A collection of my work

[YanSan]

My whole life i've had a strange attraction to sculpture, but up until recently i've avoided it for some reason. That was up until september, where i had my first sculpture class, i have since taken 1 other class, but both of them the teachers didn't give much instruction and i had to experiment with techniques myself. i have a little more experience with 3D on the computer, but i've only recently gotten comfortable with the software.

since i started in september, i have desperately fallen in love with traditional sculpture. so much so that i am planning to stop my studies in 3D computer animation/ modeling and pursue a career as a sculptor. so i figured i was would show some of my work.

one thing i seemed to notice on these forums that i enjoy is people seem to be more honest. so if you'd like you can critique my work all you like, as i am generally not very sensitive about my work. I'm hardly ever satisfied with it myself.

these are all from late last year up till now, which is essentially the only sculptures i have under my belt. i will include my digital pieces after the traditional one. all of which are only from this year.


Still in progress













Digital -


still in Progress

[YanSan]

a couple more digital.




after i created this, i noticed some things that don't look quite right, but haven't gone back to fix it.

[grommet]

wow, off to an amazing 'start'. It appears to have been a not too difficult transition from computer to clay.

[racine]

is that a 2" water pipe?, mmm i love it

[evaldart]

Yeah, I'd say, as evidenced by the above efforts, that you were supposed to be a sculptor...not a mouse-mover. Keep up the good work.

[rika]

I'm very impressed by both 3D and real life modeling. I like the old man the best, he has character, goes beyond the other studies. Keep posting.

[desertrock]

Very nice work. A "natural".
I started at 47 years young in stone. Create, create, create.
Mark

[krispee]

i, too, have come to sculpting late on, and i think you`ve made an amazing start, really love the skeletal/mulscled sculpt but they are all well done, keep it up....
btw, what modelling software did you use? i`ve also used 3d software......

Kris

[YanSan]

Thanks for all the kind comments. my response is a bit delayed, but I've been trying to see if I'd be able to get enough money to attend the Florence academy of art in the Fall, which i now know i won't. but possibly in the next few years.

Grommet - Thanks, It has been a pretty easy transition from the computer, although i think i actually started sculpting more realistic figurative stuff in clay first, back in September. most of my early experience on the computer was learning software and making tanks and simple stylized characters, i think I've only been doing realistic figures on the computer since the start of the year.

Racine - i think it's only 1/2". it's what the school gave us. i figured this out today when i went and bought some 3/4" that was too big.

evaldart - thanks, i'm hoping i can make a career in traditional sculpture. it's much more enjoyable to me. the mouse, pen and tablet can't substitute for actually feeling the form.

Rika - Thanks, i agree. i've mostly been concentrating on structure, i feel like most of my work so far is, technically speaking, not bad, but i would say a real lack of substance. i think once i'm more confident with my structure and forms i'll focus much more on creating something with a little more zing.

desertrock - thanks, i've always had an urge to make something in stone. ever since that little stone nose i made i'd really like to try and make a bust or something in marble or some sort of stone. However, i don't have enough money to buy and stone or stone tools. so it will have to wait

krispee - Thanks. i'm not sure if i can be considered to have started sculpting late, since i've only turned 21 in march, but i feel like i should have started a long time ago. but instead i was influenced by some into trying to make my way into college baseball (what was i thinking?). also, i mostly use Maya and Zbrush for my 3D work. there is also a very simple rendered that i started using called Hypershot.

i feel like this is a long winded response, but anyways. here is an update on my most recent sculpture. i don't really like it, but i think i've progressed with some things, so it's not all bad. it's a small 10" bust (i'm trying to save clay)

[Alfred]

Like Ecaldart said, I think you were born to be a sculptor. I don't think I was this good after only one semester. Keep up the good work, be true to yourself and your desires and never give up... you'll find success eventually. I've been doing this for over 10 years now and only now am I starting to see a little light at the end of the tunnel. Still no major successes, but it looks like things are starting to line up for me. With you skill, you can get there much faster.

Cheers!!

Alfred

[shorshvan]

your sculptures are beautiful

[jwhisperj]

Wow you take my breath away. Just started? Amazing.

[YanSan]

thanks Alfred, shorshvan, jwhisperj. i've gotten compliments from other people, but when they come from fellow artists it always means alot to me.

i've managed to get a few oddjobs to earn some money and in the mean time i was able to make this sculpture. i've entered it into two competitions, so i'm hoping to at least get some recognition, but we'll see.

it's about 23x11in. i'm longing to do some larger work. but i currently don't have money for supplies or know exactly how to go about it (full figures anyway).

[bottegin]

I like your work. Keep it up!!

[GlennT]

Your modeling skills and sense of proportion are quite excellent as well as your ability to nail a gesture. Your growth in such a short time is evident and amazing. For my taste you err a bit on the side of over-emphasis on some muscle planes or details, but that is minor and still a matter of individual preference.

What this type of work could use to go the next step would be for the gesture to have meaning beyond looking as if it is a model posing for the sake of a pose. The pose looks like it was chosen to say, "Here is my wonderful anatomy in a pose of classical grace", and that is communicated very well.
To take it further in context that the viewer could relate to emotionally or mentally as a universal archetype or something beyond the physicality would make it a knock-out!

Looking forward to seeing more.

