| Step 3: Covering blue foam original with clay and sculpting detail. |
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| An oil based clay is carefully melted in an old turkey cooker and then painted onto the foam. |
| At this crucial stage, I have left my studio again to visit a wildlife park, Northwest Trek. They have a beautiful and relatively accessible pair of snowy owls. It was still necessary to view them through a pair of binoculars while I was sculpting on site. Also, I had to wait patiently for useful poses. |
| Another advantage to making the original out of clay covered foam is the ease in which the foam can be carved away (even after the clay has been applied). |
| The owl's talons are made claw by claw. |
| A sculptor using an oil based clay needs to be very aware of the effect of heat and sunlight on it. Too much sun can melt a perfectly good clay sculpture! On the other hand, heating a metal sculpting tool keeps the clay from sticking to it. |
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