Well, it turns out that wizards are like the proverbial bus. You go years without any and then two commissions come along at once. And not just any wizard either! Can you believe I was working on two Gandalfs at the same time?! For those who don’t know, Gandalf is one of the wizards in Tolkien‘s Lord of the Rings, and I always love a Tolkien project! They were a lot of fun to create, and I can’t wait to share them both with you.
For now though, join me as I share the story behind this seated Gandalf sculpture and bench…
THE COMMISSION
My client Murray was gifted a sculpture for his 40th birthday by his Father. I know right, what a Dad!
Sometimes when someone is gifted a sculpture, the gift-giver will be the main contact. They have a sculpture in mind and will be the person who liaises with me – as with my Sri Lankan lion. However, in the case of this commission, Murray was very involved from the beginning.
If you’re commissioning a piece as a gift, decide beforehand about how you want to go about it. If you think the person would prefer to be involved then I’m happy to work with them directly – but discreetly. I can create a design that meets their preferences (and your budget) without revealing details like cost if you want to keep that secret!
BEFORE THE COMMISSION…
I often start my blogs with the commission or brief as that’s when a sculpture begins for me. However, for my clients, the process begins before that. In this case, Murray and his family saw some of my work on Instagram and were really impressed. They saw my portfolio included a fair amount of fantasy-like work, which was in keeping with what they were looking for.
This is very important when you’re looking for an artist. You need to find someone whose style you like – that’s a no brainer! It’s also a good idea though to see any sculptures they’ve done that are similar to the piece you have in mind. It may be that they are fantastic with animals but have never carved a human face – or vice versa. You may be fine with that, but you may also prefer not to be their first!
Do get in touch with them though. Even if they can’t do it, they may be able to recommend someone with a similar style but more experience with your chosen subject. I’ve certainly been fortunate enough to get jobs this way.
So now you know you’re commissioning a sculpture and you’ve chosen your artist. What next?
SETTLING ON A DESIGN
The next stage of a commission is agreeing a design with my client. Sometimes my clients are happy to give me dimensions and a subject and let me run with it. However, with a character Gandalf when there have been many representations over the years. Every time a book is re-published or a film re-made, the character looks different. I want my sculpture to be based on the one my client most connects with, so it’s important I get a more specific idea of what they’re after.
There’s also the question of pose. Sometimes I will make some suggestions, especially if I’m working with a specific piece of timber belonging to the client. I’m always happy to realise my client’s ideas too though. As long as they’re possible in terms of shape, size etc that is! As far as this Gandalf goes, Murray had a clear vision:
“Looking through some of Simon’s pictures I saw a shot of a bench he had done previously with a figure sitting on the end of it. I thought that looked so cool. It made me think of the scene at the start of the Hobbit movies where Bilbo was sitting on a bench outside Bag End smoking his pipe. I knew I wanted a Gandalf sculpture, so when I saw that picture it occurred to me that I could recreate that scene but with Gandalf on the bench instead of Bilbo. “
CREATING THE GANDALF SCULPTURE
Now my client has decided to commission a sculpture, chosen me as an artist and settled on a design, I get to work!
I had a lovely bit of oak on hand from Robinsons Tree Surgery that was perfect for the project.
As with all portraits, having lots of references on hand was key, as well as applying princples like the golden ration to make sur the proportions were correct. We kept hold of him while he finished drying out and then oiled him, although some clients like to do this part themselves.
The seated figure is a bit of an illusion. I actually a slot under the seat of the figure to slide the bench section in to make it appear that he was sitting on the bench. This makes it much more secure.
I also had to make the hat up out of separate parts (the brim and peak) to ensure the longevity and structural soundness.
COMMUNICATION DURING THE CARVE
During the carve I take lots of footage, and you’ll sometimes see it condensed into a timelapse on social media. I’ve found that some clients want a surprise but others enjoy seeing their sculpture as it progresses. I’ve also started offering a timelapse video to clients as an add-on, as some people enjoy seeing how their sculpture was brought to life. If appropriate, you may also be able to come to the studio to watch me carve.
Have you commissioned a sculpture and not sure if you want to be kept up to date or prefer a surprise? Sometimes it’s good to hear from others, and this was Murray’s experience:
“It was awesome to be sent some photos as the project progressed. I’d love to have visited to see some of the work done in person, as Simon had kindly offered, but unfortunately couldn’t make it work logistically.”
DELIVERY DAY!
So, the sculpture is finished and it’s time to take delivery. EXCITING!
There are a few different ways this can go. If you have your spot ready, your sculpture can be delivered and installed there immediately. It may be that it’s part of a bigger project though and you’re not quite ready. That’s OK!
That was the case for Murray. Not long after delivery Spiritual Gardens laid some patio for him at the end of his garden for the sculpture to sit on. The sculptures are HEAVY, so it’s not a good idea to have them directly on the grass. The space Spiritual Gardens created is ideal for this sculpture though. And they made some fun Instagram reels featuring Gandalf too! Check them out HERE and HERE!
One thing to bear in mind if you are going to move your sculpture yourself though… Have some STRONG help on hand! As Murray said when I asked him for tips for future clients:
“These things are heavy! Just moving it across the garden was like carrying a ring all the way to Mordor. We lost a few good men along the way”!!!!!
And once you’ve recovered from that effort (or watched someone else install it!), sit back and enjoy your new, unique sculpture!
GANDALF SCULPTURE: FINAL THOUGHTS
And that’s a little bit about the story behind this seated Gandalf sculpture. I hope it’s given you some insight into the commissioning process and what to expect if you commission a piece. I loved creating this sculpture, and the pictures of him in situ look amazing (thank you Spiritual Gardens!).
As always though, it’s what my client thinks that matters most. Over to Murray!
“When I first saw Gandalf I was blown away. The main thing that struck me was the level of detail, especially in the face. It just didn’t seem possible that something that detailed could have been completed in such a short period of time. Wizard’s hat off to Simon! When Gandalf arrived there was a note accompanying him written in Elvish saying ‘a wizard arrives precisely when he means too’ which was so cool. The delivery guys had some fun with it too.”
If you want to commission a bespoke wizard sculpture please fill out the form at www.treecarving.co.uk/contact and I’ll be in touch!