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Author Message CJ Munn Joined: : 20-Apr-2004 Started On : 22-Oct-2004 at 09:30:03 AM, #Views : 2362 Topic Subject : Pics 2 This piece, 'birdman' was the first of my engraved plaster pieces. Although strictly speaking it is engraved metal, as all the pieces I have engraved have a micro-thin coating of metal on the surface. With my engraving tool i am scratching away the metal to reveal the plaster beneath which I can either leave white (as shown here) or fill with blacking or other coloured gilding pastes to give the required effect. This piece is brass with a verdegris patina on top (the chemicals I used for this set off my asthma quite badly, but I was very stubborn about it as I got so excited about the new patina that I didn't stop when the choking started). Note to self: invest in better safety mask. ;o) This follows up on my other birdman piece I showed last year - where I had cast a friend with an real ostrich feather pressed against her skin (not sure if you remember it but it's in the yahoo archives somewhere). I have one more birdman piece planned for the moment, but I still have to persuade the model to do that one (he's a little shy and it involves total nudity). Anyway, this one is a hand engraved peacock feather. I was pretty pleased with the results of the engraving - the way my electric engraver sort of 'bounced' off the surface of the brass seemed to give it a natural feathery effect rather than the hard strong lines of my other work. The whole series is (for those who don't remember the first one) about juxtaposing the softness of feathers with the hardness of the male body. I wanted to reveal something about the vulnerability of men, particularly when naked. Most men I know have these lovely soft sides they only usually reveal in the company of a woman, and so rarely in front of their male peers. I love the texture the feathers give - both sticking out from the skin (as with the ostrich feathered orginal) and carved into the skin as shown here. I have included 1 & 2, so you can see the way the metal looks in natural daylight as well as artificial light. Depending what time of day it is, it either looks light gold or brilliant aquamarine. I will probably be using this patina a lot more as I love it so....but after I've treated myself to a new mask on ebay. No patina is quite worth dying for afterall. :o) --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.781 / Virus Database: 527 - Release Date: 21/10/2004 View File   Replied By Message CJ Munn Joined: 20-Apr-2004 Posted On : 22-Oct-2004 at 09:45:19 AM   Subject : RE: pics 2 natural daylight version --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system Link Version: 6.0.781 / Virus Database: 527 - Release Date: 21/10/2004 View File Martin Flores Joined: 24-Aug-2004 Posted On : 22-Oct-2004 at 11:47:16 AM   Subject : Re: pics 2 for me art most of the time can not be describe with words, but contemplering and meditating the heart speak the words to the beholder, thats the ways this piece of art speak to me , it is beautiful, i don't get tired of observing every moment CJ Munn Joined: 20-Apr-2004 Posted On : 22-Oct-2004 at 12:14:29 PM   Subject : Re: pics 2 Thank you! Am really glad you like it. I probably should have held back talking about what the pieces mean to me before everyone had had a chance to look - as it's more interesting seeing what other people think things 'mean' before stamping the 'artist's meaning' on the thing. Ah well, too late now. But thank you for your kind comments. x