Clayburn Moore Teaser

[Kdawg59]

What the heck does Clayburn Moore do when he's not sculpting?

Just what happened during the time before the CS Moore studio was relaunched?

What project is he working on that you don't know about yet?

What is his favorite piece that he has sculpted?

All of these questions and more have been answered as I had a great opportunity to "sit" down with Claburn Moore for some Q and A thanks to our fantastic admin Danny....

Stay tuned and ye shall know soon enough...

[d rod]

btw: clay will be online tonight. any of you guys want to ask any questions, he should show up around 11 Central. he wants to try to answer some questions so bring it on. if some questions match the interview, he'll probably just ask you to stay tuned so no reason not to ask a different one or several.

[d rod]

anyone have the link to endless wake's photoshop, please post it here. clay wanted to see the work that was done. he was very complimented by it when i mentioned it to him.

[Kdawg59]

Awesome Danny...

by the way this interview will have a lot of pics.. some will amaze you!!!

don't go an ask him all my questions now gang!!!!

ENDLESS WAKE THREAD (http://www.statueforum.com/showthread.php?t=24872)

[ComputerFly]

So, how does this work, just post our ??? in this thread, then he'll reply, then we reply etc,etc....? Or is there some type of chat room on the site that we'll all be in?

[Daredevil]

To CM:

1)I would like to inquire whether he would like to do some Danger Girl statues/busts!!

2) When will mohawk She-dragon statue come out? How do we order them?

3) What's your next unannounced project?

4) Will we be able to buy your Thor vs Silver Surfer statue/diaroma in the near future from a company? a kit?
We've been clamoring for it for over a year now since WIP pics were up.

[d rod]

just post questions here, that's fine

[Collection King 13]

What will be the run size on the Aphrodite IX and Magdalena statues?

[Collection King 13]

Is there any remote chance that the Surfer vs Thor Diorama will be produced?

[nexus]

Here's my question, is the AIX AP gonna be substantially different from the original. If so, in what way? Also, I'll buy. If not, I feel like the people who have shelled out cash for this one, especially in the secondary market ($300+) ain't gonna be happy.

What also is coming down the pipeline?
How about more busts? How about Jim Lee Wildcats, Cyberforce, or Youngblood?
How about some collaborations with BD?

Thx.

[DDura711]

I'm most interested in when we'll see pics of the new Witchblade statue.
Any news on it?

[bat_collector]

Is there any truth on walking dead statues?

if so, will you do zombies or characters fro mthe book?

Zombie fans want to know!

[Collection King 13]

How did you become so great at sculpting female statues?

[DDura711]

Is there any remote chance that the Surfer vs Thor Diorama will be produced?
Oooooooh Good One!

Yeah we need this piece.

[Tony Coca]

Hey Clay any Chance of the Updated Witchblade statue.

[Daredevil]

1) Who was your biggest influence when you were a novice at this ?

2) Who is your favorite male comic character? female comic character?

3) What was your favorite sculpt? :buttrock:

[Perna]

Clay, your sculpting of women is the most beautiful I've ever seen, which females would you love to sculpt next?

[Collection King 13]

Is there any chance of another Shi statue?

[Perna]

Will you ever do any of the conventions in Canada such as the Toronto comicon?

[bender]

Hi Clay, it's Caro. Danny was telling me that he is going to convert two of your She Dragon statues into a Storm and a Supergirl because he feels that they would end up being the nicest of those characters out there. There is also a thread about others planning on doing the same. How does it make you feel when fans convert your work into other statues that they want because they are not satisfied with what is out in the market?

[Daredevil]

1)Will there be more Liberty Meadows statues?


2)Will you collaborate with some of the other Giants in the field on a special project, ie Randy Bowen, Tim Bruckner, William Paquet, etc?

3)something for charity?


4) What do you do in your spare time? (as if you have much of it with your work)

5)Any interests in doing some Marvel sculpts, such as Ms Marvel, Psylocke, Enchantress, Wasp, Marvel girl, Tigra statues?

6)What was the last movie you saw?


7) any music while you are working/sculpting?

[ComputerFly]

I'm more interested in Clay's history. Most of you old timer's could probably answer these, but I would like Clay to respond.

1)What was your first produced sculpt and what company produced it?

1a)How old were you when it was produced?

2)Which pieces did you produce under Moore Creations?

3)I've heard/read that you stopped production early on the Draco piece. How many got produced?

