macbruce Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I've taken on a 3D life sized sculpture of a 3 month old colt made of forged and fabricated branches, the largest before forging are 1- 1/2''.......It's not a commission but at least I have a gallery that I can show it in after it's done. I'm about 16hrs in and it's ready to stand......My knees and legs are ecstatic since I've been called to prayer at least 60 times a day for the past two days......Probly 30 more hrs to go, if I don't get too strung out...I'm kinda on the fence about adding leaves or not. Navaro pic was in 5/2003. The head won't be turned as much....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 WOW, Bruce. That is pretty cool. Thanks for posting. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dillon Sculpture Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Graceful line drawing with iron, can't wait to see it finished, I would vote against the leaves. Both my girls ride, more projects! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Very cool Bruce! I'm not sure how to describe the feeling I get from the piece, it's not quite a metal drawing, maybe closer to a line drawing made with a caligraphy pen or brush, or . . . I'm sure looking forward to seeing it as it evolves. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 Off the ground............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 thats looking real nice macbruce - it looks youthful and good - i will watch with interest too - i wonder about the leaves.... i can se it working in some way, i kind of like the idea.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 Very cool Bruce! I'm not sure how to describe the feeling I get from the piece, it's not quite a metal drawing, maybe closer to a line drawing made with a caligraphy pen or brush, or . . . Frosty The Lucky. Conflicted? Glad to hear that!... B) ....That's what it's all about. Is it a pile of branches or a colt? Going in and out of reality/anatomy is what I'm striving for and the toughie. If I go too far one way or the other I loose it. The primary lines needed to be captured but I'll do my best to soften and obscure those within some balance between order/chaos .......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad J Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 That is awesome! I know a few horse enthusiasts that would love to have that. Great work of art! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 macbruce - what your talking about is exactly what will make the piece interesting in my oppinion :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal Dave Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 I think it is excellent just the way it is. Sometimes less is more and I don't think leaves will help. If you like what you're looking at, leave it, walk away and come back later, see if it has changed. If your not sure, do the same thing. You have captured the essence of the colt. I also like the silhouette look in the barn door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted March 29, 2012 Author Share Posted March 29, 2012 Futher on....Two steps foward, one step back, one step foward, two steps back, two steps............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 he is lovely macbruce! i really like his belly area where the 'branches' come and go.. he stands well too. keep them coming ! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron woodrow Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 very nice work. what are the branches made of? 1/2"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dillon Sculpture Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Looking good Mac! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Looks cool Macbruce. That reminds me of the entrance to PDX in Portland. There are a bunch of horse sculptures made from what I think is driftwood. Has a very similar feel to your piece. Edit, I found an image online. I haven't flown PDX for about 6 years so I don't know if these are still there.http://www.365awesom...iftwood-horses/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 I'm a big fan or Deborah Butterfield who did the PDX horses and study her work allot. I did one junk metal horse in her style but welding painted junk don't float my boat, except when a client wants it......;-)....... DB makes her horses from found objects (driftwood) and then casts them in bronze so I decided to make my own ''found objects''.........In some ways it's easier and others not so much. Made some more progress.......The yellow lines are romex wire I use to mock up my next branch, using the actual material it took twice as long to shape an element. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 That is a really natural looking "horse" so I wouldn't add the leaves. If your want to see what it would look like with foliage cut some out of paper and use masking tape to hold them on and then post us a picture. Right now it like a gift from God. Sometimes less is more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 That is a really natural looking "horse" so I wouldn't add the leaves. If your want to see what it would look like with foliage cut some out of paper and use masking tape to hold them on and then post us a picture. Right now it like a gift from God. Sometimes less is more. Thank you, That's the nicest complement I've ever gotten on a piece, unfinished at that.........I've come to the conclusion it's busy enough without the leaves, The branches will recieve welded knots and broken branches here and there. They're actually easier to put on after shaping and installing cause those would be in the way bending the primary shapes in the presses...dangerous too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kustomsteel Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Great progress shots! I suppose I'm in the "no leaves" camp, I like where you're headed with branches only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Excellent, thank you for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Nicely done MacB. I'm a big fan of line drawings and how they can suggest the hint of the overall form. It would be interesting to see how you would use the leave in the Deborah Butterfield fashion to fill in the form with out loosing the line. It could be an interesting exercise in volume, line and form. Looking forward to watching were you go with this.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted April 1, 2012 Author Share Posted April 1, 2012 No leaves. I'm already passed 30 hrs and have plenty more to go. Leaves would double the time with all the convoluting,veins and welding/finishing the stems, no room for em anyhow.....I'm leaning towards a hot dip galv finish that will get patinaed dark then buff the highlights so it looks like what it is. Metal........ My friend who owns the gallery wanted SS or bronze so as to charge big bucks for the piece but justifying that cost on a new and somewhat risky concept ain't a chance I can take right now........Besides nearly every piece of drop and near worthless scrap (as long as it's MS) has dissapeared around the place..... Got into trouble early while making branches........I work one end of a bar in the hammer that's long enough for two when parted and got into a hurry and quenched the finished end on a few of em before they went back in the forge.........I was bending one in the 25T press that was 1-1/2'' round and BANG! It snapped.....I wasn't holding onto the end (I never do) so no harm done....Back into the forge for a little annealing time.....Duh, trouble is I know better..... :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted April 3, 2012 Author Share Posted April 3, 2012 Getting close, soon it will be ready to stop with the add ons....... I think as little as possible now except the head needs more...........The pic showes no depth as the human can but he does buldge semi correctly, which is as good as it gets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dillon Sculpture Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 Nice piece Bruce, you nailed it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Forge and fab all done.......Now the fun starts! Finishing all the welds..... :(....Inside, outside, over, under, around and through...The center pic is unfinished, far right is done.......Any wannabeez out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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