I have been using digital processes with my traditional sculpting processes for a while. A process I call tra-digi art. I was thrilled to create a book on part of this topic called Digital Sculpting In Mudbox: Essential Tools and Techniques for Artists.
It still feels strange to do so much work on a sculpture and not getting my fingers dirty in clay. But here I sit in my office, above my studio, working out details of Evelyn. The pose has been decided on, but there are some details of this pose that need to be worked out.
1. In what position are her feet? What is the missing information that I don't have in my reference photograph?
2. How will she stand within her placement at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center? She is going in the lobby, but we need her to work well in the lobby design and, still be secure. That means she has to be secured to the floor and perhaps a third point. I'm considering hiding that 3rd place of securing in her right elbow sweater folds.
I will not be creating this armature in the traditional process as mentioned in part one, instead I will be creating the basic armature of her within the computer and Synappsys Digital Service In Oklahoma will take my 3d file and then mill out an armature in foam. Then, I will cover the foam with clay and add my details. You can see this milling part of the process in the video showing Jenna in the previous post. You can also see how we used a foam armature if you take a look at the Prairie View Panther Project Blog. The Prairie View Panther was a large 11 foot panther that was created in bronze for Prairie View University in Prairie View Texas.
In the next post you will see my process of working up the digital sketch of Evelyn for her armature.