4)On the Barbarian statue, I see that there seems to be a mix of artist proofs, some clothed, some not. How many of each were produced? Also, what material was the regular made of? I see some that say they are cold cast porcelain, was that a different run?

5)What is your favorite sculpt of your own? And which sculpt of another creator is your favorite?

6)Are you the older brother, or is Paul?

6a)You each have incredible talent, you as a sculptor, Paul as a painter/photographer. Who started down the 'artist' trail first?

7)Is the Statue Forum Moore Collector Club going to have a shot to purchase the Kabuki Diamond and/or Bronze pieces through the club, or will we need to get it on csmoorestudio.com?

8)What is going to be the first SF Moore club exclusive? (Hint Hint)

9)Do you think the movie '40 Year Old Virgin' is having an effect on statue collectibility? :laugh:

The She-Dragon is a nice piece, but my true love are the Ladies with Weapons! AIX, Kabuki, etc. There is just something SO RIGHT about hot chics with bad attitudes and big weapons!!

You should really attempt to team up with Luis Royo and make some of his artwork into 3D. Someone else attempted it, but the piece is sub-par. His artwork and your sculpting ability seem like a perfect match.

STICK WITH FULL SIZE STATUES!! Leave the busts to others.

I also wanted to thank you for taking care of us in the 'customer service' department. My Kabuki is on it's way right now to Maryland for an exchange. I told 'Pete' in customer service if he saw you to tell you 'Clay Rocks!' Do you live up there?

I'll think of a few more shortly! :D

[Perna]

Is there a certain theme you prefer to sculpt, such as Super Hero or fantasy, or do you just love to sculpt regardless of the project?

[candyrocket786]

1.) Are you planning to produce statues from any of the following licenses?

Danger Girl
Necromancer
Shi

2.) Is there a possibility that CM will pursue Feature Film Licenses to produce statues from movies like Underworld or Ultraviolet?

3.) What are your views on the current market for statues/busts as collectibles? Where do you see this hobby in the next 10 years?

4.) How do you view your competitors? What does CM strive to do differently?

5.) It's quite obvious that your sculpts look amazing unpainted and a great number of people have expressed interest in customizing the She Dragon statue. What are the chances of CM releasing unpainted status for retail sale?

6.) What are the chances for a CM Statue Forum Exclusive Release? :buttrock:

Thank you,

-david

[bender]

****Danny is on the phone with Clay right now. Clay is having some problems with his screename. They're working on it right now. ****

[d rod]

ok, little log in issue. he has to sit out for 15 minutes until the server clears his IP.

[Relic Reaper]

Hi, Clay!

Any chance that we'll see a Liberty Meadows Brandy statue with Brandy in her trademark jean shorts and white shirt?

Will there be any more Kabuki busts or Kabuki FS statues available in the near future?

I'm a huge fan of your work and I'm looking forward to all the pieces that are coming out this year! :buttrock:

[metalsquid]

hi Clay,

1) any plans for more Invincible characters? Atom Eve? Omni-man?
2) how about a Firebreather statue?
3) any chance you could work on more Image stuff in future? eg. WildCATS, Wetworks, Gen13?
4) any chance Thor/Surfer will get produced?
5) any chance Thor/Surfer will get produced?
6) any chance Thor/Surfer will get produced? :D

[Daredevil]

Clay,

I'm a firm believer that Danger girl characters, Gen 13, and Battle Chasers (Red Monika) characters would flourish and sell VERY well under your sculpting abilities

-DD

[Clayburn S Moore]

1)Will there be more Liberty Meadows statues?

That is the plan, although a few things need to be worked out. Right now, we're looking at the second version of the Brandy statue. We also have plans to do the other animal pals to go with the original statue, but frankly, it depends on how Ralph does.


2)Will you collaborate with some of the other Giants in the field on a special project, ie Randy Bowen, Tim Bruckner, William Paquet, etc?

I don't see anything with Bowen, but I have had the pleasure of talking with Tim Bruckner on a couple of occasions and would have no problem discussing possibilities with him. William P and I have met once years and years ago, but we only spoke a moment or two. I will be happy to discuss projects with people. I just haven't done it, I suppose.

3)something for charity?

I give to animal charities and environmental groups. I could esaily do a piece for charity and in the old days gave a lot of toys to children's hospitals and such. What charities do you give to?


4) What do you do in your spare time? (as if you have much of it with your work)

Er, please see the upcoming interview...Actually, I got asked that question so I guess we should wait for that...apologies.

