Sculpture Samples ( Photos and Documentation )

Papier mache

To make the papier mache model I first used newspaper and tape to make the basic structure of the beast. This was done by folding the newspaper multiple times then using small amounts of tape to keep the paper folded. I continues this until I had the sections of what I needed to complete the creature. I then taped the different components together which resulted in the rough shape of the creature. I then put a layer of papier mache over the top to make the structure much stronger and more able to hold its structure. I am pleased with how it turned out as I have been able to accurately create a 3D representation of my idea from 2D. I struggled to build this creature as papier mache is a tricky material since its comprised of paper and a substance made of glue and water. If given the choice I would choose to work with wire or modelling clay as I find them easier to manipulate and show what im trying to create. and process to use. When using papier mache I found it hard to keep the different components to similar proportions in addition to the fact that when I made mistakes it was extremely difficult to fix it without ripping the paper and having to repair it.

Wire

My wire sculpture was made using long pieces of black malleable wire which I cut down using pliers. I bent the wire and twisted the ends together to form the body which I then reinforced with smaller pieces of wire. I was unable to make the eyes as they needed to be spherical and they were too small to be built. I am still pleased with the way the creature was finished. I found wire a much easier material to use than papier mache as it's much easier to manipulate than papier mache plus its easier to fix problems due to it being more malleable. It is also due to the fact that it can be cut into varying sizes allowing for more accurate shapes to be made with it. The biggest issue is maintaining the shape of the structure.

Reinforcing the structure

To reinforce the wings I added a zig-zag wire onto them to give horizontal support. I then entwined silver wire across the wingspan of the creature to give it more support from the main body of it. I also wrapped silver wire around the length of the legs to make them much stronger and allow the creature's standing position to be much more secure. Once this was done I wrapped more wire down the spine of the creature down to the nose, this allowed it to bend much less both vertically and horizontally. I am pleased with the look of the creature now that the reinforcements have been added. I feel it gives it much more detail. I found that the silver wire was a much tougher wire to use yet it was surprisingly more malleable. This allowed the placement of the reinforcements to be much easier than I first anticipated.  

Modeling clay

When modelling my clay sculpture I found that it was a very easy material to use. It can be reworked at any time provided it hasn't dried up. Unfortunately I was unable to construct the legs for the creature as they were unable to hold the weight of the creature, especially the back legs as the shape made it extremely difficult to make them support the structure. despite this I am pleased with the result and find that my skills are higher than with papier mache and with wire. The fact that the modeling clay can be changed at any time provided it's dry means that I was abler to manipulate it with much more precision without worrying about errors compared to wire and papier mache. I find that it is a superior material and that details are much easier to create as there are many different tools that can be used to create them, not to mention the fact that the structure itself is easier to maintain, especially once a section has dried as the clay becomes hard and more sturdy.