Close Up!

The back of the sculpture is very different to the front of the carving. It is also the area that I didn't resolve as much when working on the model. I always knew I would be slowly feeling my way around the stone, pushing planes back and bringing  areas forward.
Its interesting that the lines that I had drawn on the stone to indicate what needs to be removed at the very start are now the lines I am cutting. However, when you do start to cut and carve you are always considering alternatives with the carving or new possibilities with the form of the sculpture. Could that be made thinner? Can I go deeper? Do I need to change the angle of that surface?  Normally my instinct is right from the start but I am always aware that sometimes you can be too hasty and miss an opportunity to do something different. When you have taken it away there is no putting it back and the material is not very forgiving when you make the wrong decisions!! Now that the lines are cut into the back my emphasis will now be on the twist from the side profiles. The edges are rising up 2.5m so the lines need to be elegant and subtle for the twists to work. There is no more standing on the ground now which is giving me a different perspective on the carving seeing it from above. Preparation is key at the moment on getting the best and most comfortable working positions for the day ahead.