5)Any interests in doing some Marvel sculpts, such as Ms Marvel, Psylocke, Enchantress, Wasp, Marvel girl, Tigra statues?

I was always a Silver Age Marvel collector and have a pretty nice collection. Kirby annd Buscema are two of my favorite artists that have ever worked int he field. It's never that simple, though. The business part of the whole thing is a bit ugly for my tastes. Way too many licensees.
Likek they say, though "never say never again", but I do say that about some things.

6)What was the last movie you saw?

Damned if I know...I want to get the King Kong DVD, though, since I missed that. I also want to get Syriana and Munich.




7) any music while you are working/sculpting?

I don't actually listen to music while I work. I have news shows on or Law and Order, the History Channel, and I think the Shield is excellent. I find I can work for longer periods if I listen to a story of some kind, rather than music.

[Agent Zero]

Mr. Moore, welcome to the forum. I am a great admirer of your work which has been very inspirational to me. I would like to take the opportunity to express my excitement over your collaboration with the Statue Forum. It is a great idea and offers your fan base the opportunity to purchase your master creations off hand.

I was hoping that you would consider answering a few questions for me. I completely respect your decision to skip any that you are not comfortable answering at this time.


Since your first collaborations with Frank Frazetta and Michael Turner were so successful, do you have any future plans to do it again?


I understand that you are currently working on a new Witchblade statue and releasing Aphrodite IX and Magdalena artist proof statues. From your website, I gathered that the Magdalena statue will be re-sculpted. Aside from the base on the Aphrodite IX statue, are you planning to make any other modification?


Do you have any plans on working on any other Image/TopCow characters such as Marc Silvestri’s Cyber Force or possibly a companion piece to the Aphrodite IX statue?


Since you have been sharing your work in progress, are you considering creating a tutorial video on how to sculpt?


Do you have any independent characters of your own that you plan to produce some day?


Thank you for taking the time to read my battery of questions. The insight you provide is sincerely appreciated.

http://i1.tinypic.com/s2dvgi.jpg

[Clayburn S Moore]

Nexus:
Here's my question, is the AIX AP gonna be substantially different from the original. If so, in what way? Also, I'll buy. If not, I feel like the people who have shelled out cash for this one, especially in the secondary market ($300+) ain't gonna be happy.

Welcome to the world of licensing. We had originally had plans to do an AP version of that statue. I produced 1,400 of the run of 2,500 or so, whatever it was. I chose not to produce more becuase we were going to do an AP. I also didn't want to overproduce. I could produce more of the original statue now, but I will not do that to protect the secondary market. Top Cow expects an AP version and that is what we are going to do. I will keep the edition at 350, which should not affect the worth of the first version. The base will be different and there will be a certificate of authenticity with a dedicated sketch and my signature as well as that of the artist who does the sketch of Marc Silvestri.
This has been in the works for years.


What also is coming down the pipeline?
How about more busts? How about Jim Lee Wildcats, Cyberforce, or Youngblood?
How about some collaborations with BD?

Please see the upcoming interview. It goes over a lot of the upcoming works scheduled.
I think Jim Lee is one of the best. I did the original Grifter, but don't have anything else with Jim in the works.
No plans to do a Rob Liefeld creation.
A collaboration with Bowen will never happen.



Thx.

[d rod]

clay, caro and i are big on animals and their charities. one of the few times that i donated to a different one was after 911 which i sent 2 months of ebay sales to the police/firefighter fund. i think that more should do the same.

[Clayburn S Moore]

Agent ZeroMr. Moore, welcome to the forum. I am a great admirer of your work which has been very inspirational to me. I would like to take the opportunity to express my excitement over your collaboration with the Statue Forum. It is a great idea and offers your fan base the opportunity to purchase your master creations off hand.

I was hoping that you would consider answering a few questions for me. I completely respect your decision to skip any that you are not comfortable answering at this time.


Since your first collaborations with Frank Frazetta and Michael Turner were so successful, do you have any future plans to do it again?

Working with Frank Frazetta is always an honor. That may happen again. We'll see. Sorry not to be more specific.
No plans with Turner. I have a lot of things to do with Top Cow and I'd rather do that.


I understand that you are currently working on a new Witchblade statue and releasing Aphrodite IX and Magdalena artist proof statues. From your website, I gathered that the Magdalena statue will be re-sculpted. Aside from the base on the Aphrodite IX statue, are you planning to make any other modification?

