Yesterday I had an inspiration to make a rooster bank. The rooster is about 12 inches tall and the body is about 6 by 8 inches wide. Lots of coins could be saved in a bank this size. There's a slot in the top to insert coins and a hole in the bottom to retrieve the savings. I'll plug the bottom hole with a cork or a wooden or rubber stopper.
I started with a sketch of my idea. Later I made a paper template for the body shape.
Then I wondered how in the world I could construct the piece. I decided to form a makeshift form to hold up the body of the rooster. A plaster mold would be much better. I'll have to think about that for the future. Sometimes it isn't easy being self taught. I wish I could afford to take sculpture class. Maybe one of these days.
As I made the rooster I was thinking rooster banks would be a wonderful addition to my pottery repertoire. But after all the makeshift contraptions and clay gyrations I went through yesterday I wasn't sure I ever wanted to make another. It took me almost four hours to make, The head and tail feathers are precarious. I made them flat but now I wish I'd made them three dimensional. I hope this piece makes it through the firings.
Remember the chickens I saw camping, they're popping up all over the place in my clay work. Oh look at the feet in my sketch, they seem like a cross between human and chicken feet. I wish I'd made the feet that way; I think they'd be a fine addition, very folk artish. This morning I'm thinking one of these roosters, slightly modified, would make a nice cookie jar. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.
You should make more! They will evolve and with practice they won't take as long to make.
ReplyDeleteHi Michele, thanks, I was frustrated with the making while I made it but this morning I'm already thinking of ways to improve it and possibly making other animals into banks, rabbits, maybe a bear a cat, it's unlimited, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteNecessity is the mother of invention. We didn't have the extra cash to buy all the accessories of weaving, like warping equipment. We improvised, we explained what we needed to our brother, who built us jigs and fixtures that were the envy of many weavers and sold in a heartbeat when we retired weaving. I wish I had some of them back.
ReplyDeleteHi Joanne, thanks, yes it definitely makes you think about what you can use as a substitute when you don't have the usual and handmade tools are most often better than those mass produced.
ReplyDeleteI happen to really love it! It makes me smile :)
ReplyDeleteHi Keith, thanks, I think roosters make lots of folks smile, they are such beautiful birds.
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