Making waxes for the Lost Wax Process

 .... Moulds ready, wax heating up and instructions being given.

Ok!

Here we go....

 The first waxes drying.  Before releasing the moulds they are soaked with cold water (running tap) slowly running over them. This is to make sure the wax has completely solidified as sometimes it is too soft and can be deformed or damaged.

The extra wax is then cut off with a scalpel and snoothed with turps on a scrubby.

Fixing to do

 

Waxes after fixing

Wee bird

More Mould Making

 

A few stages further on and each silicone rubber half mould is encased within plaster.

There are keys within it to hold the mould in place.

The silicone took overnight to set but the plaster is much quicker so before long I had 3 mould waiting for wax.

The Week at SSW

 A whole 5 days of learning mould making!

First of all, it was to make sure a silicone release agent was applied liberally to the sculptures - I really wanted the sculptures to come out from the silcone after it had set.

Next, lay on top of cling film to protect the plaster from the clay, and build up around the piece about halfway, following any lines (so that the mould lines when cast show as little as possible)

a clay wall is added and then the silicone poured in.

I'm glad I had 3 pieces as I could practice and repeat the process 3 times to learn it more thoroughly.

Large Beech Leaf

Silicone Poured

I've got an award!!!

 Today, the email came through from Aberden City Council about my VACMA Application. I have been granted the award and I'm so excited.

I can now book an Open Access week at the Scottish Sculpture Workshop in Lumsden to learn mould making for bronze casting. 

Things to do, things to organise, mainly myself of course, and ideas to generate.

This is the plaster sculpture I'd like to make castings from. It is life sized so fits beautifully in my hand.

Made during lockdown when I couldn't get access to my stone pieces, the plaster is delicate, as you can imagine but carves wonderfully. I had a couple of plaster blocks hanging around from a craft/art pack we'd been making at the scrapstore (ScrapAntics) for disadvantaged teens amongst others.