Education
Always Learning
Besides sculpting, writing and working on the many different contracts, I have been learning. For seven months now I have been working on putting podcasts together. It is incredible to think of all that I have done. There will be two different podcasts, one for my line called Inspirations and the other on art called, what else Creative Endeavors. I keep thinking, “ I feel like I have done so much.” After making this list it is hard to believe I could do all of this and work on such tight deadlines downstairs in the sculpting studio. You probably can tell that my husband and I work all of the time. It is great to love what you do and have a studio near our home.
I am thrilled that this is almost together. Maybe If I put some links then it might help others who are wanting to do a podcast.
• Learned what a podcast was
• Found Adam Weiss page and bought an old iriver on ebay to use while I was waiting for new equipment
• Tried to learn I river, recorded a few things while waiting for new equipment
• Bought a new mac computer
• Scheduled several one to one sessions with Apple to learn audio,
• Learned Garage band, Free audio editing software that comes with a Mac. ( it is funny I have had this for years and I thought it was a game or something. )
• Reviewed microphones
• Purchased the Samson C01U, and pop filter (actually requested it as a gift from husband, thanks hubby)
• Tried to use my own boom arm, didn’t work, tried to make a boom arm that would attach to desk, didn’t work, bought a HEIL boom arm it also came with a spider mount. I am a happy camper
• Tried to figure out how to do a podcast with three people via phone
• Got a skype account
• Purchased Audio Hijack Pro(AHP) ( found this guys post about doing podcasts using sKype and AHP
Posted a bunch of questions, as I was trying to figure it out.
• Still working with AHP techs trying to get better sound
• Scheduled advanced audio sessions with apple
• Studied how to market podcasts
• Recorded 9 podcasts for God’s Word Collectibles
• Edited all of those podcasts
• Tried to find music for podcasts
• Was rejected by one artist but got something even better from Harry Sheppard
• Needed voiceover for commercial begged one person, waited a month and again Harry Sheppard came to my rescue.
• Researched servers for podcast hosting, along with learning about bandwidth etc. Settled on Libsyn, designed libsyn page, figured out how to make two separate podcasts under one libsyn account, complete with rss feed.
• Purchased the url Spotonradio.com
• Paid someone to make a blogger page look like my merchants account page at the God’s Word website http://www.godsword.net so no one would know they were off of the site, unless they look at the url
• Tried to upload podcasts to review sound
• Needed to learn how to make podcasts into CD format so those not having a computer could listen to them.
• Created art for cover of podcast
• Created art and CD sleeve
• Purchased CD labels and created them
• Learned about meta data
• Have had to tell 3 publications that were interested in promoting the God’s Word podcast, It will be up soon.
• Prepare press releases for podcasts
There are still things I need to do, of course promotion of the podcasts once they are up. The copy is going to the proofreader tomorrow, and the podcasts for the God’s Word website are in the hands of my co-hosts, or soon will be for their approval. This is a technicality that we will do away with once we get going with these.
• Learn how to bring them from libsyn and put them on my God’s Word site
• Learn how to make these easy for download
• Get an I tunes account and put the podcast on their through I tunes
Thrilled about learning and absolutely thrilled about these podcasts. It is a great marketing tool for God’s Word, and a wonderful way to share art related information with others.
Bridgette
Word of The Day- Thanatology
With my work of sculpting posthumous sculpture, my study of sculpting the deceased, and the writing of the book, “Bringing to Life the Spirit of the Deceased- A Sculptor’s Journey” which I am still searching for a publisher, I cannot believe I did not come across this word.
It means the study of everything that has to do with dying, death, and grief. There is even an organization called The Center for Thanatology Research and Education Inc.
