Friday, January 6, 2012

Update and Tip of the Day

I'm almost finished with a Halloween papier mache sculpture. It is a skeleton driving an old rusty car. A drunken devil is sitting on the top of the back seat pointing and shouting. You can tell the devil is drinking because he is holding a bottle of beer.

I haven't settled on a title for the piece yet. Although the piece is completed as is, I am considering making it part of a diorama or shadowbox. Using a backdrop will allow for more detail.

I'll be dragging out my camera soon to start adding pictures of the sculpture to the site.

Tip of the Day: Adding Detail

I am often complimented on the amount of detail in my work, and how it makes the art a standout piece. I have a method for creating the right amount of detail. When I begin to plan a piece, I write out what I plan to make and what decorative elements will be included. Once the work has reached that point, I look at the piece and write out what details I want to add that will help the piece tell its story. I add those elements until that entire plan has been added. Then I repeat this process one more time, this time looking to see what elements need to be added based on spacial relationships to make the piece look balanced.

I find that going through the process three times creates a work of art that tells a detailed story that will capture the viewers interest. Three times through seems to be enough. Adding detail beyond this seems to create noise and look too busy.

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