[evaldart]

Glenn, you would have him affect his work with the "universal" the 'typical" or the generic? All to be sure its accessible to viewers? Nope, dont do that, Yan.
Your figuration is doing exactly what it should be doing...in fact, as you produce more and more work (progress, develop, morph, select and deselect, prioritze and re-prioritize) you are likely to head in a direction where you often arrive in areas that appeal more to YOU and less to the viewers. And THAT will be better for everyone.
If you're gonna bother about the viewers...it is better for them to learn to WORK to access Art...just like you did.

[GlennT]

Where, evaldart, did you derrive "typical" or "generic" from my post? Or make works that are "accessible" to viewers?

My point was that adding additional layer of content beyond the physical manipulation of material and form and a depiction of anatomy in pose, thus having it express something about what is going on inside the person depicted, would take it further, giving it more meaning. Why do you find this concept of adding depth and meaning threatening and therefore you feel the need to oppose it?

Twisting the argument to make it appear as though my advice is for him to dumb down the work for the sake of mass appeal is disengenous and completely misses the point.

Then there is this statement, "If you're gonna bother about the viewers...it is better for them to learn to WORK to access Art...just like you did. "
Have you paid any attention to the human condition? Is this really how you relate to humanity?

I don't understand this attitude about placing an artist on such a higher pedestal than eveyone else, and distaining those others. I have many friends, most of whom are not artists, and I do not make demands on them that they "work" to access my art, nor to I think of myself as being far superior than they because I happen to be an artist.

[evaldart]

Guess I mistook the words "universal archetype" to mean " a model, epitome or prime example readily relatable to all" (my definition of course...because the dictionary lies).

"Whats going on inside the person depicted" is not a formal quality of figuration, sculpture ; and while such may be a passenger it may not be the driver (of that big bus we call Compositional Sensibility). The narrative or illustrative impetus is merely a part of the story or stimuli that helped set the hands to work. It must go much further than that to become Art.

Any "emotional or psychological" gleanings will likely vary widely...as widely as there are variations within the human condition. The strengthening of the "individual condition" is the route to the improving of that bigger picture. Pandering to ideals will simply wall you up with some lot of folks who are likely to keep you with them...by praise or by condemnation. And we dont need that.

[grommet]

Catfight!

I think believeability is more important in some meeting here. If you are in tune with yourself and what you are creating, then it will project believability. If you need a vehicle of a preconceived goal to make a believable sculpt then that's your way.
This "pose" is very animated, and thus believable. I don't need to know what he's doing or what his motivation is because he's in motion, and maybe hasn't decided why he's there, other than to get a better look from that vantage point.

[GlennT]

The work is remarkably believeable. A narrative will not increase that factor.
A catepillar on a leaf is believeable.

I'm talking about a next step, which is communicating something deeper.

I'm not taking issue with the man's abilities, I'm pointing out that he is ready to go the next step.

Sure, anyone can be satisfied with achieving a level of "believeablility", but with such gifts apparent I'm suggesting they be applied to turning an excellent work into a masterpiece. The pose here reminds me of an atelier exercise or a figure drawing co-op experience. As is, it looks like a terrific study. A masterpiece goes further.

Those who have not discarded their art history books, take a peak and see if you can determine what the difference is. You won't find it in the realm of technical skill, as this example is about as good as it gets. Those who don't want this artist to push things further are the ones seeking to dumb things down, not I. That would be pandering of a different sort.

[YanSan]

thanks for the kind words.

GlennT, i think i know what you are saying, and i largely agree. Currently i would say Rodin in my favorite sculptor, i got to see his work at the MET the same semester i had my first sculpture class. i think those two things are really what pushed me to pursue sculpture.

I completely understand and agree about the muscles and details. Some people like Richard McDonald, but for me i feel like his work that i've seen seems like an easy way to get a dynamic pose and show off knowledge of anatomy. I have mixed feeling on this sculpture of mine, particularly about the detail of the beard. I also wasn't able to have a model and sort of had to piece the pose together with references that had some similar elements, so i think there is probably some anatomical inaccuracies from that. I also think i went for something more muscular looking partly to work on technical skill, because i don't feel like i have a strong enough foundation on it yet, and it's a bit fun since i haven't really done it yet.

i started the sculpture with bigger ideas than just a superficial look, but because of time and inexperience i think i sort of stopped focusing on them or it just didn't come through, to get it done in time to submit to competitions. currently i feel like my gestures come through much more stiff than i had intended or envisioned, but only experience will help.

again thanks for the input

[sculptor]

Hello YanSan

the guy in #2

what are the horizontal bands above the knees for?

excellent foundation work reminds me of sculpture studies from long ago

..........................
and, evald
when glenn talks about the value of gesture
think
dauntless efforts and gluttony
it is the gesture that makes those art

[YanSan]

the bands are essentially just a part of the sheath the goes over the leg, but that portion has a small effect on the surface form. i know Dr. Richer has it in his book as "Richer's band". but i also know alot of anatomy books don't have it. neither is really wrong.

i know i can slightly see/ feel it on my vastus lateralis when my leg in been around 90 degrees, although i'm sure each person would be a bit different. in richer's book it looks like he is saying that is what creates the little bulge at the bottom of the vastus medialis when the leg is straight when your stood up. i think it won't make a difference if you know it exists or not, just something subtle that has a small influence on the surface.

[YanSan]

when i went to the MET i saw Rodin made some very small sculpted figures, which i assumed were studies of gesture. it seemed like a good way to study/ practice gesture, and was inspired to do something similar. so i made this little guy with one arm. i thinks it's about 5in tall.



i thought i'd show my work space, don't think it could qualify as a studio, it's pretty haphazard. i also included a photo of the 3 tools i use 99% of the time.