These are photographs showing the progress from the model and the drawing concept to the final proposal of my Marshal Frank Hamer monument. If all goes well the City of Navasota will approve of the design and I will get started on the life-sized sculpture to be placed in front of the new City Hall. I'm getting pretty excited. This sculpture will also be cast in bronze, for anybody interested in a two footer, of one of the greatest Texas Rangers of all!
Perhaps the hardest thing in the beginning was to find a model... somebody to BE the famous Texas Ranger and Navasota City Marshal Frank Hamer for me, so I could get the concept rolling. Hamer was every bit of six foot three inches... This former Navy SEAL graciously posed for me, and I knew the rest would be easy. Thank you J_. M_.! In a big way, this sculpture is a tribute to all the brave men and women who make the world a safer place for us as Americans.
I started the proposal with one of artist Payne Lara's new armatures, now on the market, and WOW what a great product it is. Payne is a highly recognized and sought after Western and wildlife sculptor here in Navasota, and has used his vast experience in creating bronze sculptures to design these commercial armatures for the sculpture profession. He has thought of every possible requirement for a sculptor to get a sound start on sculpting a human form, in several different sizes. This armature saves the professional artist days of prep work. Yet if he cannot sculpt, it gives him no unfair advantage.
As you can see, when the actual clay form is created, there is no longer any trace of the armature. Here young Frank comes to life... without all the accessories of a Western lawman...
Now armed and ready, topped with his big hat, Marshal Frank Hamer steps out of history into the art world, ready for the City monument committee to see him.
When a maquette design is approved, I will go to one of my favorite places, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame in Waco to see if they have any artifacts there to help make this sculpture as authnetic as possible. That ought to make a great blog!
When a maquette design is approved, I will go to one of my favorite places, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame in Waco to see if they have any artifacts there to help make this sculpture as authnetic as possible. That ought to make a great blog!
1 comment:
I still think he looks like your first model :)
Ended up getting a pheasant while Dad was still in town and cooked it up this evening- sauteed in butter, oil, wine and garlic- and my friend brought some fresh venison sausages- bet you wish you were here! :)
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