The Steve Prefontaine maquette was sculpted with clay, using a wire armature. However, enlarged from 24 inches to more than 6-feet tall through the 3-D laser process, most of the fine details from the maquette were lost. What was left was an obscure, clouded-faced large Pre. The artist now builds on this clay-covered styrofoam foundation, adding more clay in places, and removing it in other areas … as the new Pre Tribute begins to emerge.
During this process, Mike Leckie’s attention to detail is highlighted as he forms the muscles, tendons, and skeletal structure on the Pre Tribute. The sculptor has to repeat these skills to the smallest detail using classical figurative methods.
This photo shows the ‘rough draft’ of the larger-than-life Pre Tribute. It’s unfinished, almost crude, pocked surface barely resembles the Pre Tribute that it will become. Mike’s hands will know what to do, this is the kind of challenge he thrives on. The completed Large Pre Bronze will require heavy metal armature to support the tribute’s weight. It is anticipated that to achieve this feat, the armature will also extend nearly 6-feet deep underground.
