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

Carving with 'Ministry of Stone'

I finally made it to Lincoln and the gargoyle carving course, actually a grotesque but who cares.
Working with stone again and learning new skills with new tools, what more can I say.

I was a little worried about it all due to my tendonitis flaring up for the first time in many years...typical timing, but all was good.

Pattern cutting

As the title suggests, I have been learning pattern cutting, my tutor is the wonderful Tracey Stewart (aka MIN atelier)
More and more I've been getting fed up trying to find clothes that I like and that fit me. If something is in a nice fabric, the pattern is horrible or the garment has some silly frilly bit or cut too low or just plain doesn't fit.

This is a very precise science and I love it. Proper measuring and marking out. Really appeals to the engineering side of me.

Too involved to take photos but will try in the future.