Foundry Returns!

I am pleased to report that I am taking Foundry for the third time in my undergrad career!  Taught once again by the adorable Farron Allen!  I am so in love with this class and I cannot contain my excitement for the pieces I am working on.  I feel like the past two classes projects I made have been preparation for this final semester and will bring my best work forth!

Wax bird skull
(in progress)

My pieces are built off of my thesis of illusions of the human figure.  A male and a female bust made of aluminum with part of their faces "torn away" to show a bird skull (male) and a deer skull (female) made of bronze.  I plan to use patinas in the natural shadows of the figures and to buff and polish the metals in the natural highlights.

Wax bird skull venting system
Prep for investment

Up to this point, I have the bronze skulls and am working on the wax parts for the aluminum pour.  I have never done a project with both metals before.  Due to aluminum being at a lower melting point then bronze, it is possible to pour aluminum on top of bronze, thus creating a two metaled work of art.  I observed a friend do this my sophomore year with some of this pieces.  I chose to make the skin of the figures out of aluminum because it is less expensive and is a lighter material.  Overall, both of these pieces will be rather heavy due to the size and the bronze that will be encased inside (each of the skulls weigh about 8 lbs currently).

Wax deer skull venting system
Prep for investment

I was very pleased with how successful my pieces turn out because if the skulls didn't come through then my whole project would be scrapped.  Fortunately, after a very messy class of breaking open the molds, I was able to see my hard work come to fruition.  I swear, on the day we open our molds after the aluminum pour, I am going to be like a parent watching their kid drive for the first time... a total nervous wreck.  

I don't know if you can tell from this photo, but my eyelashes were white with investment dust.  Every time I moved, white particles would fall off of me like snow. 

Cleaned up (some) and ready to be installed in some wax!

The wax busts look pretty awful at the moment so that is why there are no pictures of my progress.  But since the next pour process begins this coming Tuesday, the wait won't be long.  This is a true test of my skills as an artist and craftswoman in foundry.

Foundry: In Progress

 I took Foundry in the Spring Quarter of 2012 and I have the privilege to take it a second time at DAAP.  This course teaches how to create bronze and aluminum sculptures. We learn how to vent our wax pieces, create the molds, assist in the pour, grind the metal pieces and use patinas.  I will be posting   a "How To" guide for the ways of the Foundry because I often get so many questions about the process when I tell people I'm in the class.  But before I post the full guide, I wanted to share my first piece that will soon become bronze! I have several narrative concepts for my art in this class. The first is the story of the iconic super hero and the child who looks up to him.

Here is the wax sculpture, which is the first step in Foundry. 

For over a year, I have been fascinated by society's obsession with superheroes.  The super hero character seems ultimately flawless in skills, intelligence and resources. Unlike every single person on this planet.  There is no real super hero in the way that Superman, Batman and the like are depicted. Like boys grow up reading and watching superhero comics, wear the underwear with the superheroes emblems and play with the action figures.  These heroes are depicted as flawless to children.  As an adult, I read a comic that took place many years after the typical Batman and Superman scenarios and both protagonists were older, with grey hairs and imperfect morals.  It was shocking to see these infamous heroes with traits of mortality and humanity about them.  This piece is my tribute to this idea of imperfect heroes.  When this piece is finished, the "superhero" will be wearing a blindfold as well as a cape.  I am unsure about what colored patinas I will use but I am very excited to begin this process and will be sharing with you very soon.