My love of Mermaid imagery leads me into the three dimensional world of art.
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When I did the Pratt Museum Solo in the mid 1980's I was interested in creating mermaid sculpture that would fit on the table top. I really wanted to do bronze but time and costs ruled that out. I decided to explore the ideas in plaster and paint, then later I could cast in bronze.
Well bronze never happened but I still have the plaster pieces sitting in my studio. They give the students female figure subject matter for their still life drawings. This lovely siren is about 14" tall and is hollow cast and stained with acrylics.
Some people don't like the pointed ears. Too much like Spock they say. I wanted it clear that she was a mermaid and not just a woman so the dolpin necklace and elflike ears helps to convey that. It must work since everyone who sees it thinks it is a mermaid. Of course they know me and my thing for mermaids.
With this one I tried out an idea that she would sit on a table top and appear to be partially submerged. Hopfully you don't think she's just melting into the table.
She is also made of plaster and was to be a model for a bronze that so far has not happened.
Acrylic paint systems come with a variety of metallics which are very good for reproducing bronze, copper and gold patinas.
I like to use blues and greens over this, sponged on, to create the oxidation patterns that show up with age giving the look of sea weathered bronze.
A thin overcoat of gloss medium finishes the look.
