Made by Isis Vandelannote
The basic shape of my carousel horse is now “finished” (so everything without saddle and other decorations). I do have to add one or two layers of the paper mache clay. I am struggling with the eyes again. At first sight, I was quite happy with them, but now I’m not so sure anymore, because it seems they are slightly off again… what do you all think? Is it “problematic”, or should I leave it be as it is. Let me know 🙂
[Note: Isis finished her horse and wrote a full tutorial showing how she did it – click here.]
This is a late comment but I would leave the eyes as is. Your work is stunning and you should be very proud. You are a true artist in every sense of the word!
Thanks Pat! I appreciate that. It’s never too late to receive nice comments 🙂
Wow, such a good job! Please tell me how you do it? Do you have a special frame?
Isis created a wonderful tutorial for us. I should have put a link to it on her original post – thanks for reminding me! 🙂
You can find her tutorial here.
Thanks for putting a link to it, Jonni. It’s nice to see that it’s still getting attention 🙂
This horse is wonderful. The eyes look perfect to me. I think sometimes we are too up-close-and -personal with our own work so we are bound to see the slightest flaw. It’s a beautiful job.
Thanks Bonnie 🙂
Isis, when I show a sculpture of a bird, I don’t want anyone to look at its feathers but the bird.
And this applies to everything I do.
A small variation in centimeters is not important, the important thing is the whole.
Yes, I understand your point there! 🙂 Probably the reason why I see the small “mistakes” and other people don’t….they see the carousel horse in its whole 🙂 Thanks!
Isis, I love the ongoing commentary you are receiving. I was finishing a pumpkin face this morning, and you ought to have seen me “fiddle” with the eyes. They are triangular eyes, at that. Ears don’t bother me so much, or noses, perhaps mouths, but eyes get to me. Thanks for your beautiful work.
Isis, this beautiful horse is perfect to me! I am very new to this craft and am in awe of the talent I see! I think your house is beyond perfect and you are an amazing artist!
Keep up the fantastic job and I can’t wait to see more!
Thanks Stephanie 🙂
I think the eyes are perfect! You are way too exacting! (As is Rex) This project is moving along amazingly! He/she looks happy and inviting….like it wants you to ride it! What did you wind up using for the tail? It looks great. Continue to keep us posted….almost there!
Thanks Eileen 🙂 You’re right, I guess. When it comes to eye-placement, I want to be exact…while it is almost impossible and even in nature eyes are not identical. I did “fix” it a little though, without doing big changes (no drastic re-shape).
The tail is a very long synthetic black wig, bought online. Costed me 15 euros (which is reasonable I think). I’ll post updates later on 🙂
I just want to say how happy I am you “disagree” with me having flair and good sense! You are the best and can guide me at any time! This is really an amazing project.
Isis, this horse is gorgeous.
Isis, you have come so far. This is a fantastic sculpture. I love seeing the steps you have taken and the artistry involved. The mane is perfect.
I will take the brazen step of commenting on the eyes because that is something I live with on any sculpture with eyes! I’m sure you are aware that eyes are not symmetrical, but given that I would add a little clay on the eyeball of its left eye. It looks like glass, and if that is the case, I would pull the back out a little if you can. Let it set and add to the eyelid and eyebrow if you need to (you may not).
I was doing a Tapir and the eyes drove me crazy. A cousin came to see it and said the eyeball was too flat. When I added more clay, it looked a lot better. Your eyes look great, and the right eye looks perfect. That’s why I pick on the left eye and suggest the back part move out a bit.
By the way, did you know horses cannot see directly in front of them? How they race I don’t know, so the eyes do face to the side.
I really love this. Please show us more progression photos if you can. Thanks so much.
Thanks Rex. As it happens, Jonni gave me similar advice 🙂 I know eyes are not symmetrical, but once I think I made a “mistake” I can’t “unsee” the mistake. I pulled and pushed a bit around the eye and added a little to the eyebrow. It looks better now (confirmed by my family who I have asked a hundred times to come and take a close look).
With every project I do, I just want to get the eyes perfect…and Eileen might be right here, maybe we are exacting 🙂
Most people won’t even notice the differences.