Once again I ask myself, why am I drawn to this area? For me it is a God thing. I know that creating a sculptor of a loved one can be very healing for the family. I am extremely thankful that I have a job that helps others. But even as a child I was drawn to the subject. I write about it in my book, and may even have mentioned it before. It was my job each spring to bury the baby birds that fell from the nest hidden in the rafters of our old Victorian home. I was the only 5 year old that I know that had their own baby bird cemetery. It is an uncontrollable desire to give credence to a life lived, to somehow establish a physical existence that others can see and say, “Who was this person?”
here is a portion from the book, “I have always been intrigued with the story that I heard about elephants, marveling at the bones of their ancestors that they never knew. I remember seeing an elephant documentary that said that elephants that came across bones of their ancestors would pick them up and caress them, passing them from one to another in a respectful but mourning ritual. By doing so, it helped them come to terms with death. I feel that this action, this simple action by a wonderful and majestic creature is what I feel when I create posthumous portraiture. When the box of personal affects comes to my studio and I examine its contents, from that day forward until the day that the sculpture is complete, I have spent time lovingly caressing the life that I have had the pleasure of being introduced to. I turn that life over and over in my hands and in my heart as lovingly as those majestic elephants did with the bones of their ancestors. It is through this ritual and my art that my experience is enhanced and the healing process and letting go occur for my client.”
Technology in The Art Studio
Created for Best of Artists and Artisans website
By Bridgette Mongeon © 2008
CLAY
In my twenty-three years of sculpting, the process and materials have changed very little. Moving from water-based clay to a wax-based clay was probably my biggest change over the years. It was really done out of necessity. Being a commissioned sculptor, the time between starting a sculpture and a final approval could be months. Trying to keep a water-based clay portrait or a life-size figure from drying out and cracking was a nightmare and when introduced to Classic Clay (brown firm AB200) from Reynolds Advanced Materials, I made the switch. Almost all of my work is created for reproduction by either the manufacturer of my gift items or my foundry for bronze. I rarely fire sculpture in the kiln. In using Classic Clay I no longer have to keep my sculptures wet over the months of time that it takes for an approval, but having to heat up the Classic Clay, with crock pots and torches is a bit inconvenient. The studio is less dusty with the wax-based clay, than it was with water-based clay but I miss having the feel of the water based clay. Even the process of drying out, that caused me such tension, gave me that leather hard stage in the during the drying process that was perfect for adding fine texture to the sculpture.
Casting Outdoor Sculptures
I also keep my eye out for changes in technology as it pertains to casting material, especially outdoor material. Many years ago, when I cast in concrete, I was desperate for additives or different strong but lighter casting material. Whenever someone would tell me they had a product it always fell short of my expectations. Upon further research, it would not withstand the elements. it would chip or it did not come in bright white so that concrete dyes could be added. I have not poured in concrete in a while, so I do not know if anything new is on the market. Though it would be interesting to know if something is now available.
Mold Making Material
Mold making material is another area where technology is vital to my production. If someone could invent a mother mold material with the strength of fiberglass, but not the smell and toxicity, that would be great. (A mother mold is the structure that is put over a rubber mold when making a mold. The mother mold holds the rubber in place, so that when you pour something in it, it is not deformed. Usually the mother mold is plaster that is heavy or fiberglass resin that is toxic and uncomfortable to work with.)I have tried Plasti Paste, a mother mold material purchased from Reynolds Advanced Materials but personally I was not happy with the results. (photograph shows rubber mold with plaster mother mold)
I’m intrigued with the materials used in special effects and frequent the web sites of Reynolds Advanced Materials and Smooth On ( Reynolds Advanced Materials is part of Smooth On ) to see what new items they have.
I have spent some time ordering and utilizing their free dvd’s and pamphlets. The Reynolds site has an entire section on How To. I would love the free time to play with all of the fun things that can be found from these vendors. And now Smooth On has Youtube videos! Like this one on how to create a face mold.
I recently utilized Smooth On’s material for casting hands, and the process that they discuss in the second YouTube video, is similar to what I did. I cast my mom and dad’s hand and they are now two of my most prized possessions. I wrote about them in my newsletter, and posted my thoughts and the process on my forum. The process was the same as the Smooth On video, though I cast their hands in plaster and the Smooth On video shows plastic. ( picture shows father’s cast, my hand, and mother’s cast)
Digital Enlarging
My most recent endeavor into new technology in the art studio has been digital scanning and enlarging. I visited Synappsys Digital Services and was intrigued by what I saw.
