Sculpted Faces

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art Di Lella    

I thought I would take the opportunity to show some of the sculpted faces that I have created over the past several years. Some have already been shown on this blog and some are newcomers. These sculptures are cast in a variety of medium such as Porcelain, Cement, Terracotta,Bronze and Silicone. I love the versatility of the figure as a subject because it can work so well in different media.
Meanwhile,I hope all my readers have a great week. I will be reporting back later in the week.Cheers.

Hyper Realistic Figure Sculpture #1 in Review

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

I thought today's post would be a good opportunity to have a review of this sculpture and to show a bit of it's evolution,pun intended.
The top image is the latest which was taken early this morning. He is more filled out and there is greater definition and clarity to the anatomy although I'm starting to tone down the anatomical forms so they can arrive at a more natural state.

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

I really enjoy looking back at sculptural process although I've presented the images in a sequential order it doesn't show the rather back and forth aspects of modelling in clay. Another issue I had mentioned in earlier posts was the rather peculiar anatomy of this figure. This sculpture is based on a fossil human called Lake Turkana Boy but this individual is very unusual (by modern standards) because he possessed a skull of an 8 year old with a post cranial skeleton of a 15 year old and the body proportions of a tropical adult male. 
It has been so far one of the more challenging figures I've ever attempted so far.
In the meantime,I'm still off site working madly to finish off the moulds for Abraham Ruben and I hope in my next update I'll have new pictures. I should have another post by this weekend.
Thanks for stopping by.  Cheers.

Moulds for Abraham Anghik Ruben

Image copyright  Art Di Lella                     Mother and Child Sculpture by Abraham Anghik Ruben

This week I wanted to show one of my off site moulding projects that I've been doing for Abraham Ruben. The sculptures shown are in different stages of construction.

            "Muskox and Wolves" by Abraham Anghik Ruben

Primary coat of silicone applied to Abraham's sculpture

"Carved Narwhal Tusk" by  Abraham Anghik Ruben

Primary coat of silicone applied to sculpture

Second section of mould being worked, sculpture of  "Owl with Owlets" by  Abraham Anghik Ruben

The back side of silicone mould of Abraham's sculpture "Owl with Owlets"

I'll be posting more pictures of the process this week as these sculptures' moulds must be completed by Saturday. . I'll  be back  on Wednesday. Have great week.
PS   I would like to thank Abraham's Gallerist's Rocco Panese and Lou Ruffulo of Kipling Gallery for giving me permission to publish images of their artist's works.

Making Changes to Hyper Realistic Figure Sculpture#1

Part of many art projects is the need to to do research. This current project is no exception. Over the past several weeks I've been involved in finding out as much information about Homo Erectus as possible whether from books or the internet.
One of the discoveries I made was an article published by two American researchers claiming that the original dimensions of the pelvis of Lake Turkana boy were underestimated. Specifically, the bi-illiac  breadth was too narrow. What that simply means that during the original  reconstruction scientists at the time placed the two hip bones too close together which gave this specimen extraordinarily narrow hips. The new reconstruction suggests that the hip bones should be placed an additional two centimeters apart. Now that may not sound like much but that little change means a noticeable increase in the overall body size for my figure.  I was finding that using the original pelvic measurements as my guide had made the figure odd looking, very linear even awkward.

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

 Normally, I just measure with my eyes when building my sculptures but because I wanted this sculpture to be authentic looking,it was necessary to follow the published measurements. Homo Erectus definitely has body proportions that differ from most of humanity but I'm hoping with the increased size that the figure will be a little more believable and that's in the end is all that really matters. This adjustment is pretty typical of the process I go through when dealing with unfamiliar subject matter.
Later this week, I hope to show some updated images of my mould making projects in a couple of offsite locations.Talk to all of you then. Cheers.

Science and Art

Cast of a Homo Erectus Skull

Hello everyone, since the beginning of March, I've been mainly talking about my new sculpture,Hyper Realistic Figure#1. It may appear that this sculpture is a real departure from the previous hyper realistic busts but actually this work is a continuation of my series of science based parodies which only a few have been shown on this blog.

Skull cast of Peruvian Aboriginal  with Sculpture  copyright  Art  Di Lella

I've always had interest in art based on science since school, except I never had the desire in pursuing a career in scientific illustration. I always wanted to remain within a contemporary art practice. I thought that didactic models had the potential to be parodied and be used in an fine art context..

Cast of a Neandertal Skull

Wax  Maquette of  Neandertal Woman   copyright  Art  Di Lella

Detail of  Neandertal Woman   copyright  Art  Di Lella

Homo Erectus/Ergaster   copyright  Art  Di Lella

 I continue to be fascinated by the amount of variation in human faces whether modern or prehistoric. This latest figure, Hyper Realistic Figure#1 is an example of Homo Erectus/Ergaster but instead of a dry illustration you might see in a museum diorama,this sculpture's content is more about a particular psychological state that many young children will experience.
I like using this type of imagery and subject matter as a vehicle for my ideas about people and what they're about.
Meanwhile, the studio continues to be busy, I'm hoping to post this week images of work being done offsite as well as pushing ahead (when I can) on my own sculpture.
I wish all of you a great upcoming week,take care. Cheers.

Studio Shots

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

I thought some detail shots might be interesting since many times images that are shown are cropped. I find taking photos in my space difficult because of lighting and clutter.
Clutter is perhaps a bit harsh because it conjures up images of pointless refuse but for me it's important to have tools,reference materials,art objects and materials close at hand. It may seem to the casual observer a bit disorganized and chaotic but being comfortable in a workspace is important. Some of the sculptures shown in this post were produced years ago but have remained unfinished. I like their incompleteness as art objects and that may sound a little strange in light of the work that has been shown on this blog.
In the next update, I should have some pictures of projects that I've been working on outside of the studio.
Enjoy the rest of your week. Cheers.

Emerging Ergaster/Erectus

Today,I wanted to show certain aspects of this sculpture that are at the completion of the roughing out phase.
 

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

The head has already gone through a few changes. The basic forms are all there but now I'll be focusing more on the expression and later the details and skin texture.

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Hands and feet are critical pieces of anatomy. They will be a vital component.

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

The back so far has been fairly straight forward but I still need to tone down it's "anatomical qualities".

Meanwhile, I'll be splitting my work time this coming week in three locations building new moulds of some fairly large sculptures. I hope to have some location shots to show in up coming posts soon,we'll see.
Take care,have a great holiday.

Juveniles, New and Old

It's been a bit of a wild ride the past few weeks in the studio. I thought it would be an opportunity to show two sculptures I've been working on  for the past few months,both juveniles.

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

Image copyright  Art  Di Lella

This two juveniles are likely no more than 1-2 years difference in age at the time of death, yet they appear worlds apart not only in time at least 1.5 million years but also anatomically. Certainly after looking at these two faces, it makes you wonder how different were their minds.
Anyways, I'm close to finishing LO(little one) so there will be a post on that soon. Also,I have yet to cast in silicone #2(remember her),maybe next week. we'll see.
In the meantime,I am pressing forward with my life-sized figure of Homo Erectus,"Turkana Boy" and hoping to finish the roughing out phase in about two weeks. Again,we'll see.
I will be back later this week,hoping all of you are having a good productive week,take care. Cheers.