11th and 12th Oct

 YES!!

I got 2 days open access at Scottish Sculpture Workshop to finally make these sculptures into bronzes.

Ceramic shell covered birds

 

 

 

Bottoms ground off the shells so the wax can be heated and poured out.

Gas torch was used to heat the bottom until the cup came out and then they were put into a oven type thing and heated until the wax poured out.

Now ready to take the bronze!

All the safety gear on while the bronze was heating up, then the pour.

Such a beautiful colour.

After knocking off the ceramic shell, they are ready to cut off from the feeders.

Lots of chasing to do getting rid of the last of the shell.

 

and here they are, ready to add the patina and shine up.

Whew! what a journey.

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.

Tomorrow!!!

Exciting times -  I'm off to the Scottish Sculpture Workshop tomorrow for a week residential. 

Many thanks again to the award from VACMA throught Aberdeen City council.

These are the beech leaves I'm using to make molds.

                                                        Beech - Faidhbhile (Scottish Gaelic)

old & new plaster leaves

I decided to carve another leaf, this time larger. I thought it may be too big but on my usual walk up the road from the house I realised that the leaves on the copper beech hedge were the same size. And then of course it occurred to me that the smaller leaf fitted beautifully in my hand but I have fairly small hands so a leaf to fit a larger hand was necessary.

I have been researching a little and found some interesting information about the beech leaf. Now how much of the mythology is true I don't know but I like the ideas.

"Slivers of beech wood and leaves were once carried as talismans to bring good luck and increase creative energy." (www.thebeechtreeinkirriemuir)

Also no harm was said to befall a lost traveller who sought shelter under the branches of a beech.

SSW update

 Lots of back and fro with emails and the upheaval at Scottish Sculpture Workshop with their capital development changes, but finally....

I am booked in for a week's residential to learn mould making for casting. Really excited!!!!

Thanks to my VACMA award this is now happening.

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.