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La Traviata : Building statues!

Northern Ballet Theatre's Head of Technical Services, Tim Anger, has taken some exclusive photographs of the process taken to create some of La Traviata's statues, where not all is as it appears!.

  

 

Ali Allen, a freelance sculptor, designer, scenic artist and prop maker is going to reproduce the 2 statues slightly larger than human adult size. For the purposes of La Traviata we need the sculptures to take up less stage space so the group of three figures in each statue have been reduced to two figures.

Ali Allen, a freelance sculptor, designer, scenic artist and prop maker is going to reproduce the 2 statues slightly larger than human adult size. For the purposes of La Traviata we need the sculptures to take up less stage space so the group of three figures in each statue have been reduced to two figures.

Ali has marked the block with the outline of a figure and is now cutting the rough shape with a hot wire cutter. Its like the wire in an electric heater. It glows red when connected to a low voltage power supply and melts the polystyrene. Very intricate shapes can be cut by this method.

Ali has marked the block with the outline of a figure and is now cutting the rough shape with a hot wire cutter. Its like the wire in an electric heater. It glows red when connected to a low voltage power supply and melts the polystyrene. Very intricate shapes can be cut by this method.

The statues faces, hands and feet are moulded in special air hardening clay. Once solid these features are joined onto the polystyrene figures. Using clay allows Ali to work in greater detail rather than the slightly course grain of the polystyrene.

The statues faces, hands and feet are moulded in special air hardening clay. Once solid these features are joined onto the polystyrene figures. Using clay allows Ali to work in greater detail rather than the slightly course grain of the polystyrene.


Ali pours and brushes the specialist resin over the fibreglass matting. When dry the resulting GRP (glass reinforced plastic) is extremely strong protecting the more delicate carved polystyrene below.

Ali pours and brushes the specialist resin over the fibreglass matting. When dry the resulting GRP (glass reinforced plastic) is extremely strong protecting the more delicate carved polystyrene below.

When dry and lightly sanded the GRP looks remarkably like

When dry and lightly sanded the GRP looks remarkably like
marble.

"The Two Graces" by Ali Allen awaiting their plinth

"The Two Graces" by Ali Allen awaiting their plinth.

 

Ali's first step is to carve miniature clay models to which she will refer when working on the full size versions.

Ali's first step is to carve miniature clay models to which she will refer when working on the full size versions.


Sculptor Ali Allen after cutting the rough shape in the polystyrene block with a hot wire cutter.

Sculptor Ali Allen after cutting the rough shape in the polystyrene block with a hot wire cutter.


The shape cut out and smoothed down. The pillar is of proprietary manufacture in moulded fire-proof plastic. These are cheaper to buy than to make. The two figures in the group will be leaning against the pillar, this gives the statue some stability. It is a ploy used by Antonio Canova himself when carving the original "Three Graces" although his pillar was cut inclusively with the figures from the piece of rock he used to make his famous statue.

The shape cut out and smoothed down. The pillar is of proprietary manufacture in moulded fire-proof plastic. These are cheaper to buy than to make. The two figures in the group will be leaning against the pillar, this gives the statue some stability. It is a ploy used by Antonio Canova himself when carving the original "Three Graces" although his pillar was cut inclusively with the figures from the piece of rock he used to make his famous statue.

Fibreglass matting is spread over the polystyrene

Fibreglass matting is spread over the polystyrene.


A little modesty cloth added. Actually it's a wheeze to reduce the detail required on the hands. Some white sheeting was soaked in the resin and draped artistically.

A little modesty cloth added. Actually it's a wheeze to reduce the detail required on the hands. Some white sheeting was soaked in the resin and draped artistically.

The photograph shows the back of 1 of 2 plinths made by Jon Moorhouse, one of our freelance carpenters. The back is hollow to enable weights to be placed inside once the plinths are in the theatre. The weights prevent the plinth from toppling over once the statue is bolted to its top.

The photograph shows the back of 1 of 2 plinths made by Jon Moorhouse, one of our freelance carpenters. The back is hollow to enable weights to be placed inside once the plinths are in the theatre. The weights prevent the plinth from toppling over once the statue is bolted to its top.

 

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