I posted about the A IX, so please see that below...or somewhere near here, I think. I'll resculpt Magdalena from scratch, though, about 12 inches tall with a nice stained glass window base.


Do you have any plans on working on any other Image/TopCow characters such as Marc Silvestri’s Cyber Force or possibly a companion piece to the Aphrodite IX statue?


Since you have been sharing your work in progress, are you considering creating a tutorial video on how to sculpt?

Possibly. I have some old video footages from the very early days of Nexus and such.
But please ask these questions again sometime. I should get to some of the other posts. I hope you understand.


Do you have any independent characters of your own that you plan to produce some day?


Thank you for taking the time to read my battery of questions. The insight you provide is sincerely appreciated.

http://i1.tinypic.com/s2dvgi.jpg[/QUOTE]

[Clayburn S Moore]

Collection King 13 What will be the run size on the Aphrodite IX and Magdalena statues?
A IX- 350 (AP)
Mag (probably 1,500-1,800)

[Clayburn S Moore]

To CM:

1)I would like to inquire whether he would like to do some Danger Girl statues/busts!!

I should say here that I don't know if Danger Girl is even in print. Is it? JS Campbell and I had spoken years ago. I had a couple of projects to do before I could get to DG and he went with another licensee.

2) When will mohawk She-dragon statue come out? How do we order them?

Several months. I apologize for the quick answers, but I'm trying to get to as many as I can. We had problems getting on and lost some time.
Please check the website for info (csmoorestudio.com). I'm looking forward to doing it. It will have a second character in the statue. Who do you think it will be?

3) What's your next unannounced project?

Kull the Conqueror.

4) Will you work with Randy Bowen on a Marvel project?


5) Will we be able to buy your Thor vs Silver Surfer statue/diaroma in the near future from a company? a kit?
We've been clamoring for it for over a year now since WIP pics were up.
Thank you for that. I'm proud of that piece and there is a chance that it will be produced. It's not a matter of getting it produced, it's a matter of getting it produced on my terms. It may be that I'll just be pleased as heck that I sculpted it and it will adorn my shelf and those people I give one to as a gift.

[3D Figure]

CM: How are you, Glad to talk to you again. I was wondering if you would be working with any other sculptors, Meaning will anyone be sculpting for your company such as Susumu Sugita (Great Vampirella Statue) or other U.S based sculptors? Dene Mason Great female sculptor as well!!

[Daredevil]

Thank you for answering my questions, Mr Moore. It's a pleasure and an honor having you here on statueforum.

I have another question for you, where do you see this sculpting industry in 10-15 years? How do you feel about some superhero sculptures being in 1/4 scale and taking up an immense amount of space?


What is the one piece that you are most proud of making?

I think you would enjoy sculpting Shanna the She-Devil and Kazar with his trusty Tiger Zabu(?).

[dyc_1978]

Why make a lot of magdalena? what will happen to the first sculpt of magdalena, people who bought this for $400+ will not be very happy on this one. Do you think it will affect the price of the first magdalena?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/dyc_1978/th_magdalena.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/dyc_1978/magdalena.jpg)

[Clayburn S Moore]

DDura711]I'm most interested in when we'll see pics of the new Witchblade statue.
Any news on it?

Well, please see the interview as I think we talk about it there. However, I have finished the figure and face and those parts have been approved. Often there are other priorities such as a shipment coming in. The Brandy statue just arrived and we're currently in the middle of shipping that back out. We're also doing 2 versions of WB, so we need to take a mold off before I can finish up the Schoolgirl Version. I hope to get it completed in just a few weeks.

[Clayburn S Moore]

bat_logan_collector]Is there any truth on walking dead statues?

if so, will you do zombies or characters fro mthe book?

Zombie fans want to know!

I sent a jpeg to comicstatues.com of the idea for the Walking Dead statue. It's based on a thumbnail sculpture I did after reading the whole series. That Kirkman boy can write! I talk about it in the interview that will be published here very soon. They just need to make sense out of my answers. Also, I require them by contract to make me sound intelligent and that takes some time.

[Clayburn S Moore]

ComputerFly]I'm more interested in Clay's history. Most of you old timer's could probably answer these, but I would like Clay to respond.

1)What was your first produced sculpt and what company produced it?

