Page 32 - Casting of Angels- Dave Parvin

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A Little More Complicated

Portrait Castings

By David E. Parvin, A.L.I.

Recently, I described casting practice. As in photography, anyone
praying hands. Whether just hands can take a snapshot, but not just
alone or as part of a portrait, praying anyone can be an Ansel Adams.
hands is sure to please almost any I was confident that Caylie at
client. In this article, I will offer two thirteen would have no problem
examples which are more being cast; usually a child eight or
complicated but will demonstrate older will endure and even enjoy the
what can be done with a little process. But to put her at ease, I
imagination. suggested that we first cast her foot
Often I have been asked, “Which en pointe, something all dancers are
comes first, the idea or the model?” eager to do. Photo #2 shows an
If a client comes to you wanting to be excited Caylie and her mom looking
depicted in a certain way, you do the over her finished foot.
best you can with the hand you have In photograph #3, my very able
been dealt. “Can you make me look assistant, Audra, and I were in the
like a kumquat?” “Why sure young final preparation of Caylie for
lady.” In fact, she might look more casting. Her hair had been thoroughly
like a radish, but kumquat it is.” coated with Cholesterol hair
After all, there’s a mortgage to be conditioner and a piece of cloth
paid and groceries to be bought. But covered up her developing assets.
if I am doing something for myself, The cloth had been fitted tightly so as
usually the idea comes first and then to be invisible under whatever faerie
I look for the right subject or model. garb we later decide to add. While
But sometimes, as was in this first her left ear was completely exposed,
example, the model can be the her right ear, not shown, protruded
inspiration. It began when an aspiring through her hair in a very faerie-like
young ballerina, Caylie, and her manner.
mother, Sue, introduced themselves Photo 1 In photograph #4, the mold had just
having recognized me from my been removed and an excited Caylie
involvement with Denver’s dance faerie. Of course, I could have had soft skin from the seaweed based
community. I couldn’t help but be sculpted Caylie in the more alginate and well conditioned hair
impressed with how much Caylie traditional method of having her sit from the Cholesterol. Audra and I
looked like a faerie and I said so to for me while I shaped her likeness in made a plaster cast from the mold
Sue who told me I wasn’t the first to wax or clay and then cast it in bronze which was completed by the time
have said that. I invited them to come or resin as in my piece, “Asrai” Caylie emerged from the shower,
by my studio even though I had no shown in photograph #1. But life photograph #5. There are always at
specific idea of what we might do casting is analogous to “three least some repairs that need to be
other than something faerie-like. But dimensional photography” and just as made to the plaster cast such as
before we met again, I got to thinking a photograph can be more real and trimming the back to lie flat and
that Caylie would make a great faerie personal than a painting or drawing, fixing any small imperfections. After
portrait. Of course, with the right so can a life casting be when which,I had a plaster cast of the
modifications, anybody can be compared to a regular sculpture. human Caylie which was too nice to
turned into a believable faerie. It’s Some may think that I was just waste. I went ahead and made a
just that Caylie’s naturally occurring following an easier path. But life rubber mold of the plaster and made
faerieness inspired me to begin this casting is just another art form with a cold cast “bronze” copy for Caylie
project. Had she looked like a its own advantages and in Forton MG with copper powder,
kumquat... disadvantages and while it may look photo #6. At that point,I was ready
My idea was to start with a life easy, or at least easier than more to begin the really fun part, turning
casting and then turn her into a traditional sculpting, doing it well Caylie into a faerie.
does take some knowledge and
1