The Clay Begins to Take Shape

Compatriot Michael Tieman

For those who may try to apply oil based clay to the foam. Don't, it won't stick.

Again, Home Depot has what you need, a roll of 6" wide gutter screening. The perfect base. Cover all of the foam with the screening then apply the oil based clay. I also use the screening as a base for fabric as it can be twisted and folded and retains it shape.

This type of clay does not dry out or harden which for me is great. No water to mess with and clean to use, and I don't have to worry about it drying too fast or keeping it moist as in a water based clay. And if I don't like something, I pull it off and redo it. I have gone back to unfinished pieces I started years ago, hit the clay with a bit of heat from a hair dryer and continued on. The oil based clay becomes soft with just the heat of your hands. I buy it in 10 lb. ingots from a foundry. It comes in soft, med and hard. The hard I use for detail work, the base is soft.

This clay is perfect for when I did demos in a gallery. I can work in a 6'x6' area in the gallery and I don't have to worry about people spilling water, or getting the clay on the floor, or keeping it moist. The galleries I have done demos in love it.

Beware though.

Don't leave your work in a hot environment. I had a friend that completed his sculpture, went away for the weekend to celebrate and when he came back the piece had melted. There was a heat wave that weekend and he had not turned on his fans on the sculpture before he left. I have had to put fans on pieces while I was working so it would not become too soft. I have also hit small areas with cold air in a can to freeze a portion so I can add detail.

Also, I reuse the clay from sculpture to sculpture. When a piece is finished, molds are made and the last piece in the edition has been cast, I tear apart the original and reuse the clay. Frugal. I guess there is a piece of all of my past sculptures in all of my future ones.

You will notice that there is a heart. I always start my people sculptures by placing the heart. It gives the piece a soul.

And Now the Foam

Compatriot Michael Tieman

Cutting and applying foam board. 

I am adding the clay to this and will begin to sculpt the figure. 

The foam gives me a firm support for the clay, I use less clay and it is lighter in weight as a finished piece

Starting the back board

Day Two

Working on the life-size sculpture of the Revolutionary War Rifleman/Militia soldier. 

Went to my favorite Home Depot to get the supplies I need as the support for the clay sculpture. Then I cut the boards and cleated them together to make a 7' x 2' back support board. 

 

Now I have brought the piece into my small studio and added the drawing. Good thing I have 8' ceilings.

 

To see more of this project, go to my Blog and read my daily Journal.

Michael Tieman, artist

Life-sized bronze bas-relief sculptures started

Starting one of three the life-sized bronze bas relief sculptures for the Oregon Revolutionary War Orwm Memorial. These are the Rifleman/Militia soldier initial and life size drawings. Next I start the clay original sculpture. Good thing I have 8' ceilings.

New Committee Members

Today the Lewis & Clark chapter has appointed
six new members to the ORWM Committee for a total of eight.

The ORWM Committee:

SAR Compatriots:
Michael Tieman, Teddy Mills, Tom Akers,
Mark Robertson, Rob Greene, Bob Simpson, Gene Foley.

DAR Daughter:
Patti Waitman-Ingebretsen

Thank You For Your Support!

A quarterly update on what is happening so far this year:

• We have sold 11 of the thirteen benches. Our thanks to:
  The Oregon CAR - Virginia Bench
  Oregon SAR - Connecticut Bench
  Oregon DAR - New Hampshire Bench
  Grier Ingebretsen Memorial Bench - Massachusetts Bench
  Compatriot Barker - Pennsylvania Bench
  Compatriot Wight - Maryland, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, New York and       
                                 Delaware Benches,
• Thirty of the Memorial Muster books have been sold to date
• Twenty Three of the 500 bricks have been sold
• Ten Patriot Sculptures sold

Our 2019 Fundraising Goal: $75,000!

This year we have set our 2019 Fundraising Goal to $75,000. For this to succeed, the ORWM Committee needs your help. 

 

WE NEED YOU TO VOLUNTEER.

Our committee is looking for at least four more volunteers to help us in the following areas:

• Public Relations/Marketing

• Event Planning

• Fundraising 

This is a $250,000 project and we need to get this built in time for the 250th Celebration of the United States of America. 

 

Our Patriot ancestors fought and supported the fight for their Freedom and the building of this new country. This will be a fitting Memorial to Honor them and a reminder to this and future generations of the History of the Revolutionary War and the struggles endured to make this a great country.

 

To volunteer some of your time on this worthy project, please contact Michael Tieman at info@ORWM.org.