I hope you don't mind if I answer a few questions and kind of pick and choose.
I first did Vampirella. I have a jpeg somewhere and will try to get it posted some time. The face is kind of masculine and I think I've improved a bit, but it might be interesting to see...

1a)How old were you when it was produced?

Seven, yes, I was seven years old.

2)Which pieces did you produce under Moore Creations?

Good God, Man!

3)I've heard/read that you stopped production early on the Draco piece. How many got produced?

You heard wrong, Oh Perspicacious One. We set the production at 1,000 and produced and sold 1,000. A magnificent piece by the Shiflett Brothers.

4)On the Barbarian statue, I see that there seems to be a mix of artist proofs, some clothed, some not. How many of each were produced? Also, what material was the regular made of? I see some that say they are cold cast porcelain, was that a different run?

No, all are cold cast porcelain, which is resin mixed with porcelain powder. A wonderful euphemism...On the regular edition, the girl is clothed. It is consistent throughout. On the AP edtion we did the sword in sterling silver and added a number of rubies on the dagger. I remember that 100 of the pieces have the girl nude, as Frazetta painted it, and 200 have the girl clothed.

5)What is your favorite sculpt of your own? And which sculpt of another creator is your favorite?
I like the Pitt bronze. I am happy with the Princess bronze. There is an incredible sculpture of the great Gerome of the sculptor himself sculpting an amazing Gladiator with a wonderful alligator skin shield in the Musee de Orsay in Paris. My God. It's daunting to see such talent.

6)Are you the older brother, or is Paul?

Paul is older by 18 months.

6a)You each have incredible talent, you as a sculptor, Paul as a painter/photographer. Who started down the 'artist' trail first?

Five of the nine of us have artistic talent. Paul used to draw. He copied a Frazetta once by eyeball alone and it was incredible. He was 14. It was damaged in a flood. I sculpted dinosaurs and whales from age 4 or so. He chose the Kansas City Art Institute first while I went to Texas A and M to get a Civil Engineering degree, then figured I should give my best shot at what I was best at. No one was going to pay me for being an a-hole, so I was second best at scultping. I tranferred to the University of Texas and graduated there, then went to Italy to coninue my studies.

7)Is the Statue Forum Moore Collector Club going to have a shot to purchase the Kabuki Diamond and/or Bronze pieces through the club, or will we need to get it on csmoorestudio.com?

The AP's and bronzes will be available here to everyone, but you. You must buy it at my site.

8)What is going to be the first SF Moore club exclusive? (Hint Hint)

I'm open to suggestions. Really.

9)Do you think the movie '40 Year Old Virgin' is having an effect on statue collectibility? :laugh:

I think Steve Carell (sp) is terrific. I never saw the movie, though. I'm too busy making statues, but I'm embarrassed at not understanding your private joke. I hope you're satisfied.

The She-Dragon is a nice piece, but my true love are the Ladies with Weapons! AIX, Kabuki, etc. There is just something SO RIGHT about hot chics with bad attitudes and big weapons!!

Ask your shrink about that one...

You should really attempt to team up with Luis Royo and make some of his artwork into 3D. Someone else attempted it, but the piece is sub-par. His artwork and your sculpting ability seem like a perfect match.

Muchas gracias. I think Mr. Royo is very talented.

STICK WITH FULL SIZE STATUES!! Leave the busts to others.

I agree with you. However, I need to finish the Noh assassin busts with David Mack. The designs are beautiful.

I also wanted to thank you for taking care of us in the 'customer service' department. My Kabuki is on it's way right now to Maryland for an exchange. I told 'Pete' in customer service if he saw you to tell you 'Clay Rocks!' Do you live up there?

Yes, I live north of Baltimore. I'm a Texan, but I think it's beautiful here. I get to sculpt out with the rabbits and foxes. Now that I know you are a customer, please disregard my smartass comments earlier.

I'll think of a few more shortly! :D[/QUOTE]

[Collection King 13]

Why make a lot of magdalena? what will happen to the first sculpt of magdalena, people who bought this for $400+ will not be very happy on this one. Do you think it will affect the price of the first magdalena?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/dyc_1978/th_magdalena.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/dyc_1978/magdalena.jpg)
I dont think there is anything wrong with the Run size since they are 2 different statues... Look at the different Kabukis and the different Witchblades....

[Ish]

bat_logan_collector]Is there any truth on walking dead statues?

if so, will you do zombies or characters fro mthe book?

Zombie fans want to know!

