Robert Bodem Critique | Bust | @craineyregards

[Robert Bodem]

First off congratulations, @craineyregards, if this was clay and cast into plaster it is a feat in itself. It came out beautifully and fully intact, talons and all.

Composition A

My first comment has to do with overall composition, which on a large scale is successful. The bird of prey is dynamic which distinguishes it as the focal point of the sculpture. They both appear to have eyes locked in the same direction which creates a unity amongst them.

The positional choices occurring with the head, neck and sternum seem a bit static. The strong vertical and perpendicular elements of the base and right side of the composition could be accentuated, creating an overall more dynamic composition. This could be achieved by pushing the pit of the neck over to the left as I am looking at it in the image. This adjustment would help to not only bring a bit of a swing from the neck into the head but pull over the base and sternum breaking up the strong vertical.

In making choices about composition I encourage people to engage in their work from a distance, as a viewer would see it across the gallery floor. This image or shape is often more profound than the work we all diligently put into the smaller elements throughout the sculpture.

The Portrait B

There is nothing glaring about the actual portrait that causes me concern. It is a solid head with the elements that are often more challenging such as eyes and hair which are well executed. Most of the features abide to the overall position of the central axis seen at the profile. This is also where I think a few minor tweaks would help “lock” together the portrait creating a more consistent position throughout. When I set a perpendicular line through the tear ducts where the eye lids meet on my left, appear a little low.

This is the first question I always bring to my portrait work.. RELATIVE ANGLES…I work hard on consistent position throughout. Models heads float and due to portrait sculpture being time consuming, when we make our first decisions regarding position and then days later start to include an eye they may not coalesce.

Keep a clear axis drawn on the sculptures profile at all times. It acts as  a reminder of the early decisions when we get into the later stages.

To a smaller degree and harder to judge from this particular vantage point, I also do have some questions about the outer shape to the face and how it may not coalesce to the central axis. I say this more to reinforce the importance if bringing this question to your work. When creating the outer shape of the face, cross comparisons to one side of the face to the other are important.

I will end with another small observation. The space between the edge of the eye pocket and the outer shape of the head seems absent, in other words the overall width of the eye doesn’t sit within the framework of the shape of her head.

I will raise my hands and give you a round of applause. You have a keen understanding of your subject and a dexterity to manage it. Small tweaks to the actual portrait could help bring the work to another level.. Understand that this isn’t about seeing better or making more accurate observations, it is about the questions that you bring to your work. My hope with this critique was to prepare you with a few more questions to add to your arsenal.

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