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Gerald John Sandau
AFC,
Realistic, One-of-a-Kind, Wildlife Sculptures from Nature's Stone |
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Choosing the right stone.
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The years of carving in wood has taught me how to use the grain and color, to create and bring a three dimensional sculpture to life. When selecting the stone, I usually have a subject in mind, as to color and markings. Often I find a beautiful, unusual piece of stone and it sits on his work bench for a lengthy period of visual communication until I decide its destiny. I create original, realistic, highly detailed, one of a kind, three dimensional sculptures of wildlife. I also do effigies of National Figures and attempt to capture their story in facial expression and relief. The medium I use is soapstone, alabaster, perypholite(wonderstone) and chlorite. Often, when I can find a color to enhance the sculpture, I mount them on a base of granite, alabaster, chlorite and sometimes sandstone. I like to keep sculpture as natural stone. That is why I don't mount them on wood bases. Most times the base is part of the stone sculpture, all in one piece.
The first step: To find actual photos of the subject and pin them on the wall above the work bench, reference photos for anatomy. National Geographic is a great source.
Second: When I've decided what the project will be, the base side of the stone has to be worked until it fits perfect on a flat surface.
Third: Draw a rough sketch on the stone, all four sides. Remove the majority of the unwanted material with an angle grinder being careful not to remove too much. With stone you can take away but you can’t add. I have to redraw the rough sketch many times before the roughing is done.
Fourth: The stone goes on a locking turntable on the workbench, where it stays until finished. The shaping is done with hammer and stone chisels, and high speed rotary tools with carbide and diamond burrs, again doing a lot of sketching as the stone is removed.
Fifth: The finishing is done with silicone carbide wet and dry sandpaper, going from a course grain and finishing with a fine grain wet sanding. I start the sanding with the rotary tool and finish the wet sanding by hand.
Sixth: The soapstone sculptures I finish with three or four coats of hardener. Because it’s a softer stone the hardener gives the piece a more durable, damage resistance finish. The harder stone is also given one or two coats, the hardener brings out the color in all the stone. I also encourage viewers to touch my sculptures and get the feel of stone.
Seven: I finish off with two coats of satin wax, which gives the sculptures a nice satin finish.
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Direct Correspondence to:
Gerald Sandau
c/o
6035 #42 Vedder Road
Chilliwack, BC
Canada V2R 1E5
Tel: 604-858-2404
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Email: gysandau@shaw.ca
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