Building up to the topline and out to chest

Many hours have passed since the last photo record.
The profile has been built up towards the Collies top line and also much of the abdomen is in place, and the thorax out towards the keel of the chest.
Some fine tweaking has happened to the Shoulder and you can see a piece of wire resting in the place where the back leg will be.
A life sized print of a local collie helps inform this stage - a beautifully well behaved obedience trained dog...but he has more coat than Ruswarp so we shall have to find a dog closer in appearance.
JOEL is studying the video footage of Ruswarp and the skeletal structure of dogs, especially of the shoulders.

Building out the main core

Now comes a time of little by little addition to the central core - the main trunk of the seated Ruswarp. Lots of work and little shows. An alternative to building up like this is to form a frame of wire mesh to support a thinner skin of clay - this would be quicker, but the sculpture would have become more vulnerable to movement and cracks.

Another addition has been the wire to strengthen Ruswarps tail.

You can see the heel of one front foot and a hint of toes gives a feel for the positioning of future work on these places.

Note that the shoulders are not yet in their final positions and the wire is in place to hold the clay, not in the exact place of the shoulder bones.

Building out the central core

The first main addition of clay builds out the central core and means the central core is now properly balanced and in line. This is not quite in the same place as a real backbone, but the concept of support is the same.

Leg armature and clay base

The armature is progressing, with special box section sculptors wire being used to support the clay for the front legs, and the extension rod added that will hold the head and ears.





You can see the base of clay that has been added to the board - Ruswarp will sit on this - A local collie was obliging enough to allow the Sculptress JOEL to draw round him as he was sitting on a sheet of thick paper - and this gave the shape.

Seeking a Collie like Ruswarp

The Sculptress JOEL is looking for a Collie of the same build and coat type that she can study to help inform the sculpture.
It is so helpful to watch and study Collies move, turn and sit.... details of muscles help make the sculpture more lifelike. The old documentary is very helpful...but there are some close up areas I would like to study, says JOEL
If you can help with this aspect of the special project to make Ruswarp the Collie, please contact JOEL

The Armature Core

The central core of the armature that will support the weight of the clay of the sculpture has been fabricated from box section steel by Simon Askew of Rollenwood Services, Melton Mowbray.

There is an additional downward strut for added strength.

You can see the slight curve in the frame that will give the Ruswarp Sculpture that little turn of the head.

Simon can be seen making another drill hole for the steel rods that will form the support for the head.

Images of Ruswarp

Images of Ruswarp have been made to inform the Sculpture