Before I go any further, I must first explain the process that a sculptor goes through to enlarge a sculpture. Often a client will want to see a small maquette, which the artist creates for approval by the client. Then the artist proceeds to enlarge the sculpture by creating a metal armature of pipe or rebar, foam and chicken wire. This armature gives the sculpture structure and support, and the foam offers mass that is light in weight. A final layer of clay is put over the foam and details are added. This process can take weeks. (If you would like to see the entire process of creating a life-size sculpture in this manner, please review my online journal of creating the life-size newsboy.) If a sculpture is going from maquette to monumental, the process is a monumental task!
Synappsys Digital Services, along with a few others in the country offer the resource of digital enlarging. They take your small maquette and digitally scan it. Once the scan is in the computer, the data is compiled to create a 3D model. The 3D model is enlarged in the computer and milled out in urethane foam. I have written about this process in detail for an article in the up and coming Sculptural Review Magazine on technology.
(Picture of the Ranger by Harold Holden maquette and enlarged urethane foam created by Synappsys Digital Services)
I visited Synappsys Digital Services to review the process and was thrilled with this new technology. I can’t wait to use it myself. Of course it is a bit of investment. The cost ranges from $1,500 to 4,000 for scanning and milling a 6-foot man depending on the detail and the density of foam used. They can even spray clay on the foam before shipping it to your studio. This process will save me so much time and money, I am definitely adding it to my repertoire of new resources. While preparing the article for Sculptural Review Magazine, I called many different vendors that offer this process. Here is a short list for your records. Prices can vary between vendors as well as the detail that can be obtained in the scanning and milling.
They say “necessity is the mother of invention”, and looking over this article I can see why. It is necessary that I create, and I love vendors that can assist in my creative process.
List of 3D resources
Digital Atelier, formerly Johnson Atelier
Cyber FX
Direct Dimensions specialize in scanning.
Satellite Model specializes in milling.
Digital stone project This company mills in stone.
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without the written consent of the author.
Presentations And More Computer Toys
I have another presentation that I am doing but I have not been given permission to post the child’s photographs or name. I did want to share a bit about the process, for those following along. ( does anyone read this blog?)
I could not do this little boy in a 3D model as with Jenna. I began this process in the post “Working on another 3D presentation.” The big hold up? The blanket. Apparently creating blankets in 3D take quite a bit of time. So instead I played with another new form of technology in my studio. My WACOM tablet.
with this tablet I can draw right on the screen! I love it! I am also using a program called Painter. In the sketches here I have only used the pen tip, but in Painter you can actually paint in all sorts of mediums. The nice part about using it with these sketches is that I can do things in layers. Sketch the boy on one layer, from a photograph provided by mom, and then place him on different layers showing different elements. Kind of like having a clear transparency. Some day I’ll have more time to work in Painter. I am wanting to illustrate my children’s books in them ( any publishers interested?)
The sketches you see are the boy on the granite base and a cross, that is on an angle. In one picture his blankie wraps around the cross as if it is a gift to God, in the other it hangs off. I love that the grass is tickling his toes. In the third picture I have shrunk the cross. See how it changes the feel of the piece?
This presentation reminded me of a praying boy that I had created a long time ago. He is peeking up to see if God is listening!
Working On Another 3D Presentation
I have not received permission to blog about this little boy, I will say this. I am trying to create a 3D model and work with some sketches of a little boy. He is so adorable. This project is different from Jenna in that the child may not be created life size, but instead we are considering smaller child and as part of his headstone. If I am given permission to post I will. Please remember that working on a 3D model is new to me and I am just learning.
Finding a boy the correct size. This young boy is about 2 1/2. Bigger than my baby and not quite a little boy. That means I take either the baby and scale it up, or the little boy and scale it down. As we all know you cannot take a 6 year old and reduce them by a certain percentage and get a 2 1/2 year old. So either using the baby or the little boy I will be looking at the body parts and modeling them a bit differently to accommodate for a 2 1/2 year old child.
