Bonsai figure sculpture

The steps of creating the figure head.

The head of the figure is first carved like the shape of a cherry stone.






Then, the facial features are shaped with a toothpick.


A wet brush is used to finalize the details of the figure.

Hello giangus
beautiful, and first class professional job, I really like.

Best wishes
Peter
_____________________________________________
THE WORLD OF THE POT: http://www.peter-krebs.de/

Thank you Peter for your appreciation,
I'm working on this project and will have an exhibition by this spring in Southern France,
As I often spend time in Germany between Hamburg, Munchen and Constanz, I hope that I will be able to see your creations one day.



Regards,
Giang

Another steps of sulpting the mud figure.



The legs are first created to fixe the position of the figure. Then I put the serial number of each figure (date and number of each figure) and my stamp (seal)


I use another type of clay (this one is the real YiXing clay) to add the details.


Then, I sulpt separately the hands (here with a fan)


The whole body is assembled together. Every part of the body is made separately, I dont use any mould.


After 1H15min of work, this figure is ready to stay in dry place for 2 weeks, before firing for 12h for 1200°C.


The basic tools, that I use for the sculpture.


A sample of the production.

Hi Giang,

you are welcome.

Best wishes
Peter
_____________________________________________
THE WORLD OF THE POT: http://www.peter-krebs.de/

Amazing work!

D.

Your work is really beautiful. I think more people would see it if you had started this in the "display" forum.

Russell Coker wrote:

Your work is really beautiful. I think more people would see it if you had started this in the "display" forum.

Russell, he did! On Oct. 31st.
No one commented until I noticed it on Nov. 27th.
So I told him he should post here!

This was too nice of work to go un noticed.

D.

Oh no!!!

How'd I miss that???

Thank you for your all comments.
I'm trying to make these figures different from the mass production from Asia. The small details, the proportion, the serial number...of each unique figure are important to the composition. It's also a way to respect the future owner.

For instant, I prefer using the natural colour of the clay to highlight the details of the figure. I basically use 5 types of high temperature clay for every sculpture: White & red clay, African stone, Yellow Indian stone, and the Yixing clay for the skin colour.

Later, it depends on the demand of the buyers, there will be glazed and unglazed figures of animals, houses, daily life objects...etc.


A series of low temperature clay sculptures. This type of clay is used at school for kids. It's less elastic and difficult to work with.


Here, "a little monk is supposed to read books for his learning." . This is a low temperature firing clay, 700 to 900°C.



I made it on August 8, 2011 (11), so far 3 figures (3) have been made and the letter A stands for the position (Seating)


Another little monk is making tea, another way to train his patience, behind a bamboo "kusamono".




"Master & disciple around a simple cup of tea"






All best wishes for the IBC members of the end of the year,

Regards,
Giang

Very nice works!



regards,
jun

An excellent insight into the work involved to create your sculptures. Great job.

Regards

Ginette

Thank you Jun, Ginette

Regards,
Giang,


Figures with Yi Xing clay.

Lovely small persons
Thanks for sharing.

Kind regards Yvonne

Thank you Yvonne,

Regards,
Giang


"Taking care of a tree", Yixing clay


"Somewhere in the middle of the river, with my bird", school kids clay

Hi Giang, you work is great, I am sure that many here would love some of your figures... keep posting

Thank Tony,
I'm working on the mud bonsai-penjing figures. Here are some recent bonsai accent clay figures.



Mud figurine of a monk watching a tree





Figure of a stone lantern to highlight a touch of zen garden

Happy holidays,

Giang
___________________
www.lotus-bonsai.com

Yours are the most expressive mudmen I've seen. Beautiful!

Libby

Thank you Libby,
It takes me up to 1H30 min to sculpture each figure, with the use of two or three types of clay at the same time. I'm trying to create more expressive mudmen bonsai-penjing accent figurines different from mass mud figures production from Asia.



Happy holidays,
__________________
www.lotus-bonsai.com

Hi mate,

I hope you do commission work and ship internationally, they are awesome.

Hello Giangus,

I love your figures, it is astonishing how much expression their little faces have! They look so kind and happy.

Heike

Hi Heike,
Thank you, it's still take me some time to produce these expressives mud figures. The face of of each clay figure is not bigger than a cherry stone.





some of the recent mud figures, that I sculpted last week.

Regards,
Giang