Armature Experiments

Armature experiments text:

Here I have experimented with creating a scaled down wire armature that I plan to use as a base structure for the spine and ribcage sculpture. Although I have created the frame with the intent of building the sculpture as one piece, I am now debating sculpting each rib and vertebrae separately and then assembling the piece after each component is completed. I have decided to do this as due to the quarantine I am unable to enter the studio , so I had to alter my plans for the final major piece. I had at first planned to build the structure directly on the area I had chosen to ensure that the measurements and scale could easily be adjusted but as I cannot work in this area currently, I also need to take into consideration that I may have to start creating the sculpture at home in which I would need to transport the piece into the studio. In this case I feel that multiple separate pieces would be a wiser choice, however I would not know how the piece would look in the environment once assembled so I feel I may try to defer any kind of practical work until the government releases a clear date in which we are able to return to the studio. Although if I reschedule the practical work in this way, I may be left with a shorter time frame to complete my piece which could affect the quality of the final major.

For this piece I have experimented with a more abstract style of wire sculpture and focused on the basic form of a spine and rib cage to create a sense of detail whilst using a continuous piece of wire. I did debate using this technique to create the final major piece but I feel that I would like to explore realism techniques within this project rather than abstract.

From these experiments, I need to keep in mind that the wire I would use to create the armature would not be too thin and flimsy to support a large scale sculpture, so in future ideas and experiments I may need to experiment with a variety of different wire types such as chicken wire to discover the properties I would desire for this piece. I feel that I would like to research artists that use sculpture within their works so that I can understand sculptural techniques to a greater degree and the ways in which they create support structures to ensure the stability of their pieces. I feel that the use of wire is personal to me as it relates to the metal rods implanted within my spine during surgery so I feel that I may like to incorporate these metal pins within my spine and ribcage sculpture as this would solidify this personal connection.