I sent a jpeg to comicstatues.com of the idea for the Walking Dead statue. It's based on a thumbnail sculpture I did after reading the whole series. That Kirkman boy can write! I talk about it in the interview that will be published here very soon. They just need to make sense out of my answers. Also, I require them by contract to make me sound intelligent and that takes some time.
:laugh: :laugh: :buttrock:

[DDura711]

Many fans are skeptical about purchasing more than one statue of the same character. you did several witchblades and took a big chance doing another one. you really pulled it off and it feels like a character all on its own. at any point did you question your decision of making it?

[cyberpunk12]

It's not a news flash or anything, but this place is awesome. It's great to see Clay posting here... We all know how talented he is, but it's a real treat to get some insights into the man behind the sculptures.

Looking forward to seeing that interview kdawg!

Clay, thanks for taking the time for the Q&A. You get rave reviews for your obvious talent sculpting the female form, but your Thor vs. Surfer is one of the best sculpts I've ever seen... period. Even if it never gets produced, I'd love to see it painted and assembled some day.

[nexus]

Okay Clay,

I'm not worried about protecting the secondary market. A $300 statue (which I think is now probably worth about $500) is a relative drop in the bucket. The main question for me has been whether or not to buy something twice, and if so would there be enough of a reason to do so. For example, the Turner platinum version of what's her name with the wings, had a compelling enough reason, although I didn't buy the original, but then my son got into the comic. And I can still pick up the green one for a little over original retail. If the AIX is not enough of a departure no biggie.

I'm not familiar with a lot of the other characters being bounced about, but your work is really great. It's be great to see more Marvel or DC stuff from you in 1/8 scale.

[Clayburn S Moore]

Hi Clay, it's Caro. Danny was telling me that he is going to convert two of your She Dragon statues into a Storm and a Supergirl because he feels that they would end up being the nicest of those characters out there. There is also a thread about others planning on doing the same. How does it make you feel when fans convert your work into other statues that they want because they are not satisfied with what is out in the market?

Hi Caro,

I became used to people adapting my and other sculptor's work back when I was doing action figures. People often took the Lady Death figure and converted her. Some of the work was very good. Ultimately, I think you hit it at the end of your point. It's a compliment because they'd like to see their favorite character have that figure and that look.

[Clayburn S Moore]

How did you become so great at sculpting female statues?


Well, garsh...thanks. I think any artist has to be his own harshest critic. I work it until it's right. I seems to parallel women in life: take your time, be patient, do not rush and good things will happen.

[Clayburn S Moore]

1) Who was your biggest influence when you were a novice at this ?

2) Who is your favorite male comic character? female comic character?

3) What was your favorite sculpt? :buttrock:

1. It would have to be Frazetta.
2. Batman, although I don't read much of it. I always read Marvel, although I would find anything Neal Adams drew. When Conan is done well, he is an excellent character for comics. Often, it is always a case of who is drawing and/or writing the book for the character to be good. I always felt that there was a lot of potential with the Hulk and the Silver Surfer.
I really enjoyed the 70's Starlin Warlock work.
3. Of mine or someone else? I love the Perseus by Cellini in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence. The Torso Belvedere is one of the most beautiful sculptures ever done. I spoke about Gerome in another post and Dalou was incredible.

[Clayburn S Moore]

Is there a certain theme you prefer to sculpt, such as Super Hero or fantasy, or do you just love to sculpt regardless of the project?

Well put. When I have sculpted for myself, it's been based on mythological or fantastic themes. I like sculpting people with animals, too. That sounds simplistic, and I guess it is, but there is a beauty in the human form with an animal form that to me is more attractive than either on their own.
I did three native American pieces, one of which was a Nez Pierrce tribesman with a wolf. I really enjoyed sculpting that wolf.
I don't see myself as a comic book character sculptor, but as a sculptor. I'd have some ideas for some original works and it's been far too long since I did an original piece.
I still verry much enjoy the comics pieces, too, though. I'd like to do a mix of both.

[Clayburn S Moore]

clay, caro and i are big on animals and their charities. one of the few times that i donated to a different one was after 911 which i sent 2 months of ebay sales to the police/firefighter fund. i think that more should do the same.

You're right and that was a good thing to do. Sometimes other types of charities get ignored when a major catastrophe happens. It's good that the bulk of the assistance goes quickly to the problem at hand, then people need to get back to other places to give.

[Clayburn S Moore]

candyrocket786:1.) Are you planning to produce statues from any of the following licenses?

