| Sculpture How To #2 |
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People ask me all the time if I sketch before I start building. I don't. When I draw something first, I end up trying to copy the drawing in metal and it seldom works. The feel of pencil on paper never captures the feel of metal on metal. Instead, I work with metal shapes on the floor of my studio until the feeling of a form comes into being. This is bad for my back, but good for my creative process because the very physical act of moving the metal, the direct engagement with my material, frees my mind up enough to get into the "zone." Once a piece is in process, then I use other media to help me "see" it. Sometimes, I will get on a ladder and look at it from above. Sometimes I will look at the work in a mirror instead of looking at it directly, and sometimes I will photograph it, bring it home and look at the images on a computer. I find that looking at the work indirectly, or from unusual viewing angles, helps me to find the planes or curves that aren't working. |