Wild Caught Salmon #2

Wild Caught Salmon

There is a current picture of the full-size eagle that I am working on.  This sculpture is 5ft. wide and is quite heavy.  It is made from 20 oz. copper sheet with stainless steel frame inside the body and wings.  This has been considerably more work than I originally thought because the amount of copper sheet multiplies as the size increases.

 

As I look at this picture, I find plenty of humor.  Here is a "headless" artist that created a "headless" sculpture.  There's hope that soon the eagle will have a head, but not so much hope for the artist.

Who says that art isn't fun.

 

 

Close-Up of Eagle's Catch

Introducing Izzy, our Black Laborador dog.  It's hard to get an outdoor picture without her in the picture and this is no exception.  She alway is so interested on what I am doing.  On the right is the eagle's feet.  I especially like how the tail of the salmon is slumped over the mount.

 



 

 





More information as this sculpture is completed.  I have the wooden platform glued-up and ready to be cut into a 24" round base.  I have big hopes for this one.

 

 Tim Summerville and Izzy the dog

timsummerville.com

Wild Caught Salmon

 

Wild Caught Salmon

 

Hello on a Friday.  This is a quick blog to let you know what is current and still warm.

 

This is a special Friday edition.

 

Your boss has CERTIFIED that it is OK to waste work time on Friday afternoon looking at this blog.  Corporate realized that on Friday afternoon you need some personal time that is not listed on your timecard.  Just in case your employer did not get the e-mail...you might want to switch screens if anyone walks by your cubicle.

 

The full-size eagle is landing on one foot, body centered, talons gripping the wood branch.  The other foot is grasping a 12" salmon while the tail is raking over the branch.  The 12" salmon gives the viewer a sense of scale of this large eagle.  In other words "wow".

 

 Enjoy your weekend,

Tim Summerville

timsummerville.com

Eagle with Mouse

Eagle with Mouse

 This is the last of the eagle series.  This eagle has a 30" wingspan with talons gripping an antler that has been shed and is lying on the forest floor.  Most deer antlers that have been shed provide a meal for small rodents.  A mouse is using the antler as a quick hiding place.  I can only imagine the end to this story.   

 

A View from Behind

 

 

And the Side View

This is a nice picture showing the slowing action of the landing eagle.  The wings form a canopy and act as a brake to slow the eagle for landing.

 

I have always said, "The act of building something is greater than the ownership of it".  However I not sure now.  I really like this sculpture, but this one too, went to the gallery.



 

Tim Summerville, copper artist

timsummerville.com

 

 

 

 



Copper Eagle with Trout

Copper Eagle with Trout

This is the next in the eagle series.  This features the eagle's first movement of his wings just after catching the trout.  The wingspan of this eagle is 30" and is supported by a heavy walnut base. 

 

 

The Set-up

Each toe is made separate and brazed to the leg.  To begin with just a small tack braze holds each one to the leg.  The grip of the talons creates an indentation in the soft flesh of the trout.  The area around the base of the toes will be filled in with copper brazing filler rod.

 

 

 

Close up of the eagle feet during construction



The  leg is cut into strips near the end.  Then the toes are tack brazed to these strips.  The secret of this is to allow the feet to be adjusted and twisted to make a believable sculpture. 

 

Hopefully this will give some insight on the great mystery of "How". 

Tim Summerville    timsummerville.com

 

Golden Eagle Finished

 

Here are the finished photos of the Golden Eagle sculpture mounted on a distressed maple support attached to a base of burl maple.

Please enjoy.
Tim Summerville, copper artist    timsummerville.com

Golden Eagle Legs

Copper Eagle with a Clay Leg

To help visualize the beginning of the legs, feet and talons, a quick mock-up was made from clay and stuck to the copper body.  Could this be a new career path-plastic surgery?  Anyway this idea really helps because it forces you to think in completed forms and not just abstract thoughts.

 

 Mounted on Base

The first leg is centered under the body showing that it is using full strength of the one leg to launch from a twisted position.  Nature is not symmetrical.

I learned a lesson...keep your hands away from the hot flame of the torch and let metal cool before touching.  Yeppp I did that.      Tim Summerville   timsummerville.com

 

Starting the Golden Eagle

The Beginning of the Body

This is the very humble start of the Golden Eagle body.  Basically starting with an oversize piece of annealed copper sheet with a centerline drawn with a marker.  As this progresses the base of the wings will be added.  This will include the muscles that control the wings.  This is new to me and think this will be more accurate to include the muscles on the body and not on the ends of the wings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forming the Wing Muscles

The wing muscles are formed and the top of the body are fitted and tacked.  The opening shown is where the neck and head are joined to the body.  Hopefully all the copper will transition smoothly to the next.  If not....copper scrap is running $2.40 per pound.  This looks rather unconventional but it will work.  If this doesn't work there might be a long pause between blogs.

 

This eagle will have a wingspan of about 24" and even now I would like to have one myself.

 

                     Tim Summerville, copper artist      timsummerville.com