The process

For Jeff, time seems to stand still when he picks up a piece of clay, feels its heft, changes its shape with his fingers, and builds the sculpture's volumes by hand. There is a rhythm and focus in the challenge of interpreting the individual’s likeness and spirit that makes the creative process a journey of its own.

Steps

  • The initial step is an opportunity to talk about the ideas and vision of the project. Each situation is unique. Things to consider include: medium and texture, gesture, tone and expression, clothing and hairstyle, age, size, edition number, and sculpture placement. Set design and price.

  • If the subject is available to pose live, Jeff will begin with an initial in person modeling session. During this session, Jeff will take photographs, gather measurements and “rough in” proportions, volumes, and angles directly into the clay with the subject sitting there. This can take from one to several hours, depending on the subject.

    Jeff can also work exclusively from photos if the subject is unavailable for live modeling sessions. In such cases, as many photos as possible will need to be collected to give Jeff the best possible understanding of the subject. The best photos are those showing a clear, crisp image, the desired expression and age, and certain angles of view (front, sides, and ¾ view especially, though other angles are also helpful). Videos can be useful as well.

  • After the sitting, Jeff will begin refining the portrait in his studio. He will refer closely to all measurements and photos, and work towards a desired finished texture.

  • Once the sculpture has reached its final stages, one last in person sitting is requested. This is Jeff’s opportunity to “fine tune” the details and to confirm all measurements, angles, and shapes. Additional sittings may be requested if necessary.

  • When the clay sculpture is finished, the client looks it over for approval. Any last minute changes must be done at this stage.

  • The original clay sculpture is taken to a bronze art foundry, where it is used to create the finished bronze. Many steps occur and many artisans have a role in the process. This will take anywhere from 8-12 weeks, depending on how busy the foundry is.

    A rough outline of the foundry process is as follows: 1) A mold is made of the original clay; 2) a wax pattern (copy of the original clay sculpture but in wax) is made from the mold; 3) the wax pattern is dipped into an investment slurry which creates an investment “shell” around the wax; 4) the wax is melted out, leaving a hollow shell mold into which the bronze is poured; 5) after the bronze cools, the shell is knocked off and the bronze is touched up using welders, grinders, and dremels; 6) a chemical “patina” is applied which gives the bronze its final coloration; 7) and finally the sculpture is mounted onto a walnut base.

  • All steps in the creation of the bronze portrait sculpture are complete and it is delivered to the client, where it can be enjoyed for generations!

Why a Portrait