You
are interested in a bust commission and wish to familiarize yourself
with the procedure? The basic idea is "have tools, will travel..."
- Decision: You contact me by
e-mail or telephone, we discuss your initial requirements and desired
completion date, we agree on the price of the portrait and a timescale
Note: Prices for a sculpture portrait
vary: according to size (lifesize, or larger than lifesize), whether
the
portrait will consist of full head and neck only or full head, neck and
shoulders, where the subject/sculpture are located geographically,
whether the sculpture portrait is for a home (private
residence) or for public display, and finally, whether the subject is
alive (available to pose for his/her bust) or deceased.
You may also
want to commission a
whole figure lifesize or monumental or mantel piece size rather than a bust.
- Formal
commission: you
confirm to me the commission in
writing by e-mail or mail and you send an initial payment - usually one
third of the total amount and a start date is agreed on. I will travel
to any location around the world (and have already done so for bust
commissions- from the USA to Malaysia and from Ireland to China).
- For a subject who is no
longer living : I will need as many high-quality photos as
possible. Either this is done by correspondance or we meet and I choose
the photos which will best aid me in the process of creating the bust.
- For a live subject initial
appointment : of approximately one hour... I take pictures
and measuments, we discuss the angle and mood of the pose.
- "Fleshing
out" the portrait sculpture: then I get the bust advanced to
about 70% or so in clay (this is not an exact science so percentages
are a complete estimate!).
- The
second appointment is an actual sitting to make adjustments
and progress the sculpture portrait. Estimated time is a couple of
hours minimally.
- The
third appointment is
again an actual sitting. Sometimes the
work is finished at this point sometimes I will require a fourth or
even a fifth sitting. This is largely played out until we (the
"subject" and I) are both satisfied that we have the likeness and the
mood and ultimately have arrived at the fine art piece you have
commissioned me to create for you. So whilst many such
commissions require only 3 appointments, it may take 4 or 5 to finish
the clay artwork.
- At
that point I shall require a second payment before
proceeding to make a mould. We will also discuss and agree how the
piece is to be cast, patinated (coloured) and mounted.
- Moulding
&
Casting the artwork: I will then get the portrait
sculpture cast in the foundry, rework the piece at the wax stage (there
is ALWAYS
some finishing required as there is a limit to wet clay as a material
and some details are best worked in the wax).
- Patination
& Base: I or an assistant portrait sculptor will also supervise
the patination process
in the foundry and mount the sculpture portrait onto a base if
appropriate.
- Delivery/Shipment: Finally,
upon completion of the work in bronze, I
shall either bring/ship the bronze bust to you or you can pick it up
from my studio.
- Timescale: Estimated
time from first sitting to finished portrait 4-8 weeks depending upon
the subject's ability to schedule the 1st, 2nd and any subsequent
sittings as close together as possible. Location is never a problem - I
travel all over the world for sculpture portrait commissions.
Note
that all bust commissions can be executed in bronze or terra cotta or
other media to your requirements. See also info on commissioning
lifesize or monumental whole figure sculptures.
For
UK and international enquiries, email
us
Telephone Laury in the
UK: +44 (0)7725 555048 or in France: +33 (0)6 18 43 51 25
Telephone agent Carla Schade in the
US: +1 406-677-0642  
For
the prospective private art collector, corporate art buyer, urban
planner or public art coordinator we offer options to create lifesize figures or lifesize busts as
originals only or as limited edition sculptures.
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