Friday 17th

My last day until I'm able to do the bronze pour - dates to be confirmed. It has been such a long drawn out process but I'm still grateful to VACMA for choosing my project and funding my learning. 

Today it was more of the same - playing with wax - managed to get most of the pieces attached but had to get Eden to finish a couple for me as I was getting nowhere fast.

They are to stay at SSW and Eden will coat them in a ceramic shell which is a series of layers which have to dry between each dipping, quite a process.

The rest of my time was spent making a mould for the oak leaf ball.

oak leaf ball with silicone layer, I ahd to add another chemical so that the mixture could be brushed on.

and the next part of the process - building up a clay wall so the plaster can be added.

Here it is! the first half siliconed and plaster base added. Underneath all that is half a white plaster oak leaf ball covered in cling film.

More Fun with Wax

 Lots of waxes made, would have been good to make more but time is a factor.

The next stage is to attach the wax sculptures to wax poles (just a cylindrical length of wax). Sounds easy but far from straight forward.

Hot plate on and tools heating up... The trick is to hold the wax cylinder and the piece close together, insert the heated flat tool between them, slightly squeeze together and slide out the tool.

Oh yes, without burning yourself on the tool, dropping the waxes or dropping burning wax on yourself. (hint: it hurts)

3 attached

attached to the bowl

Next, a thicker cylinder is attached to the bowl/bucket and the smaller ones attaached to that. They are upside down at the moment.

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

Scottish Sculpture Workshop visit

 On the 3rd April I submitted Open Access dates for SSW as the 4th was their next time for looking at availability. I also emailed Eden the technician there and arranged a visit to ask for their advice on my next steps/time frame for mould making/if project feasible.

...Today was the visit day.

I was nervous as I always am meeting new people and new places. Luckily it was under an hour drive so easy to get to.

I pulled in beside the foundry and then Eden and Michael came out to say hi. I found it fascinating, lots of interesting and odd pieces of metal hanging around and made into useful objects. Just my type of place. Great reuse.

Discussion was positive, I showed the pieces I wanted to make moulds from and cast, and they both agreed it could be done in that time with me doing some work at home too.

This is the Beech leaf.                

 

 I had ideas for another of my plaster pieces, the Oakleaf column and the verdict was that would be fine too. 

 

Progress! The idea of casting these pieces is now beginning to feel attainable. Thank you VACMA and Aberdeen City Council for believing in me.

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.