Dramatic Context
Georgia Brown
Templates | Revised Templates:
Template for flat pieces:
Before sculpting I took an outline of my models face and features, picking out areas I was going to create the flat pieces for.
I acheived accurate measurements by placing cling film over my models face and securing it in place at the back with pins. Using a sharpee; I outlined the eye sockets, brow bones, eye lids and cheek bones.
After taking a step back and altering the outline in areas- I took the cling film off my models face and layered sellotape over the entire template, front and back. Securing the marker inbetween both layers.
Finalised, In Practise:
Template on the face before I added the sellotape to secure the marker.
- I have drawn above the brows because I will create two brow pieces for either side to accentuate the brow bones.
- I will also create two slightly raised under eye bags to define the shape of his sockets and a cheek piece to take away some of the definition in his cheek bones.
Transferring the template to a tile:
- I placed the template over a white tile and begun lifting areas whilst I dotted a black outline down with a black fine sharpee.
- I chose carefully where to have the outlines and kept enough room in between the shapes for flashing. After, I placed my template over the tile and carefully checked the dotted line was correctly measured.
- I begun sculpting the flat pieces and constantly referred back to the original template to define size and keep them in line.
Measuring for facial hair | Perfecting the shape:
I felt the first measurement I took for the beard template was in accurate and came up too high on my models cheeks. Where as the sitter in the portrait has barely any hair in that area. His beard is soley underneath his chin and grazes the jawline. However, I will need to take the beard a little higher to manipulate the shape of my models face and make him look as if he has a slight overbite and a more rounded jaw.
First attempt review:
Accurate Measuring | Transferring to a block:
To gain accurate measurements and ensure the postiche would sit on my models face in the correct position; I drew in where the facial hair would sit against his face and kept referring to the portrait for reference. The moustache in the portrait sits a fair distance either side of his philtrum and the pictures look in accurate. However, judging by eye, both the dimensions and placement are correct in the moustache.
The bulk of the beard will be knotted within the black lines ive drawn on my models face. The dotted lines are reference for sparse hair growth and guidelines for where I will need to single knott individual hairs, avoiding any harsh lines or bulking above the jawline. I wont knott the beard as high as the dotted lines, they are purely reference and I will lay on hair in the areas central of the cheeks.
The same process for the flat piece template was used on the beard template above. Except I asked my model to hold the cling film behind his head whilst I drew on the outline and sellotaped it to hold the shape of his face.
Accurate Measuring | Transferring to a block:
My first two moustache templates looked accurate at first sight and I even started to knott the one on the left before I realised the measurements were wrong. It needed to be a lot shorter and on an angle to shape the lip.
I am pleased with the final moustache template after completely changing the shape and putting it into perspective either side of the philtrum. I tried the template against my models face and referred back to the painting to check the accuracy.
- I originally tried to knott the moustache to match the sitters hair colour and after closely examining the moustache in the portrait I realised that it wasnt correct and i'd need to start again. The shape was wrong and there wasnt a blend in colour, I needed to add in blonde and light brown to mix the auburn tones up.
- The quality difference was instant when I started to knott the second moustache. The blending of colours looked more natural and accurate in reflection to my painting.
Applying the berd template to the block:
- I begun applying the beard template to a block head by sellotaping it firmly in place around the adams apple
- I then patiently stuffed the inside with white tissue paper and slowly filled out the shape
- Once I was happy with the shape I sealed the top and sides down with sellotape and checked the template was secure
- The template has been taken from my models face and should fit comfortably once it has been removed from the block