The Protector - Adding Ermine To The Headdress

I started the detailing of the headdress. It's very complicated headdress as you'll see in today's video.
I'll be out of the studio tomorrow. Be back Thursday.



Final Photograph

Ermine is a small weasel type animal, and it's skin was used in decorating headdresses, clothing, and hair. Photo of Ermine below.

The Protector - Headdress One Step Closer To Being Done

Once I got to the studio this afternoon, I created a cap for the feathers to be attached to on the head of the warrior. I then started to put the feathers on, one by one. All 26 feathers worked out just right. Then to make the piece less confusing to my eye, I painted the feathers and the cap, to match the color of the clay.
Tomorrow I start finishing up the headdress. Then it will be just adding to the detail and cleaning up and the piece will be ready for the foundry.



Final photographs.

The Protector - The Feathers Are Finished and Saturday We Got Dumped On

Yep they are finished... all 26 feathers. I'll work on the head of the Indian next week, sculpting the cap and then plotting out where each feather will be attached on that cap. I could be done with this piece next week.. Could be that is.. lol
Check the video I added on Saturday below this video.



Saturday... we got hail and rain..

The Protector - Feathers All Roughed In

Finished getting the 26 feathers for the war bonnet to a point where there's just a little more to do and then I can start on the head of the warrior and get it ready to receive feathers.
Still storming outside and 60 degrees.. love it...

The Protector - Feathers, Bell and Kadian

Today was special. Anchalee (Bell) Satiman from Thailand and Kadian from Jamaica Stopped into my studio today. Bell, as we all call her here in Ennis, worked here in my town for a year, 2 years ago, and she's been going to a University, I think, in Bangkok Thailand.
Kadian, just arrived here a couple of weeks ago to work here till the end of summer. So amazing to meet people from around the world.
Well after they left.. I got to work on my feathers again but only had time to do 3. I was again giving private instruction today.



Bell and Kadian... click photo to increase the size

Final Photographs.

The Protector - Wax Feathers and How To Make them

I've decided to make a full feathered headdress for this warrior. I'm making the feathers out of wax because the wax just holds up better than clay and weighs about a quarter of the weight of one clay feather.
I attempt to show you how to make a feather today.

The Protector - Sculpting Is Writting A Song In Clay

The clay just hasn't sung to me yet... sculpting is kinda like casting a bell. If the bell ain't made right, it don't ring, and this clay ain't ringing yet.
Still nursing my foot. It's fine though. Just hurts...



Just want to pass on another blog, that you might find interesting.. Deb Shmitt's Blog.
She's an incredible artist.. Please take a look at here site.