Andersen Skulptur "Technical, FAQs, and Legal"

Home

AndersenSkulptur.com

Technical & Legal

The pictures shown below demonstrate the process I use in the creation of my sculptures all
pictures are thumbnails, therefore if you left click you will get a better view.

As with many of my sculptures I start out with
a drawing. Yet this is conceptual I take great
liberty to move from my drawing based on my
feeling through out the process of sculpting.
As you can see this drawing is to scale (3" to
1'). Even during my time building structures I
found it needful to draw pictures of the of
many of the architectural circumstances I
encountered, even though I could visualize
the request in my mind. I found that by
drawing a detailed picture my men had more
of an ability to grasp what it was they were
building. Granted there are certain elements
to my drawing that cannot change as it
pertains to my sculptures. I always take into
consideration the size, weight and ability to
transport my works. I also create that which
can be go through a standard doorway.

The foundation is extremely important both to
support and to become a part of the sculpture
or to not detract from the sculpture. Yet often
I build the sculpture before I build the
foundation, I wouldn't advise that for the
beginner. It is very difficult to attain a solid
foundation with out building it first. It is also
important that each; the sculpture and the
foundation or base respect each other; this is
particularly important in that a sculpture is
moved from one place to the next. NOTE: I
find it needful to even put in writing how said
sculpture is to be transported from one place
to another yet 9 times out of 10 it will be
required to be lifted from the base. Yet many
of the buyers tend to want to just pick it up
from where ever, with concrete and stone that
is a mistake in that anything above the base is
typically not structurally sound enough to
carry the weight of the base.

It is very critical that one understands how the
sculpture needs to interact as it pertains to
plumb and level to its foundation. Secondly
the foundation must be able to bear the
weight of that which its is going to hold. I
typically calculate the weight of my sculpture
prior to is creation I also rely on my many
years of experience to determine where the
greatest amount of stress will be.
Within the foundation I often use rebar, #9
galvanized wire I also take into account of the
expansion and contraction of both the
concrete and the reinforcing elements even
though it is common knowledge that the
reinforcing elements and the concrete expand
in such a way that they actually interact
perfectly (supposedly). NOTE: I still typically
place some type of mastic over the reinforcing
element so that both the reinforcing and the
concrete may interact more freely. The mastic
allows the expansion to have flexibility; both
the concrete against the reinforcing and also
the reinforcing against the concrete. One
other note as it pertains to the reinforcing; it is
not limited to the foundation the said
reinforcing maintains a link or continuity
through out the sculpture

An item I feel is very important is realizing
that what you are building is going to move
form place to place and that the place it will sit
may not be exactly level! Therefore I build
with exactness from the beginning. Not only
do I build from the standpoint of level and
plumb. I build from the standpoint of that
which I build from i.e. (table) is exactly level
and flat. I often wonder how many have the
realization of this importance. If not based on
the lack of exactness of its display base may
exacerbate the situation of display. Also this
will allow the structure i.e. Sculpture to
maintain its integrity based on gravity.

In use of the concrete some take the attitude
that the higher the strength the better. Yes I
do agree to a certain extent. I carry the belief
that the higher the strength of the concrete the
less it breathes therefore it lack flexural
strength. I also believe that it actually may
tend to have cracking due to its lack of ability
to interact with its own element. The
sculpture's I create are more suitable for an
environment that isn't quite under extreme
weather conditions. My use of concrete types
and mortar types vary based on the situation,
I often use my own mixes. Yet most critical is
the process of curing of which I think that is
way these high strength concretes are used, in
that in real life many who use said products
don't maintain discipline in initial curing. To
me the first 30 days are extremely critical in
maintaining moisture and added moisture.

I will add further content on this
process SOON!!!
If there are any questions please
contact me!!!