I have been collecting pieces of driftwood since we moved here to Yachats, Oregon December 2016 from Colorado. I kept looking at this piece and it was whispering to me: “I’m a whale.”
This piece of driftwood sat on my worktable for quite awhile. I knew it would be a whale. I saw that even before I picked it up and is why I picked it up. It was time to give it life.
Recently, I made an eye for it out of paper clay, but it just didn’t look right. I decided it was way too small. So I made a larger eye, then I felt it needed a lid, a fin and fluke (tail fin) came next and of course, it had to spout some water. I made the wire “water” from an old wire coat hanger. Then I attached a fluke (tail fin) drilling a hole in the driftwood fin piece and in the whale body and attached the fluke to the body with a piece of wire running between them. I used a little Gorilla gel glue in each hole to make sure they stayed together.
First, I painted the driftwood with gesso and gave it a coat of polymer medium. The paper clay itself will attach to the wood as it is drying. I also gave the finished piece coat of gel medium to help protect it.
This photo shows my finished piece. I was thinking it was a he but found another piece of driftwood that could make a fine whale calve. So, I think this is actually a mama whale. The calve can share her limelight and swim right next to her. I’ll post the baby when she is finished.
I am also creating a driftwood fish… I think it may be a salmon! All things Yachats. It’s a beautiful place and the beauty here tickles my muse.
Take a look at other pieces of bas relief I created with paper clay.
Interested in learning more? I found this step-by-step tutorial on making a bowl. Pretty cool!
And if you’re interested in learning more paper clay techniques, you might enjoy Artful Paper Clay by Rogene Mañas.
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