Using animal bones in sculptures

Posted on | 1/19/11 | No Comments

Skulls and Bones: A Guide to the Skeletal Structures and Behavior of North American Mammals
Incorporating animal bones into your art piece may serve as an interesting way to make a statement or start a conversation about topics that might not otherwise come up. Because of the nature of bones (and really any bodily fluid or part), a great deal of significance is typically attributed to pieces that use them, whether that was the artist's intention or not. This is something to consider before you begin. Expect that your piece will automatically make a "statement" on a subject if there is a natural connection. Use this to your advantage by making a meaningful piece of art.

Step 1
Determine what you are trying to say. This is important because when using body parts, people almost always infer or add meaning to a piece, whether it is the artist's intent or not. You can use this tendency to add depth to your piece, even if your work is really purely superficial or kitschy. For example, you might have simply found a cool wolf skeleton while out on a hike but when you incorporate it into a sculpture, for example by reasembelling the skeleton and dipping it in gold, it becomes a statement. In this case, you may simply be playing around or being kitsch but the piece could also be interpreted as a commentary on how society's love for "things" comes at the expense of "beings." For good or bad, many people automatically assume artists are "deep." Play off this image to gain a reputation as "a serious artist" and gain a stronger foothold in the art world.
Step 2
Prepare appropriately. Bones have germs and some look quite ugly. A simple bleach solution can clean them up and kill germs while bleaching them white. If you like the mottled or yellowed look of your bone but it has bits of remains, boil it in a pot you will never use for cooking, until the flesh comes off. The bone should keep it's color and most of the germs will be gone. If you're feeling lazy or want the bone exactly as is (gunk and all) pick it up with gloves and lacquer it to seal in germs and keep it looking the same. Use a matte formula if you hate shine.
Step 3
Remember that your materials are one of the most important parts of building any sculpture. You aren't going to gild a statue made of bones hot glued together (or you shouldn't, the glue will melt and the bones seperate). The better the quality of your supplies, the longer your piece will last and the more you can charge for it.
Step 4
Use bones wherever it "feels" right. There really are no rules on how a sculpture should look (just make sure it can stand alone) so if you want to drill bone to make jewelry, use bones from a variety of different animals to build a new one or simply need a bone to show through the clothing of your paper mache rendition of Red Riding Hood's wolf dressed as grandma, you can.

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