I'm finishing up the details on all 4 feet of my sculpture of a German shepherd dog (representing the many dogs C.W. Lonsdale had as Headmaster). My model for the body and feet is a white German Shepherd named, Finn. He is the sweetest and most well behaved dog I have ever had modeling for me. Julie (Finn's owner) does a good job keeping him still. Usually he models for me a couple hours at a time.
The Fall brought beautiful weather with sun and warm temperatures. The last three months has been the homestretch for a project I have been working on since the beginning of 2012. Because we had an indian summer, I was able to work with the large roll up door open and the sun streaming in my studio (at Real Carriage, Gig Harbor - WA). My German Shepherd Dogs (I have two of them) spent many hours in my studio modeling as I worked out the kinks and sculpted the portrait. It was a lot of fun working with a live dog in my studio!
Then as life would have it - the rains came in late October (just as I begin to return to the portrait) and it got cold, so I had to figure out how to once again work with artificial lighting.
My dog after many adjustments
In late September my husband, Jeremy, help me install the platform under their feet.
foil on the feet to protect finished shoes from getting damaged from dropped tools and clay when I'm working up high.
Getting the lighting right so I could properly work on the portrait has been a challenge. Tools, scaffolding, lighting, and over tiredness are all things that you have to work to overcome so that the Work doesn't suffer.
And yes, the German Shepherd dog, Odin is back! Odin arrived at my studio in mid September, with a lot of barking and with certainly no desire to sit still as he heard all the tools in the background (I'm working at Real Carriage) .
at work on the portarit
By the second day of modeling he was very much into the cheese and carrot treats he gets for posing. The sculpture of the dog (life +1/2) is now moving along and is going to add some much personality to the finished piece.
Taking a break!
making progress...
