Padukas

Those who have been following this blog for some time now know that a period of silence doesn't necessarily mean a downtime. Similarly this time. After a well-deserved vacation, I have been very busy at work carving a statuette. But unfortunately, I can't say anything about it yet! It is for the aniversary of a company and still needs to remain secret until the unveiling, o annoyance.

Furthermore, I have been busy carving for other sculptors, among other things on a relief (also unfortunately again unmentionable) and been doing odd jobs on- and off. And finally I carried out preparatory work for another relief, about which more later.

But today I started on yet another assignment in black granite: matching padukas for the square black panipitha I carved earlier. Paduka's are depictions of feet or sandals that are used in Hinduism as representation for the presence of a Saint or one of the aspects of God.

I will be carving these padukas out of black granite after a plaster cast. I carved the same lotus motif in the plaster as I did on the black panipitha. After approval, I found a piece of granite and started with the first cutting work this afternoon. For this I first traced a template of the feet on the plaster model and transferred that to the stone, which will mean a lot of measuring work less. Soon I will be using a pointing machine to transfer the precise shapes from the plaster onto the granite. When the feet are measured, three symbols will be added, namely the conch (shankh), the disc (chakra) and on the heels twice the lotus; the attributes of Vishnu.

Because the granite was already polished on two sides,, it's quite difficult to draw lines on it. That's why on the front side you can still see the painter's tape that I used for this purpose. When the feet are ready the profiles with lotus leaves will be carved, and then a lot of polishing again.

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