Embedded Files
Object: Bobcat Commission
Materials: Stone & Aluminum on Cement Board
Dimensions: 43” x 33"
Method: Direct with mortar
My clients have the good fortune of occasionally seeing a Bobcat on their property. They contacted me to have a more permanent version grace their home, in mosaic form.
Having had (once) the experience of a Florida Bobcat visitation at my front porch, I was thrilled to be working on this subject.
My research quickly educated me on the vast variety of Bobcats and how they differ from country to country, season to season. I was to depict a California Bobcat, thus I was careful to only rely on photo reference taken in that state. Even the cats on either side of the US are not the same.
It was difficult to find a variety of poses in photos, but I did my best to offer drawings with dynamic angles for my clients to choose from. As it would happen, they picked the most commonly photographed stance. I suppose there is good reason for that. Most sightings are of the cats standing very still, studying us. They have seen us long before we notice them. Certainly, that is what makes seeing them so special, they are in charge of giving us that fleeting glimpse.
Close-ups & Process
Close-ups & Process
01 Detail
02 Detail
03 Detail
04 Various rough poses were presented to my clients. The winning pose was then cleaned-up by re-drawing it.
05 Travertine floor tiles cut into rods. The stone comes from various sources, which provides the necessary subtle variation in value.
06 Breaking down the rods into the squares and rectangles I need with my hammers & hardie.
07 Transferring the line drawing with self made carbon paper.
08 After the lines are transferred, I paint the substrate with black and white. The final rendering must provide all the value informaton.
09 Original drawing and the finished transfer to the substrate. The little "worry muscle" was flattened on his eyes to give a slightly more relaxed expression.
10 After the colors are selected & pre-cut: I can start to dry-fit-test them on the head.
11 I started in earnest with the tail. It contained all the values to be used, and was a great warm up to get in the groove. The sample piece with gradations of the various stones is always close-by keeping me on target.
12 All the pre-cut colors & sizes close at hand with my design displayed on my iPad for reference.
13 Fitting the stones between the aluminum "hairs" was tricky. Here a big stone is temporarily holding the strip in place while I cut the required tiny pieces.
14 This picture just makes me laugh. It looks like he is wearing an ancient Greek helmet, complete with nose protection.
15 Lightly misting the work with some water helps me evaluate if the color/value of the stone is working. The damp stone more closely resembles the final cleaned & mortared stone.
16 Adding the tufts to the ears with the background tiles was a treat.
17 Every time I move on to a new section, I sketch out a few guide lines on my drawing to help keep me on track with the andamento (the direction/flow of the tiles). It is easy to loose track and start placing the tiles without describing the shapes properly.
18 Standing back and reassessing regularly is key to finding sections I am not happy with. Reworking problem areas is best done before the mortar sets up to much.
19 I dry-fit tiles in the eyes, experimenting until I find the perfect mix. The small pieces are removed and temporarily placed in some clay. Then, with the eye socket filled with mortar, everything is reassembled & embedded.
20 As always, a scrub brush, soap and a shower from the hose removes all dust and freshens up the colors.
21 There is one piece of gold smalti in each eye. The value works on its own, but it also sometimes catches the light giving a nice little glint.
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