Case Study:


In Plain Sight


a sculpture series collaboration with
Tavares Strachan

The Challenge:

Artist and Macarthur Genius Grant recipient Tavares Strachan needed to create a sculpture series of people from history juxtaposed with African masks. While Tavares worked on the masks, I got to work on the portraiture. Many of the historical figures had limited or poor quality photographic reference to work from. Most portrait sculptors require perfect front and side views with the same facial expression and age. However, these images featured challenges such as odd angles, low-resolution, differing ages, and differing facial expressions that all had to be artistically synthesized into a cohesive body of portraits.

A black-and-white portrait of a woman with an afro hairstyle, wearing a dark top and layered necklaces, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression.
A woman in a vintage aviation suit and helmet, receiving assistance from two men to fit a pilot's helmet.
Black and white photo of an elderly woman with styled hair, wearing a dress with lace and ribbons, and holding a guitar.
Black and white portrait of a man in a U.S. military uniform with ribbons and insignia.
A black-and-white photo of a woman with short curly hair, wearing glasses, earrings, a patterned blouse, and layered necklaces, looking attentively to the side.
Black and white close-up of a man's face, showing contemplative expression, wearing a jacket and striped scarf.
Black and white portrait of a man with a mustache and goatee, dressed in a suit with a bow tie.

Solving this required deep experience in portraiture. I artistically interpreted the low-quality references, synthesizing multiple angles and differing expressions into a single, cohesive likeness that was accurate, believable, and aesthetically appealing.

The process was highly collaborative. Through a series of shared turntable renders and virtual reviews, we refined each portrait until it perfectly met Tavares' expectations.

3D sculpture of an elderly African American man with textured hair, detailed facial features, and a serious expression, set against a black background.
3D digital sculpture of a woman's face with textured short hair, large earrings, and a serene expression, set against a black background.
3D sculpture of a woman's bust with detailed hair, earrings, and facial features on a black background.
A detailed model of a vintage deep-sea diving helmet with a faceplate showing a person's face, surrounded by various knobs, vents, and fixtures.
3D sculpture of a woman with curly hair, glasses, earrings, and a beauty mark on her chin against a black background.
3D sculpture of a man's face with a mustache, short curly hair, and a serious expression, against a black background.
3D sculpture of a man's head with a mustache and beard, short hair, and serious expression against a black background.

In addition to the artistic challenge, the portraits required precision engineering for the final fabrication:

  • Consistent Sizing: Every piece was sized consistently for a uniform series.

  • Precise Cuts: The necks were cut at the exact same angle and dimension.

  • Optimized Wall Thickness: I carefully balanced wall thickness to reduce material costs while ensuring structural strength.

  • Custom Mounting: I engineered each head to be hollow with an interior structure perfectly designed to be mounted on rods.

The Final Result:

After final approval from Tavares, I delivered the high-resolution, fabrication-ready files to his team.

The resulting 1:1 resin-printed sculptures are a perfect, high-fidelity translation of our digital collaboration. These pieces were successfully exhibited, completing the journey from poor-quality historical photo to world-class fine art.

An art installation featuring a white bust of a person and an African tribal mask, connected by a gold stand, against a plain white background.
An art display featuring four sculpted busts on stands, with two decorated with hair and one with red and beige woven material and a spear-like object.
A vintage deep-sea diving helmet with a long blond wig attached, displayed on a white background.
A mixed-media art piece featuring a human-like face sculpture with curly hair and glasses, topped with a tribal mask decorated with cowrie shells, beads, and straw elements.
Art installation with a human-like face mask on the left and a white bust of a woman on the right, connected by a gold stand.

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