Fresh Start

[rika]

I don't know why people are not posting more their work in this thread, but I have a question:

Does the piece relate to the concept above to you? That's what I'm most interested to hear, but any critiques are welcome of course. Thanks.

[grommet]

The forms have a decent flow to them and a pleasing... I don't know.. roundness to them. But the coming out of your shell reference is a bit hokey to me. It lends a cartoon aspect, which if that is the sort of lighthearted take you were going for, I guess it's really successful. I don't mean to offend with this reference, just giving you a read on it.
As always, you are a master of your material.

[GlennT]

At the risk of sounding crude, here is my honest first reaction:
It looks from the pose like she is going to the bathroom.

My second reaction is that if you were to cut the sculpture in half and keep the upper half, the fascial expression and the emergence theme, now looking more like an egg than a snail shell, reads well for " Fresh Start".

[evaldart]

Rika, your do seem to be working within a "hand" that is uniquely yours. There are plumpnesses and fleshinesses, fantasies and fictions that you seem to own.

Keep em comin'

[chris 71]

hi rika funny couisidence there was a resent post here for a call for outdoor sculpture submissions here in canada at a outdoor garden. i had thought a good idea would be some kinda snail mermaid know seeing your snail lady here is pretty cool

[rika]

Thanks everyone for your help. Grommet and evaldart, I'll try to remember what you said when I second guess myself. I want to model beautiful figures, but looks like they turn out whimsies. I made this piece for a juried show, I guess it will depend on the juror's taste whether it gets accepted or not.

Glenn T, you spotted the weak point of the work. Initially I was going to make the shell only, even thought of the egg shell, but decided to add legs later. The pose itself is very common for children sitting and having a conversation by the way. It can be seen as you interpret it, but not by many I would think. And hey, who knows how many great ideas were born in the intimacy of the bathroom. Like coming out of your shell.

Chris, thanks for the tip, I checked out the competition, but they only accept weatherproof materials.

[grommet]

I want to model beautiful figures, but looks like they turn out whimsies.

Do you use references for a sort of visual goal on your pieces? If your goal is different than your hands' goal perhaps to refresh your visual priorities with some images occasionally...
just a thought.

[craigktx]

are you lite hearted, theres very few`around?
i like the legs too.
i 2nd (keep em comin)

[fritchie]

Like your earlier works, this piece is genuinely your own, very original. I have to agree with aspects of most comments above, just with my own mix of priorities.

For example, I agree with GlennT that the piece is too reminiscent of Potty-time. I'm not sure how to alter this aspect without killing the piece altogether. Possibly some sort of truncation, as he suggests, or putting her on a rock formation, and with legs extended. I don't agree with Grommet that the figure is cartoony; I find it just whimsical, and fine as an example of that mode. I agree with Evaldart that your works to date, including this one, are original and uniquely yours.

If you continue this way, you can create a truly unique group of works, things that anyone with knowledge will recognize immediately as yours.

[rika]

Grommet I used photos for reference only on two occasions so far. I should probably make my job easier by using them more often.

Craig, thanks. I'll keep them coming

Fritchie, I will attempt to make this piece on a larger scale. I wonder if the shell is needed at all. The idea is she's come to a decision of starting over, she feels like she's being reborn, therefore she has a very positive disposition and outlook.
RE: her pose: these photos were taken at earlier stages. Are any of these poses better? What do you guys think?

[GlennT]

The pose in the left photo is better because it helps focus the primary attention on the head. The sprawed legs pose creates a negative space and dark shadows which draws the eye there and divides the attention, in addition to what I had previously mentioned.

[grommet]

Rika, in regard to the gesture/ pose as it relates to intent. For me, the sort of 'hunkered' pose in the top photos does not relate to having reached a decision that can be acted upon, more an idea that may not come to fruition at all. It seems to me that if you're representing a firm decision the pose should be one that indicates the tension between the before and after, with the pose tipping slightly toward that new decision/ pose. More specifically the transition from a prone position to sitting, or from sitting to crouching or standing.
That said, I kind of see the point about the distraction of the shadows, though I do prefer legs to no legs.

I think you're swell regardless, keep at it.

[rika]

Thanks Glenn and Grommet, when I first started modelling not too long ago, I thought it was about instincts and spontaneity. As I gained more experience, I realised it required a lot of thinking. And now I'm surprised it requires even more thinking. I'm in a confused state right now, hopefully it will all clear up in a few days. I'm glad I found this site and didn't drop out like some.

[fritchie]

I like it better this way, without the shell. And I more or less agree with grommet that the idea of action, or anticipation of action, would be helped if the figure were tipped forward more, off balance on those still-bent legs, as if she were in the midst of rising.

[rika]

Here is version 2. I made this of clay. I'd like to know what do you think of this one. I used reference photos for her body. Please do not hold back with your critique, as there will be a final, larger version. Either this or the maché one without the shell, depending on which one is better. I can't decide at this moment.

Oh, and that pin is stuck, can't remove it unless I cut it off. Any ideas? Thanks.

[grommet]

Much better in regard to the idea of fresh start. I get a real sense of impending motion.More story evident.

[chris 71]

hi rika i think she is looking pretty good i wonder how she would look completely naked maybe with some kind of drapery

[fritchie]

Rika, I was away a couple days and just saw this. The first thing I noticed, and which I would recommend altering, is that the fingers on the sculpture's right hand are quite long. They would be easy to shorten in this position, and I would do that.

Other things that hit me are an unusual-appearing indentation in her right, rear waist or upper hip, and irregular surface marking on arms or other places. As has been said by several persons, these things might be changed, or might be seen as a personal style, so changes certainly are optional.

[rika]

Thank you for your input. Thanks for drawing my attention to the fingers, I'll take care of it. The rest of the problems has to do with not being able to build very good armatures yet.

I'm thinking about using the second one's pose and body, and the first one's face for the final version. If I could incorporate the shell somehow, more artistically, I would still use it.

[grommet]

If you wish to include the shell, I'd broaden the interpretation of "shell" and don't let the scale of whatever that is infringe on the "fresh start". If you let "history" dominate, it could challenge the fresh start in more ways than one.

[rika]

Originally Posted by grommet

If you let "history" dominate, it could challenge the fresh start in more ways than one.

Are you suggesting not letting the shell that was already made get in the way? Can you clarify please?

I was thinking all day how could I make that "shell", real or symbolic make part of the figure...to no avail.

[grommet]

In tossing ideas around, think about different kinds of shells, both literal and metaphorical ( I think that's what I mean... bleary ) It does not need to be a whole thing, but a suggestion.