So far the results of the three weaves on plaster have been varied and have created more problems than solving them. Heres some of the problems I have encountered:
1. The lack of the visible negative space has meant it is very difficult to view the effect of the sculpture.
2. The plaster core is heavy and is mounted on a cross plate. The piece can be spun around but only on one axis and I have gotten so used to be able to turn my pieces in any direction to allow the weave to flow across the surface.
3. The underside of the sculpture sags so to prevent this happening each piece has to be bound with strips of plastic to prevent movement. Alternate fixing is using lengths of waxed thread but I am concerned about over using the thread incase it prevents a clean burn out at the next stage of the lost wax casting.
4. Using a thick guide line works well at the beginning of the weaving process to mark out the shape you wish to create with your weave, but when you need to anchor the main weave to the guide it requires a degree of give which it doesn’t have. If the guide line was first applied with ample room for anchoring the later weaving then this would solve the problem, but it creates another as the guide line would simply fall off the plaster core.
Does this method of solid core casting need to have a core of plaster?
Can the core be added at a later stage and a more flexible light weight core be used?