Maquette
A maquette is a scale model or rough draft of an unfinished sculpture. An equivalent term is bozzetto, from the Italian word for “sketch”. A maquette is used to visualize and test forms and ideas without incurring the expense and effort of producing a full-scale piece.
I am trying out various ideas for a public sculpture. My first idea was to make a maquette that was about 6 feet tall by 6 feet long by 4 feet deep. Susan thought this was way, way to big for a maquette. This would make the finished sculpture more like 10 feet tall by 10 feet long by 5 feet deep. If I build it in my welding yard, it has to be able to be broken down into components to move. Like building a boat in your basement.
So. We were having snowy and very cold weather and spent Monday January 11, 2021 inside working much much smaller. Balsa wood, foam core, bamboo skewers, hot glue. Smaller is harder to make. It lacks details and tends to fall apart.
Better success Tuesday. Got rid of some ideas. Let me say here that bases are hard. How do integrate it with the sculpture and have it support the the weight and balance. Above is a very basic first shot. The finished piece will be some where between the first two sizes. I think I will stop here I am rambling. Ramble on.
This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.