Armature

The first sitting with the model, Lisa, was to get an idea of how the body 'moves' in pose.  I looked at the rhythms and proportions in particular, made drawings, took photographs and noted measurements.  This gave me enough information to make the armature.

The sculpture is to be made in clay.  The clay has to be supported on a steel armature which, in turn, is held up by an external frame known as a back-iron.

The back-iron takes most of the weight of the sculpture

The armature is welded to the back-iron and must run through the middle
of the form and reflect the movements of the pose. 

Checking that the armature runs through the middle of the form of the neck

Main frame is braced and the head armature added.  

Frame is clad in wrapped with wire mesh and 'butterflies' added.

'Butterflies':  wooden crosses dipped in shellac
and wired to the frame to hold volumes of clay

The head is removable.  The cross coming out of
top of the head is a handle.

Clay is pressed firmly into the mesh.

The pose

My first step is to find a model of the correct height and proportion.  Jane's brother, Henry Austen wrote, 'Her stature rather exceeded the middle height; her carriage and deportment were quiet but graceful.'

To exceed middle (average) height for a woman nowadays, you would be about 5' 8" or above. In the 18th century, a woman over 5'3" would qualify.  Therefore we (Jane Austen Centre and I) have settled upon 5' 6" - 7".

The pose
I have chosen a 'neutral' pose.  In figure sculpture terms, this means a fairly symmetrical standing position with the weight evenly distributed between the feet.  This, I feel, reflects her 'quiet but graceful' deportment. Moreover, from a practical point of view it means that the final work can be placed anywhere and is independent of props or slave to any particular sight-lines.  However, with such symmetry, the figure could appear lifeless, so I am composing the work with a faint corkscrew effect to her left..this means that the hips turn a fraction and the shoulders a little more.  The angle of the head completes the movement.  This will add an alertness to the work...a suggestion of curiosity in the world around her.
I am still working on the position of her hands and arms.

Undergarments
As the final work will be clothed in meticulously researched and made historical garments, the shape of the body beneath is of utmost importance. I make the body as if it is wearing undergarments.  For example, I will make the torso to the shape of the inside of the corset...an hourglass form.

The sitting
This took place at my studio on 4th February 2013 and the day was filmed by the ever-inventive team from Grace Productions.

Elizabeth Gurney fits the corset and undergarments to our model, Lisa.

I begin the measuring up.  My scarf is testament to the temperature and Lisa's stoicism .