Today the fireman who modeled for this sculpture came over to help with some technical advice. I find it essential to consult with a professional while working on a project like this.
The air tank has been covered with clay and next I'll add some tubing to connect the equipment that's stuck randomly on the uniform. The face is almost finished and I can't wait to add the chin strap.
A couple of days ago I had a visit from one of our local firemen who attached the air tank on the back of the fireman sculpture. In addition to metal tubing and lots of foam insulation, there are other things that can be added to a life sized sculpture and clayed over. I'm currently adding clay to the air tank so that I'll be able to incorporate the same type of texture over the sculpture as a whole.
The armature has been completely covered with clay and now it's time to get down to refining the clothing, shoes, face and there's also the rubble wall to finish. I'm hoping to add the air tank and other equipment by next week.
Last night the Springville Fire Department phoned to say that they have their funding in place to continue on with the life sized sculpture for the front of their new fire station. Next spring will be their centenial celebration and the sculpture is set to be unveiled then! What that means is full speed ahead for me, as I need to have this sculpture to the foundry by the end of this month.
This week I've been blocking in the life sized fireman. He now has a helmet which really helps get the vision of what the finished fireman will look like.
Just recently, I began work on the life sized fireman that will be placed in front of the new Springville Fire Station. Here you can see a glimpse of what lies under the clay . . . I know he looks like he has an enormously large head, but part of that is the helmet armature. I can't wait to get it a little further along, especially the helmet, so my friends will quit making fun of me!
