Home
King Ghidorah / Gorynych Hybrid
- Details
- Category: Sculptures
In 1964, Toho Studios introduced a three-headed kaiju with large (but proportionately small) bat wings, two spiked tails, and golden scales as Godzilla's main adversary in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. But for centuries, Russian and slavic folktales also told tales of Gorynych zmei, a dragon with 3 (or more) heads. I took inspiration from both sources and designed a dragon with wings that are a combination of King Ghidorah's bat wings and a pterosaur-like anatomy where the wing shaft is an extension of the pinky digit that folds up when the forearm is touching the ground. King Ghidorah was technically more of a wyvern in that it only had two limbs and wings, whereas true western dragons like my model have 4 limbs and a pair of wings. I modeled the two spiked tails and three heads based the original Toho Studios design which was also clearly influenced by traditional Asian dragons. My thanks again to the Ceramic Art Studio and Shop.
Wet clay model
Siberian Tiger in the Snow 2.0
- Details
- Category: Sculptures
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
- William Blake
I was never happy with my first attempt at a Siberian Tiger. As a matter of fact, I am never totally happy with any of my work - but I digress. My first tiger was loosely based on several stock photos, and in the end my research was inadequate in many ways. I also applied the stripes using my imagination and sense of what it should look like, that it wasn't until I was done that I realized they were too evenly spaced and dense compared to actual tiger stripes. With 2.0, I based my sculpture on just (2) Getty stock photos of Siberian (Amur) tigers in the snow: one for the overall pose, and the other for the details of the head. I also searched for several months for glazes of the right shade, but decided that I'd rather give it my best shot at acrylic paint. My thanks again to the Ceramic Art Studio and Shop. (And yes, there will be a version 3.0 at some point, as well as a 2.0 of the White Tiger.)
Wet clay model
Osumosan - The Sumo Wrestler
- Details
- Category: Sculptures
The Japanese sport of sumo wrestling originated as a Shinto ritual and evolved during the mid 16th century into the form the world is familiar with today. The imposing physique of a sumosan, in addition to the traditional hair style, is quite distinctive and unique to that sport alone - there is no mistaking a sumo wrestler from other athletes! And while there are no weight classifications (and therefore no limits) in Japanese sumo, the mass differential is not always a deciding factor in a bout. Speed, balance, and strategy are also key elements that make the contests so fascinating to watch. My thanks again to the Ceramic Art Studio and Shop.
Wet clay model
Celestial Maiden
- Details
- Category: Sculptures
Celestial maidens can be found in the folklores of almost every culture. In Asia, the Hindu and Buddhist traditions have influenced common elements into the heavenly maidens of India (Asparas: अप्सरा), China (Feitian: 飞天), Japan (Tennyo: 天女), and Korea (Seonnyeo: 선녀). These beings all typically possess great beauty, magical abilities, and the power of flight using special garments (without which they are grounded, making for some interesting folktales). Their western counterparts can be angels, fairies, or even valkyries, depending on their role within a specific folktale or belief system. My sculpture is based on the Korean Seonnyeo with the telltale double ringlets of hair, and her face was modeled after actress Kelly Hu. My thanks again to the Ceramic Art Studio and Shop.
Wet Clay Model
Page 52 of 69