If you remember I am working from created models. I thought you might like to see what is available.For Jenna I used millennium baby from Daz 3D. I had ordered Baby moves, for Jenna, which has different poses. Once again it is much easier to take a pose and modify it to be what you want than to pose each limb and joint. I have opted for modifying the millennium baby instead of using a older 6 year old. I had also ordered moonbaby giving me options of clothes.
I feel like I am fumbling around in the computer trying to do this. But knowing how much it helped with Jenna I am determined.
New Podcast- Spotonradio.com
I have been working on pulling together all of the technical items for my new podcast station. I purchased spotonradio.com months ago. We should have the first podcasts up for both channels? what does that mean? well basically there are two different areas that I want to podcast about. the first is of course about creativity, the business of art, sculpting etc. That will be on the Creative Endeavors Channel. Of course I would call it that. After all, that is also the name of this blog and the tv station on blip tv http://www.creativeendeavors.blip.tv
The other channel is Inspirations and is sponsored by God’s Word Collectibles my gift line. This channel will be more spiritual in nature and will also present Generations a show presented by 3 generations of Christian women. The women? My daughter in Tulsa, my mother in NY and myself in Texas. It should be very interesting. I don’t know where it will go, but it seems to be very enticing to women’s media and marketing! I have wanted to do this for years, I thought it would be with writing as we are all writers, but this is easier. Mother is excited that she can do something to help others even while sitting home in her independent living facility. she does not do much in the way of ministry. Most of her strength is used for day to day living.
I hope you will join us and I’ll post as soon as it gets going. I know that both channels are not for everyone and there is a way to subscribe to each feed individually. I’ll post those details soon. Podcast on!
Trying To Catch Up!
It has been a tremendous amount of time since I last posted on this blog. Mostly because I had several other blogs and journals going at the same time, and returning to school I have been a full time student. The perpetual learner blog is my blog on going back to school. I documents my process through undergraduate and this study and on to graduate school.
I also have another project that I am working on. The blog for that project can be found at http://www.dickhathaway.blogspot.com
Travel To Vermont
I traveled up to Vermont College for several reasons. The Dick Hathaway sculpture that I am creating was a part of my study at Vermont College. I graduated on November 1st. I presented two lectures one at Vermont College and one for the T.W. Wood Gallery. Both were about sculpting the deceased, the process and the research for my book “Bringing to Life the Spirit of the Deceased—A Sculptor’s Journey”. I especially liked the TW Wood lecture as many friends of Dick Hathaway were there. It was good to have their inspiration. To be fed stories about Dick Hathaway refreshed me. I’m looking forward to getting back to the sculpture. It should be done in about a month or so.
One was for school and the other for the gallery.
The photograph that I created of the progress on Dick Hathaway now resides at the TW Woods. The sculpture needs a bit of work and there is going to be a pile of books near his foot. The question is, “What are the names of the books?”
The other rose was for my sweet instructor Charlotte Hastings.
It Is a Touchy Feely Thing!
While instructing Florencia today I, once again, began to realize that much of my work is done by touch as well as by seeing. I can feel the way something is supposed to be. I don’t think I really separate the two senses much. It is definitely a touchy feely thing!
Turning The Corner Into October
Here I am turning the corner into October. There is still a lot to do before graduation on November 1st and I leave for school on the 24th. I wish that Dick were coming with me, but I still need to raise money to cast this donation. As I prepare for my lecture for the school, actually two one for the TW Woods Gallery and another for my culmination, I am reminded of all of the absolutely incredible and unusual things that have happened in the posthumous sculpting of Patsy, Lucas, Jeanine and Dick Hathaway. And through the death and remembrance of Charlotte Hastings.
I am convinced, that the energy of a living person stays with us long after their death. I have proven that through some of my study and my research for school. I am amazed at my study, and am thankful for the opportunity to have done such a study through Vermont College Union Institute!