Good Morning~
It's time for another Aerosmith update. This past couple weeks, I stopped work on his head, as it's mostly done and have focused on getting his legs put on. I had his legs completed and thought putting them on would be quick, with just needing to sculpt the 'attached' areas. Not so...... (sigh). Once I put the legs on, I realized that the cannons ( all 4 ) were too short. So I had to lengthened them. The hind legs now look good, but the front cannons were now too long. So yesterday I shortened them up a bit. I also changed the angle of the front cannons~ they are angled back more. I have attached 3 legs now~ both hind and one front and have been working on the forearm area and inside the front leg that's attached to get it perfect. I also had to cut through the knees to angle them differently after viewing some good 'from the front' jumping pics of Hickstead's knees. So I am reworking areas of the legs and that's 90% done.
Since attaching the legs, I have been better able to see the overall balance and directly reference photos of Hickstead's body. It's helped tremendously to have the sculpture together to view proportion and overall 'look'. I am now doing some work on his topline and underline. His underline was too heavy, so I took quite a bit of material off the back 2/3 of his belly and had to add muscle to his loin and croup. Bone was added to his stifle joint and a little more work is needed on that area still.
The bad news: His head is just how I want it, the proportions of the head are finally correct and it's too big ( GRRRR!!). I can't stand a model with a head that is too large~ it throws off the whole thing. So I am probably going to have to send his head in to be 'shrunk' about 1/2" or so ($$$ Yikes!). There is just no going around it. All the months of problems I've had with his head were due to the fact that months ago I realized it was too long and I shortened the length. I struggled and struggled with getting it to look right and never could. When I realized I just simply had to lengthen it, it worked out perfect and I had forgotten that I had shortened it months before until it was all finished. I still have a little to do on the head, but all the things I kept fighting with are done.
Thank you again for your patience. It's been a long road, but I'm getting there. The boys are back in school and in some ways, that's been tough because I can't function in the mornings and need my sleep (getting up at 6:20 makes me feel like someone hit me in the head with a sledgehammer for a few hours). But in other ways, it's been nice to have a schedule. I don't have to drive Colby to school every morning and pick him up in the afternoons anymore. Hunter drives him for me, as it's close to the high school and then Colby rides the bus home. Just not having to leave the house at least twice a day is a huge help.
I am also on some new stimulants that help with my exhaustion and give me focused energy on the days my body lets them work... it's hit and miss. Honestly, that has been the biggest reason for all the progress the past couple months. Although it may not look like much has changed or been done from your end ( I can see why when viewing progress photos) these are things that I cannot just 'let go'. If I see a problem, I have to correct it. He won't be perfect ( I would like him to be...) but he will be as close as I know how to get him. I want my customers to love him and I want to be able to be proud of him.
I took some photos yesterday partway through my work, but since then have made the changes to his croup/hip area, belly and stifle. So even though these were taken yesterday, they are still a bit outdated.
It's time for another Aerosmith update. This past couple weeks, I stopped work on his head, as it's mostly done and have focused on getting his legs put on. I had his legs completed and thought putting them on would be quick, with just needing to sculpt the 'attached' areas. Not so...... (sigh). Once I put the legs on, I realized that the cannons ( all 4 ) were too short. So I had to lengthened them. The hind legs now look good, but the front cannons were now too long. So yesterday I shortened them up a bit. I also changed the angle of the front cannons~ they are angled back more. I have attached 3 legs now~ both hind and one front and have been working on the forearm area and inside the front leg that's attached to get it perfect. I also had to cut through the knees to angle them differently after viewing some good 'from the front' jumping pics of Hickstead's knees. So I am reworking areas of the legs and that's 90% done.
Since attaching the legs, I have been better able to see the overall balance and directly reference photos of Hickstead's body. It's helped tremendously to have the sculpture together to view proportion and overall 'look'. I am now doing some work on his topline and underline. His underline was too heavy, so I took quite a bit of material off the back 2/3 of his belly and had to add muscle to his loin and croup. Bone was added to his stifle joint and a little more work is needed on that area still.
The bad news: His head is just how I want it, the proportions of the head are finally correct and it's too big ( GRRRR!!). I can't stand a model with a head that is too large~ it throws off the whole thing. So I am probably going to have to send his head in to be 'shrunk' about 1/2" or so ($$$ Yikes!). There is just no going around it. All the months of problems I've had with his head were due to the fact that months ago I realized it was too long and I shortened the length. I struggled and struggled with getting it to look right and never could. When I realized I just simply had to lengthen it, it worked out perfect and I had forgotten that I had shortened it months before until it was all finished. I still have a little to do on the head, but all the things I kept fighting with are done.
Thank you again for your patience. It's been a long road, but I'm getting there. The boys are back in school and in some ways, that's been tough because I can't function in the mornings and need my sleep (getting up at 6:20 makes me feel like someone hit me in the head with a sledgehammer for a few hours). But in other ways, it's been nice to have a schedule. I don't have to drive Colby to school every morning and pick him up in the afternoons anymore. Hunter drives him for me, as it's close to the high school and then Colby rides the bus home. Just not having to leave the house at least twice a day is a huge help.
I am also on some new stimulants that help with my exhaustion and give me focused energy on the days my body lets them work... it's hit and miss. Honestly, that has been the biggest reason for all the progress the past couple months. Although it may not look like much has changed or been done from your end ( I can see why when viewing progress photos) these are things that I cannot just 'let go'. If I see a problem, I have to correct it. He won't be perfect ( I would like him to be...) but he will be as close as I know how to get him. I want my customers to love him and I want to be able to be proud of him.
I took some photos yesterday partway through my work, but since then have made the changes to his croup/hip area, belly and stifle. So even though these were taken yesterday, they are still a bit outdated.