ABOUT THE ARTIST

Introduction

Show Schedule

SCULPTURE

INSTRUCTION

BOOK on CD

Instructional ebook available for portrait sculptors

"Portrait Sculpture Simplified"

SERVICES

Commissions

Procedures & Fees

CONTACT

Email:

Portraits In Clay

Home

Work in Progress

Annadale - just started this personal project 2020

annadale

Taylor Lautner - clay model for wax figure (in fiberglass torso) as Jacob Black from "Twilight".. Commission for Ripley's Entertainment 2011. See final figure

'Roman Emperor': Modeling in plasteline clay, 3/4 lifesize bust. A coworker was kind enough to be my model. Casts will be available for purchase. See final Plaster version.

Grace - WIP - life size for bronze 2015

See finished bronze

Grace

Just a little 3 inch sketch of "Phil", 2013

phil

Kate - Waxworks for Ripleys, 2011

Kate

Brandon - WIP - half size in ceramic clay

Finished modeling - ceramic, 100% life-size bust.

See finished bust

Darin - Weekend sketch, 1/2 lifesize, ceramic

Margaret - In progress lifesize commission from one 1860's ancestor photo.

(Below) Finished and first coat of silicone rubber applied for molding process needed to make bronze castings. I apply the first coat, then add the shim lines for a clean, razor cut seam. See final bronze casting.

Self Portrait - here's something I make every 5 years or so, just for practice and for comparison to see how much progress has been made since the last time I did this. Small bust is 50% lifesize. View finished piece

Custom Wall Niche with Hand Engraved Name

This item was requested to be made to display a customer's bronze miniature bust he had ordered. The miniature Gothic niche is modeled in clay and will be cast in FortonMG, will have small light in top.. Custom niches can be ordered in forton, or bronze. Copies of this niche can be ordered with custom name engraved at bottom. View finished niche.

Another architectural piece in progress. Custom Gothic corbel.

Geisha - Life-size imaginary portrait in progress. Modeling in Wed clay for molding/casting. Multi colored bronze or forton copies will be available. Hair accessories will be included as part of the sculpture. Right - FortonMG casting before patina applied. View finished piece.

"Sunday Golfer" - this 32 inch figure will be available in cast bronze when I find time to finish it. Shown is the armature made of aluminum wire and foil. Joints are marked with clay.

Rock climber "The Crux" - this fun piece is about half way along. It will be a bronze or forton hanging piece when finished. The rock forms were made with rubber spatula. Size about 3 feet tall.

Little female climber roughed in.

View finished piece

"Feast and Famine" - Larger figure is 20 inches tall. Shown in progress in plasteline, limited bronze edition is available.

Here the pieces are shown cast in wax from the molds and ready to be taken to the foundry for bronze casting. The red is a soft patch wax used for touching up the hard cast waxes and fitting the weld areas.

Below - The pieces are separated at the hands and base to be molded separately. Feast shown with the shim (divider) line in place, Famine shown with the front section of rubber in place. The pieces will be welded back together once cast in bronze.

Gary: Armature is two 24"x6" x2" treated posts screwed to a board and covered with plastic wrap.

Modeled in ceramic clay, this 150% life-size.

First photo at almost 100 pounds, I didn't let the underlayer stiffen up enough and the face is starting to droop. Propped it up with some boards for a couple of days until the clay was stiff enough to continue.

Near doneness below.

View finished piece

Mary - Made of WED clay, 22 inches tall. Being made on a flat board, this high relief will be a wall hanging cast in FortonMG with a metal face.

The wed clay is molded while still wet (sealed with an acrylic sealer). This is the finished Mary mold made of Polygel 40 with Polyfiber added to the outer layers to strengthen and thicken. The shell mold is made of FortonMG - light and strong.

View finished piece

Below:

Polymer (Super Sculpey) miniature figures - one of a kinds.

"Rookie" the Rhodesian Ridgeback. near life-size bust - edition of 20 bronze are available. Includes miniature dog mounted on the right front corner of the base of the Ridgeback bust.

Shown below - a mold was taken from the plasteline originals and these wax investments were poured for the lost wax bronze casting. Ears will be cast separately and then welded on. See finished statue.

Site created and maintained by Heidi Maiers