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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
PeterG -
Tuesday, May 6, 2008 - 10:40pm
 A Proposition.... I was just wandering about my "display" area (....well...its just an area with fewer piles of rusty metal where I fling completed sculptures) and noticed that I am accruing a few sculptures that didnt make the grade, get sold or have just been repeatedly bypassed by customers. It is starting to add up to a few dollars worth and I really need to either chop it up and start again or perhaps tweak the design a little....or maybe just market them differently. Perhaps, if others are suffering from the same problem, we could post pictures and see if others have useful suggestions about improvements.... I'll kick it off with a picture of "Polyp". It is about 7'tall, with a stainless steel frame covered with s/s mesh rope and topped with brass "tendrils". It is different from a lot of my work in that it isnt rusted steel. It gets a few "ooh's and ahh's" but I dont think anyone has been seriously considering buying it. All comments are welcome and appreciated....I have a thick skin....usually...ok...sometimes... Peter  Wow, Nelson really said
Kimberli Matin -
Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 9:33am
Wow, Nelson really said mostly what I would suggest! I love those three shapes!...and feel the base might be fighting with them a bit. I wonder if they would sell if mounted separately? The only other thing I can think of that might be keeping people from buying is the texture/color/material of the rope......it could be a fairly big thing to cover them all over with some kind of plaster or something that could be buffed, polished and painted.....however if it brought you mega bucks might be worth it...just another thought....  Kimberly, we`re artistically
NELSON -
Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 2:49pm
Kimberly, we`re artistically conected. It`s my experience that a finish could be neutral,just protective, or either kill the piece or enhance it`s design. Along with those suggested changes, I would imagen that piece as in a coral reef. They have some amazing colors and tones, and this piece and the concept render themselves for a daring color trial. Using slightly colored varnishes one can spray over the steel and overlap colors, keeping the spray gun further at times that what is usually tech suggested,thus avoiding abrupt color changes. The results are outstanding and all the talk here falls short compared to the inmense array of posibilities. Once you get the colors you like,let dry for few days and highlight texture using fine sand paper 220-360. The piece will be as shocking and beatiful as you want. After sanding you could leave it so, or use a very light color varnish to give the bright SS a tone or various tones to finish it up.It`s endless what can be done,and all a matter of discovering your prefered spray, and overlap style. Nelson. Thanks for the
PeterG -
Thursday, May 8, 2008 - 10:01am
Thanks for the comments/criticisms Nelson and Kimberli I think you might be right about the base. I'll lay in to it with the plasma cutter next chance I get. I dont think I'll plaster this one....hmmm....maybe just the base???.....I have been experimenting with ferrocement so I might try a new one like that , but twice as tall. You are right, the colour will make the difference. I'll post pics of the end result. thanks Peter ...I can't wait to see it!
Kimberli Matin -
Thursday, May 8, 2008 - 10:27am
...I can't wait to see it! |
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ArtMetal
Hi Peter,it sure takes some
Hi Peter,it sure takes some guts and puting one`s ego aside to do what your sugesting, and I admire that. I do suffer of that at times too. From a biological stand point,your sculpture fits the real thing, but from an asthetical standpoint, I find the esculture to heavy from the joint down. The massive effect of that portion, draws to much atention and the main part looses value. I`d cut from the joint down and set over a thinner plate or base. Likewise, and to avoid visual fatigue and add a subtle change, I`d reduce the height of the left element cutting it about 20% of it at the base. Thus the monotonous effect of equal heights would dissapear. If you chop the right one which is the thickest, it may look too fat. The one at center back, I`d leave `cause that bent and all looks good. Other than that I think the sculpture has a good potential. I love all the work from joint up. Hope it may help. Nelson.