Making the first models was good to gain experience on how to work with modeling clay (the one that hardens up). This clay is not so user friendly, it shrinks while it dries and this leaves a rough texture. This meant new calculations and a lot of sanding would be necessary. The results of the first bisque model helped also to recalculate sizes and how details have to be thought of for every piece.
While I was working on this, I shared the idea of this project with a few colleagues and friends and I received very positive feedback. I’ve been getting more and more enthusiastic about making it happen. One of the suggestions I received was to make the ‘kissing couples’ on a larger size, for an exhibition.
At that point, I decided to embark myself into making models for 6 kissing couples of 12 cms (souvenir size). I wanted to test how the end result could potentially look like. Having these 6 couples would make it easier for me and others to get a more clear idea of the concept and see what directions this project could take.
I started to work on the Turkish couple again, made it larger and more detailed than the first version.
First rough sketches on clay . The design is based on some image of the Turkish folklore.