Clay-born Barack

[AllenVanAllen]

Hello DUers!

I'm very new to to posting, but have lurked here for years.

I've worked in the toy and collectible industry for over ten years but seldom get to create any fine art. I wanted to share a piece I'm working on now.

These are shots of the 98% finished bust. It's non-scale and measures about 12" tall on the base and sculpted out of polymer clay.







Thanks for looking!

[GReedDiamond]

1. Excellent job...

...you do mighty fine work!

Are you going to cast it when you're done with the sculpting?

[AllenVanAllen]

2. I plan to cast it in resin and finish it as a faux bronze

and hopefully I can cast it in bronze version later on. I did plan to make it available as a very limited run but I'm not sure what the general interest would be in this piece. I was also planning on donating a copy to DU they could sell for funds.
I don't know if they would be open to that possibility though.
Thank you for the compliment! It is much appreciated!

[Kind of Blue]

3. AMAZING!

:hi: Not only does it look like him but it feels like him. This is truly genius work. Thanks for sharing it. Made my day.

[Dover]

8. A very moving piece! I agree with Kind Of Blue about it feeling like him

as well as looking like him. It has a soul.

Thanks for sharing. Maybe it will get the attention of the Obamas.

[AllenVanAllen]

15. I would love for the Obamas to see it

Thank you for the compliment! Thanks for checking it out!

[AllenVanAllen]

10. Thank you for the wonderful compliments

I'm glad to have lightened your day!
I wanted this piece to have a little emotional weight to it. I tried to bring that across in the eyes.

[Kind of Blue]

4. Dupe! Wrong group.

[liberalmuse]

5. Tht is incredible!

It looks so much more like him than that wax figure at Madam Toussand's. I love it!

[AllenVanAllen]

11. I liked the Madam Tussand wax when I first saw it myself but

after seeing it the other day I noticed something a little off with it. Maybe it was the lighting or the wax's paint scheme, I couldn't put my finger on it. It's still pretty amazing imo!

[MagickMuffin]

6. Wow, that is incredible

:wow: And you did it all in polymer clay, again :wow:

How many pkgs did it take you?.?.?

Thanks for posting, and welcome to becoming a member of DU. :hi:

[AllenVanAllen]

12. I used three pounds of clay I, if I remember correctly

The clay was built onto a minimal copper wire armature as well.
Thank you for the compliments and the warm welcome!

[Celebration]

7. Wow!

I guess I can't recommend the thread from this group. Too bad. This is great. You are so talented.

[AllenVanAllen]

13. Thank you!

[AllenVanAllen]

16. Thank you for trying to recommend this post

and thank you very much for the compliments! It's really nice to get patted on the back once and a while!

[Sanity Claws]

9. Very impressive

You should point us to your other work too. I'm sure it's just as great.

[AllenVanAllen]

14. There's this one

It's 1/5th scale and was originally sculpted from wax. The painted version is a resin copy.

[Flying Dream Blues]

17. Beautiful and amazing and I would love to have one. You are so talented!! nt

[AllenVanAllen]

20. Thank you!

I'll make sure to post any progress on this piece.

[lunatica]

18. Your talent is obvious. Very good work!

How does one get into the business you're in? Are you contracted as a freelance artist?

[AllenVanAllen]

21. I am a freelancer

I broke into the business by sending photos and then samples of my work to various toy and collectible companies. This was in the late 90's when the economy was kicking ass. This economy has been difficult for freelancers, that's for sure.

[omega minimo]

19. Better than Madame Tussaud's

[AllenVanAllen]

22. Thank you!

[omega minimo]

24. Theirs looked like a generic black man. Yours captured the features closely, and that amazing

sweeping jawline. :yourock:

[Orrex]

23. Not a bad attempt...

But I have it on good authority that the President is much taller than that!


What a remarkable work with really exquisite execution. Very nicely done, and thanks for sharing!

[Forkboy]

25. That is really amazing. I love that Sagan quote!

The sculptures are ok, too! :P

Just kidding (well, not about the Sagan quote being awesome). The work you did here is incredible, to put it mildly. :applause:

[AllenVanAllen]

26. Thanks!

Man, do I miss Carl!

[Forkboy]

27. You're not alone on that one.

He's one of the very, very few people I would call an inspiration to me in a major way. Imagine where the world would be if there were more people like him. And it's too bad that no one is able to step in and fill the role he filled as a communicator of the wonder of science. There's really no one like him who can take these ideas and present them in a way the public can not only grasp, but be entertained by at the same time. Science now is horrible at explaining how it really impacts our lives, and outside of a few like Michio Kaku and Neil deGrasse Tyson there really isn't anyone who captures science like Sagan did, and even those two, as good as they are, don't really come close to Carl.

[AllenVanAllen]

28. Well said Forkboy!

I could see myself saying the same thing!

[Heidi]

29. Absolutely superb.

:thumbsup:

[AllenVanAllen]

30. Thank's Heidi!