Ephemeral Bodies

Ephemeral Bodies
Author: Julius Ritter von Schlosser
Publisher: Getty Publications
Total Pages: 340
Release: 2008
Genre: Human anatomy
ISBN: 9780892368778

The material history of wax is a history of disappearance--wax melts, liquefies, evaporates, and undergoes innumerable mutations. Wax is tactile, ambiguous, and mesmerizing, confounding viewers and scholars alike. It can approximate flesh with astonishing realism and has been used to create uncanny human simulacra since ancient times--from phallic amulets offered to heal distressing conditions and life-size votive images crammed inside candlelit churches by the faithful, to exquisitely detailed anatomical specimens used for training doctors and Medardo Rosso's "melting" portraits. The critical history of wax, however, is fraught with gaps and controversies. After Giorgio Vasari, the subject of wax sculpture was abandoned by art historians; in the twentieth century it once again sparked intellectual interest, only soon to vanish. The authors of the eight essays in Ephemeral Bodies--including the first English translation of Julius von Schlosser's seminal "History of Portraiture in Wax" (1910-11)--break new ground as they explore wax reproductions of the body or body parts and assess their conceptual ambiguity, material impermanence, and implications for the history of Western art.

Classical Bronzes

Classical Bronzes
Author: Carol C. Mattusch
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Total Pages: 286
Release: 1996
Genre: Art
ISBN: 9780801431821

Carol C. Mattusch discusses the dating of bronzes based on criteria of technique and style, and considers technical innovations in the art of portraiture. Most controversially, she offers evidence that Greek artists cast bronzes in series based on a single model.

Wax Carving for Jewellers

Wax Carving for Jewellers
Author: Russell Lownsbrough
Publisher: The Crowood Press
Total Pages: 423
Release: 2021-03-22
Genre: Crafts & Hobbies
ISBN: 1785008358

Wax carving is like sculpture for jewellery and allows enormous creativity, as so many different forms can be made. This practical guide introduces the techniques to this age-old method through a series of guided exercises and projects, and demonstrates how exciting it can be. Drawing on the experience of two master wax-carvers, it also gives invaluable advice on the finish of your cast pieces and how to reproduce them. With over 400 colour photos, it give advice on setting up for wax carving, tools, tool-making and materials. There are exercises that introduce the beginner to using wax and then build ideas and confidence to try more complex designs. Included are advanced techniques that show how to use stones in a carving and how to add texture and surface detail. Finally, finished examples demonstrate the potential, excitement and versality of the method.

The Materials and Methods of Sculpture

The Materials and Methods of Sculpture
Author: Jack C. Rich
Publisher: Courier Corporation
Total Pages: 511
Release: 1988-01-01
Genre: Art
ISBN: 0486257428

"Promises to become a standard reference book." — The Art Digest. Exhaustive, profusely illustrated guide to all of the technical aspects of sculpting in stone, metal, wood, and other materials. The author expertly covers casting, surface treatment, exotic materials such as amber, coal, and even butter! Much more. 281 illustrations.

Pop Sculpture

Pop Sculpture
Author: Tim Bruckner
Publisher: Watson-Guptill
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2010-10-19
Genre: Art
ISBN: 0823095223

Sculpt toys and collectibles with modern-day tools, techniques and applications used by today’s top industry professionals Ever since a 12-inch G.I. Joe took toy soldiers to a whole new level by giving them the ability to pose via moveable parts, as well as interchangeable clothing and accessories, the business of creating pop sculpture icons for the mass market was off and running. Superheroes came next, followed by TV show and movie characters, most notably those from Star Wars. Today, action figures exist for sports stars, rock stars, even presidents. With today’s blockbuster success of animated films, action figures and collectibles have become a behemoth industry—with a growing need for skilled artists who can bring these characters to life. So how do you get started? The trio of veteran industry insiders who authored this book take you on an incredibly thorough journey that begins with drawing conceptual drafts and continues through rough sculpting and honing the final product. Along the way, you’ll learn how to research your character, shape casts from a variety of materials including wax and resin, make accessories, articulate characters so that they are poseable, paint them, and ultimately convince an art director to buy and manufacture them. Whether you want to make small PVC toys, collectible statues, or larger high-end collectibles, Pop Sculpture offers step-by-step demos and words of wisdom from the pros.

The Process Of Sculpture

The Process Of Sculpture
Author: Anthony Padovano
Publisher: Da Capo Press, Incorporated
Total Pages: 366
Release: 1986-08-21
Genre: Art
ISBN:

This comprehensive guide to every aspect of making sculpture presents all the tools that the contemporary artist will need for translating ideas, through technique, into finished works. The book offers step-by-step advice on traditional styles as well as avant-garde modes that challenge the limits of technique and the imagination.