” but I already have a 129. And now Sunday after some more work:

I’ve often used the term “scaling” or “scaled” when referring to laying out the size of my models, I thought I would outline what this is exactly. All this means is sizing something according to some reference point humans comprehend in normal day to day life, coming up with a comparison point of reference that can be relayed to other people and they instantly gain a mental picture of how large something is. This is why we see constant references in the media to descriptions such as “the boulder was as big as a Volkswagen,” the area of the fire was larger than a football field.” In sculpture work we…

I am mulling about the idea of modelling a horsehead keystone in the manner of those I’ve seen on the facades various former stables in NYC and elsewhere. There’s at least half a dozen in NYC I’m aware of, one is at 129 Charles Street in Greenwich Village. A 3 story 1897 brick building which has in it’s later years been used as a garage and then converted into a residence. The little building sold a few years ago for the insane sum of $7 million, the property taxes on this little building last year were $26,000 and projected to increase to $31,000 next year (2014) I have seen some…