Danger Girl
Necromancer
Shi

I spoke earlier about Danger Girl so I hope you saw that. Billy Tucci annd I have known each other for years and we could work together again.
Who publishes Necromancer? I'm not familiar with that title, although I'm not familiar with a lot of titles. I like a lot of the books that Image comes out with.

2.) Is there a possibility that CM will pursue Feature Film Licenses to produce statues from movies like Underworld or Ultraviolet?

I would say NO. Feature film licenses are a huge risk and much live action film merchandise is produced with computer scanning technology and sculpture plays a fairly secondary role in that merchandise. The film companies except a huge advance and if the film does poorly, they don't tend to give any money back. Quite the opposite.


3.) What are your views on the current market for statues/busts as collectibles? Where do you see this hobby in the next 10 years?

I've always said that people should buy what they like. I think that if collectors don't approach it as a market and do buy the pieces that appeal to them, then the cream will rise to the top.
I think that the Marvel licenses are really hurting the field because Marvel licenses to so many entities. Retailers may invest in some questionable product becuase of the Marvel character or becuase of distributor incentives or whatever and then end up holding the pieces for months and months. Some of these licensees flood the market without respect for the after market worth of their product just to make the quick buck. Obviously, this is a business, but taking care of the after market and thinking longer term than this quarter's profits is good business.

4.) How do you view your competitors? What does CM strive to do differently?

I don't often view my competitors. I just don't have time. I rarely know what statues are debuting in a given month. That may sound odd, but I just try to do the best work I can, market it intelligently, if possible and try to pick my projects well. The statue doesn't have to be of a major character to be respected and sell well. I go after the collector that wants a good sculpture, not necessarily of a particular character.
Occasionally, I will sculpt a piece that isn't what I would normally do. The Walking Dead came out of conversations with Robert Kirkman about Invincible. Then, when I read the WD books, I was hooked. On this piece I'm depending on collectors that read the book, like zombie stories and like my work. Each license can have a different set of reasons for success, but it starts with good sculpting.

5.) It's quite obvious that your sculpts look amazing unpainted and a great number of people have expressed interest in customizing the She Dragon statue. What are the chances of CM releasing unpainted status for retail sale?

I don't think doing kits is a direction I will go anytime soon. I think if people want to paint a piece, a coat of primer will give them that canvas. The existing layer of paint isn't that thick.

6.) What are the chances for a CM Statue Forum Exclusive Release? :buttrock:

Danny and I have talked about it and are both in favor of the idea. What would you like to see offered?

[Clayburn S Moore]

CM: How are you, Glad to talk to you again. I was wondering if you would be working with any other sculptors, Meaning will anyone be sculpting for your company such as Susumu Sugita (Great Vampirella Statue) or other U.S based sculptors? Dene Mason Great female sculptor as well!!

Dene is a terrific talent. I found in the past that I tended to become much more of an art director than a sculptor. Maybe that works for others, but I feel that my time is best spent sculpting. I'll turn out one piece at a time and that piece will be as good as I can possibly make it.

[Clayburn S Moore]

Thank you for answering my questions, Mr Moore. It's a pleasure and an honor having you here on statueforum.

I have another question for you, where do you see this sculpting industry in 10-15 years? How do you feel about some superhero sculptures being in 1/4 scale and taking up an immense amount of space?

Scans will become increasingly prevalent and poeple that actually sculpt with their hands will become more and more rare. It's the way it works. How many Japanese sword makers are alive today? I don't know either, but not as many as there once were.


What is the one piece that you are most proud of making?

The Conan the Barbarian.

I think you would enjoy sculpting Shanna the She-Devil and Kazar with his trusty Tiger Zabu(?).

I'll probably just do my own jungle girl rather than Shanna. It's a well known subject and I'd like to design and sculpt my own.
I liked Ka-Zar fairly well, depending on how he was written. I like the girl with sabertooth theme very much, however.

[bat_collector]

Is Atom Eve at all on the agenda for a future Invinicble Statue?

[Clayburn S Moore]

Many fans are skeptical about purchasing more than one statue of the same character. you did several witchblades and took a big chance doing another one. you really pulled it off and it feels like a character all on its own. at any point did you question your decision of making it?

