getting more crisp . . .

Here's a shot of the whole piece as it is today, the day after Christmas. People often ask, "How long did it take you to make this?" My standard answer is, "I don't really want to know, so I don't keep track of hours". Well, this time's an exception – I have been keeping track and it's right around 53 hours so far – not too bad if you consider the block as it was at the beginning. Without the help of pneumatic tools it would easily be over three times that long, so I'm pretty happy with the "swift" progress. The double photo above shows that some of the surfaces have reached their final resolution and only sanding remains. Others are quite far from that state and I now have only 27 days left before I need it to be done and ready for entry in a juried exhibition.

The details . . .

Instead of showing the whole stone, which really isn't changing that much in appearance at this stage, I decided to post a couple of detail shots. One of the photos shows that the very top of the piece is nearly finished, while the other is a good example of
how complex things get as two or more forms meet at low angles and disappear into each other. It may seem as if this is getting too involved in a very small area while other parts of the piece are still quite rough, but sometimes continuing with the larger forms depends on being certain that the join between them is going to work out as planned.

Today I'll install a moisture trap in the air line due to the presence of water – a bad thing that will shorten tool life. It's a consequence of the compressor working in a much colder place than my cozy studio.

Roughing out phase is complete

Finally, I've reached a point on this stone where all the forms are pretty well defined. I can now work on it with my old friends the hammer and chisel (not that there aren't plenty of opportunities to use the pneumatic tool still left). Now it's a matter of deciding when to put the air tool aside to address some finer detailed areas that need more finesse. The last few days have seen increasing refinement of the side shown in the photo above.

Some work on side #1

I decided that side #1 needed some attention, so that's what I did today. I'm leaving the bottom somewhat rough and unresolved for a reason: I need the strength there while the top parts are still getting lighter. Eventually, the top will be about as light as it's going to get and the stress at the bottom will be (I hope) not enough to break the piece as work continues. As the resolution of the forms approaches its final state, I find myself thinking about the arduous task ahead of me – the finish. I'm done with high finishes with their untold hours of polishing with felt pad and tin oxide. Instead, a mat finish with a slight sheen will suffice, and will not interfere with perceiving the forms as a shiny surface sometimes does. Rationalization? Maybe! Kidding myself is a hobby. By the way, you should be able to see the three-part photo above at a larger size if you click on the image.