Making of "Ginkgo" SL-40
16 sequence photos from start to finish
wall art • 18"x 6"x 1.2" • 3.5 lbs • travertine limestone • original artwork by Gary DuBois
To inquire about this item, contact: stonetablestudio@gmail.com (859) 314-8407Embedded Files
16Beauty from the Broken — hand crafted from re-purposed stone
1 The original slab was a scrap piece of Travertine countertop stone. I used actual ginkgo leaves as my models, using photocopy enlargements to create the rough template.
2 Rough blocking: I roughly “shave” the stone down to leave the leaf areas raised above the 'beam' backdrop.
3 After refining the silhouette and establishing the basic levels of the leaves, I remove the unneeded stone below. But initially I still leave plenty of stone bulk for structural strength as I continue to work the top.
4 Working the contours of the top of each leaf I progress toward the leaf's final nuanced shape. Shown here are hand tools, but at this stage I might also use a powered Dremel-like rotary tool, when needing to remove more material.
5 Referencing an actual leaf, I finesse the surface texture using a traditional steel riffler to simulate the unique vein patterns of the ginkgo's leaf.
6 At this stage, the leaf's top shape is mostly finalized. However, before cutting away the underside of the leaves, or shaping the stems, I need to first establish the precise flatness of the backing 'beam'. Thus far the beam's surface has been established mostly through pencil measurements and eye-balling it.
7 Using a drill press as a makeshift milling machine, I use a diamond burr to shave the beam’s top surface to a uniform thickness.
8 Now, with the beam’s top surface finalized, I can carve away the underside spaces on the leaves, as well as begin to finesse the stems.
9 After cutting away the stone beneath the very delicate arched stem, I carefully file and sand the transition between the two previously isolated surfaces to make them appear seamless.
10 This shows some of the clutter of my workbench during the final detail stage.
Working with stone I use various tools of different materials: silicon carbide (sandpaper), diamond grit (grinding tools, files, rifflers & burrs), hardened steel (toothed rifflers), and carbide (precision burrs).
11 When I think I'm done, I carefully check all angles and shadow-play to make sure everything is correct. Obviously I can't carve the leaves as authentically thin as a real leaf, but I want to keep as much of the structural elements hidden from normal viewing angles, in order to preserve the delightful illusion of 'feathery lightness'.
12 …Checking …checking.
13 …and more checking
14 Next I prepare the back of the stone beam to receive the metal plate which will help the sculpture hang securely on a wall. I carve pits and grooves to accommodate the mounting screws (which hold it to the wall), as well as small “cleat” screws (which help anchor the plate to the stone), and grooves to give the epoxy adhesive a better grip.
15 After applying the epoxy, on goes the backing plate …just so. The "cleat" screws are already glued in place. The "key-hole" slots are ready to receive the wall anchor screws when the time comes to mount it on a wall.
Once the adhesive cures, it is ready to hang.
Tada!
— more "Making-Of" stories —
— more "Making-Of" stories —
MAKING-OF: This "Leaf on Water" sculpture is carved from a single piece of Brazilian Soapstone. Learn how it appears to float in space, and how meticulous attention to detail creates the appearance of leafy weightlessnes touching water.
MAKING-OF: This serving platter is carved from Blue Dunes granite. Learn how it was made, including custom features including: polished rim, "leathered" bowl, and course, tactile underside.
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