I think people buy various statues of the same Marvel and DC charcters over and over. These are called "evergreen" characters since they hold their value as properties over time. Witchblade is one of those in independent comics as are Vampirella, Lady Death and Dawn. I was very complimented when collectors often told me that when they bought the WB statue, they didn't know who she was, but liked the piece.
There was never a question in my mind, though. I'll be doing another Lady Death and I'm willing to take that risk on that character, too. Of course, I hope I get the response I'm looking for and it'll be my job to do everything I can to assure that support.

[Clayburn S Moore]

It's not a news flash or anything, but this place is awesome. It's great to see Clay posting here... We all know how talented he is, but it's a real treat to get some insights into the man behind the sculptures.

Looking forward to seeing that interview kdawg!

Clay, thanks for taking the time for the Q&A. You get rave reviews for your obvious talent sculpting the female form, but your Thor vs. Surfer is one of the best sculpts I've ever seen... period. Even if it never gets produced, I'd love to see it painted and assembled some day.

Well, thanks very much for the very kind words. I've been working on several things, but a few days ago I stopped everything down and sculpted the base for the Thor/SS piece. I sculpted Asgard in relief and sent it to Michael to mold. He's also making a base adjustment for me. Then we'll get the base painted and assemble everything and debut some photos. Hopefully, it will only be a few weeks.

[Kdawg59]

I love that you are posting here a bit Clay.. it feels great to interact with such a great artist, inspiration and damn nice fella...

[Clayburn S Moore]

Is Atom Eve at all on the agenda for a future Invinicble Statue?

Thanks for the question bat_logan_collector. From a business standpoint, I just have to see how Invincible does, first and Robert Kirkman agrees. An Atom Eve is not out of the question. She may be done as a bust, we'll see.
I appreciate all the questions. I think that's all of them.

[bat_collector]

Thanks for the question bat_logan_collector. From a business standpoint, I just have to see how Invincible does, first and Robert Kirkman agrees. An Atom Eve is not out of the question. She may be done as a bust, we'll see.
I appreciate all the questions. I think that's all of them.
That would be awesome. Thanks for answering. Your invincible statue is a must have and one of hte ones I'm most looking forward to in the coming year.

[Wolverine1]

Danny and I have talked about it and are both in favor of the idea. What would you like to see offered?

I would like to see the Walking Dead as an SF exclusive. Make it the one that is in the Walking Dead thread where a lady is moving 2 zombies on a leash.

[Juggernaut]

I would like to see the Walking Dead as an SF exclusive. Make it the one that is in the Walking Dead thread where a lady is moving 2 zombies on a leash.

If that happens. I will not be a happy camper.

[wktf]

Thank you for that. I'm proud of that piece and there is a chance that it will be produced. It's not a matter of getting it produced, it's a matter of getting it produced on my terms. It may be that I'll just be pleased as heck that I sculpted it and it will adorn my shelf and those people I give one to as a gift.
Mr. Moore, we love the Thor v. Surfer piece! My question, based on this response, is how do I get on your gift list?!

[candyrocket786]

6.) What are the chances for a CM Statue Forum Exclusive Release? :buttrock:

Danny and I have talked about it and are both in favor of the idea. What would you like to see offered?

The Necromancer
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/DVDVampire/other/necromancer.jpg

Hunter Killer (Samantha Argent, White Costume)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/DVDVampire/other/hk.jpg

[Bullseye]

The Necromancer
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/DVDVampire/other/necromancer.jpg

Hunter Killer (Samantha Argent, White Costume)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/DVDVampire/other/hk.jpg

I'd buy one. :D

[Kdawg59]

HEY GUYS...

I am getting ready to send Clay the interview for review and should part 1 up in a day or two... FYI!!

[bat_collector]

HEY GUYS...

I am getting ready to send Clay the interview for review and should part 1 up in a day or two... FYI!!
Please hurry, that walking dead pic is a must see for us zombie fans. :buttrock:

[dyc_1978]

yup cant wai tfor the interview. :)

[Kdawg59]

Announcement!!!

We are currently finishing up final edits to Clay's interview. Part 1 will debut this weekend OH required readers...

It's a must read for fans of Clay I promise you that!

[Bullseye]

Can't wait;)

[Collection King 13]

Announcement!!!

We are currently finishing up final edits to Clay's interview. Part 1 will debut this weekend OH required readers...

It's a must read for fans of Clay I promise you that!
Sweet! :buttrock:

[SolidLiquidFox]

"weekend" as in today or tomorrow Sunday?

[Kdawg59]

Looks like Sunday Evening....:)