Statues
Sculptures & portraits
Géraldine Griffon du Bellay
Acquire a unique and personal art piece,
which will remain a precious family memory.
I make into sculpture faithful portraits
of models of any age.
Claywork - Unique terracotta - or 2 to 8 casts
About
With a degree in art history, I initially turned to ar furniture, and I qualified in cabinetmaking and in marquetry at the municipal courses of Paris and at the GRETA of the École Boulle. Wanting to progress further with shapes and volume in an ornamental approach, I turned to sculpture. I took to modelling and moulding and followed live model sculpture classes at the Duperré school for two years.
Captivated by the plasticity of clay and the great formal and intuitive freedom it provides, I embarked on portraiture, using my children as my first models. Beyond physical resemblance, I enjoy translating personality and infusing life into expression and gaze.
My work step by step
Take 360° pictures of the model
Black and white pictures show volumes better. Good lighting is an essential condition of a good portrait.
Take a stand and mount the shape
then place the defining elements: nose, ears, eyes and chin.
Reffine the features under all angles
at first with the fingers, then with finer and finer tools.
Compare the claywork with the model and fix the imperfections
this second posing session is recommended.
The finished bust is emptied, dried and baked
The earthenware is baked at 980°C for several hours. This piece is currently slowly drying for the next two month, in order to avoid retractation cracks and oven accidents.
Having
Your portrait
made step by step
The preparation
Clay comes in several colours. White, grey, ochre, and red give a different character to the sculpture. Choose the colour you prefer.
What impression would you like to make?
Take some time to give a thought to your posture, hairstyle, and clothing before the appointment at the studio.
The pose
We will get acquainted at an initial session where I will take photos from several angles and some measurements. This visit lasts about two hours.
The bust is made life size. I work for a few weeks from your set of pictures until I achieve a good likeness.
Ideally, you will come back once for the final details that bring life and personality to the portrait. Else, I will submit a set of pictures of my work for you to specify corrections.
The finalisation
After refining, with your agreement, the portrait is considered finished.
The piece is then hollowed out, pricked inside, and left to dry, The drying time varies from one to two months depending on the temperature and ambient humidity.
The sculpture is then fired at 980°C. The firing vitrifies the clay and gives it its hardness and strength.
The statue is finally ready to bring home.
Children
Children's portraits are fresh and charming. However, the liveliness of younger models can make it a bit difficult to capture all the necessary views. The smaller they are, the more useful it is for the model to come a second time and pose unknowingly while playing next to me.
Baby portraits range from 18 months to 2 years, toddler portraits from 3 to 5 years. School-age children make very good models. It is necessary that teenagers willfully contribute to the best image of themselves.
Adults
For reasons of weight and practicality, the bust measures a maximum of 50 cm in height, which is approximately from the head to the middle of the sternum. The width is limited to 40 cm; the shoulders are often cropped. You will choose from several proposals for bust shapes.
If you wish to be represented with a garment, a classic and understated cut will be more timeless and will prevent the statue from appearing dated once the fashion has passed.
A low turned foot can be added to all portraits, if the height and style allow.
Prices
A life-size bust in terracotta costs €2000 for a child and €3000 for an adult.
Custom orders and casts are subject to a specific proposal and quote.
Casts
If you desire several copies of a statue, I can make a mold and cast two to eight copies in plaster. The plaster will be left white or receive the patina you like.
Bronze prints will be made by an art foundry.