Lakshmi Murti

[Sirona]

Simply too beautiful. The nose. It should have been finer, thinner, with a drop after the forehead. The lips. They should have had a smile (a more prominent smile). Again they should have been thinner and the middle of the upper lip should not have been so pronounced. Hair parted in the middle, wavy, perhaps with a ringlet. Clothes - Sari, not a girl's frock. But over all a beautiful sculpture, very finely finished. You sure have a talent there.

The curse of perfection . I think the statue is awesome. I tried working with clay a couple of years ago so I know how difficult it is to make materials look like anything.

 

[Vinayaka]

I tried working with clay a couple of years ago so I know how difficult it is to make materials look like anything.

I can guarantee you that whatever you did would be better than what I can do. When I taught, the kids in K class would show me up.

 

[Jainarayan]

The closest I ever came to a sculpture was a statue of Athena for 6th or 7th grade mythology. I got a pack of that gray modeling clay and went to town sculpting. I have to admit it came out pretty good. My sister told me that clay has to be baked. So I put the statue on a plate and put it in the oven. I couldn't wait to see my statue turned into stone to last for eternity. When I opened the oven door, I found a gray mud pie on the plate. I suspect my sister misinformed me deliberately. I've always maintained my sisters resented me; as the youngest I was, in their words, a spoiled brat.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Yeah, baked after drying. But forgive the devis, don't keep a grudge.

 

[Vinayaka]

a spoiled brat.

Has that changed?

 

[Jainarayan]

Has that changed?

Not according to them.

 

[Viraja]

That is a very nice sculpture, Fireside! What nice and rich decorations you have on the murti too! You have great taste. Now you have a truly remarkable, one-of-a-kind murti for daily worship too!

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

The closest I ever came to a sculpture was a statue of Athena for 6th or 7th grade mythology. I got a pack of that gray modeling clay and went to town sculpting. I have to admit it came out pretty good. My sister told me that clay has to be baked. So I put the statue on a plate and put it in the oven. I couldn't wait to see my statue turned into stone to last for eternity. When I opened the oven door, I found a gray mud pie on the plate. I suspect my sister misinformed me deliberately. I've always maintained my sisters resented me; as the youngest I was, in their words, a spoiled brat.

I tries using that Sculpy stuff once because you're supposed to bake it. I followed the directions to a T but they came out black and burned :X

This story also reminded me of the time I tried to bake a 3D gingerbead angel for my MIL. The dough settled into a nice gingerbread puddle in the pan.

 

[Jainarayan]

I tries using that Sculpy stuff once because you're supposed to bake it. I followed the directions to a T but they came out black and burned :X

This story also reminded me of the time I tried to bake a 3D gingerbead angel for my MIL. The dough settled into a nice gingerbread puddle in the pan.

Um... oven temp too high, too long in oven with temp too high?

There is a modeling clay I got in my local friendly A.C. Moore artsy-craftsy store (we luvz dat place, we duz). I got brick red because I wanted to make some clay diyas.

They came out not bad. Where the wick burns it gets a tad scorched, but hey, you can't see it from the Parkway (NJ joke).

I would love to sculpt a small murti or three. There are some I want but can't find. I want one of Dhanvantari, Dakshinamurthy and the pièce de résistance, Harihara (hell, I got almost everyone else ). But, though I am creative, I'd be afraid I'd FUBAR them (effed up beyond all repair).

You may not remember a young guy from Brazil called MeMyself who used to post here. He did an awesome sculpture of Shiva.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

I want one of Dhanvantari, Dakshinamurthy and the pièce de résistance, Harihara (hell, I got almost everyone else ). But, though I am creative, I'd be afraid I'd FUBAR them (effed up beyond all repair).

You'll have to dig deep for this one:
Bronze Hariharan, Half Shiva-Vishnu Murti 24"

But there's also this colorful wooden option:
Wood HariHaran Half Vishnu/Statue 24"

Dakshinamurthy:
Brass Shiva as Dhakshinamurti Statue 12"

Dhanvantari:
Marble Ayurvedic God Dhanvantari 16"

 

[Jainarayan]

Yikes! The prices! But the murtis are beautiful.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Try when you have time and feel like it. Remember, it is perfectly OK to make them hold in their hands what you would like them to hold. Permitted to certain extent. Now, You cannot ask Vishnu to hold a Trishul or a damru and you cannot ask Shiva to hold Chakra and Gada. With Harihara, this is no problem.

 

[Terese]

Sorry if i'm going off-topic, but i would love to get these murtis!

Marble Vishnu on Garuda Statue 19"

Bronze Vishnu Dasavatar Set of 10 Statues 12.5"

So darn expensive!

 

[Aupmanyav]

Beautiful idols but insanely costly. We don't buy at this rate, this is tourist fare. Ask someone going to or coming from India. A local person can get these idols at a much cheaper cost. Or visit Vrindavana/Mathura/Dwarika.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Finished! Just in time for Varalakshmi Pooja, although the last coat of Varnish needs to dry. =)

 

[Jainarayan]

I'm completely blown away!

I'm thinking (brace for impact )... maybe a shrine made of wood with a clear glass or plexiglass front. You could use something like a wooden milk crate, sealed and waterproofed. The murti should be reasonably well protected from the elements.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

I'm completely blown away!

I'm thinking (brace for impact )... maybe a shrine made of wood with a clear glass or plexiglass front. You could use something like a wooden milk crate, sealed and waterproofed. The murti should be reasonably well protected from the elements.

View attachment 18478

She's a bit large for any milk crates I've seen however, I like your plexiglass idea. I am going to scout around at thrift shops to see if I can find furniture I can modify. If I can't find anything I might consider selling her if I can find someone interested.

 

[Jainarayan]

I am going to scout around at thrift shops to see if I can find furniture I can modify.

That's a good idea. Maybe a cabinet of some sort.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Or tapered arch, Plexiglas or something like it, even clay.