Woven Experiment No.68 - Smooth and texture

Woven Experiment No.68 - Smooth and texture

With this experiment I wanted to try and combine the texture of a woven section with a smooth area to see what results the combination would create. 

A solid core of plaster was cast and carved into an oval form, then a covering of smooth wax and then a detail figure 8 swirl wrapping around the form.

With this experiment I found I had a more finished look than with any other piece so far. It required very little welding on the red wax as the weaving was made using a continuous length of 3mm wax.

The sticky wax smoothes to a degree with the fingers but it can cause drag. Using a tea spoon heated in boiling water seems to work to smooth out areas. But the question is how much to work something? should the smooth wax be completely void of marks or would it add to the sculpture to leave behind finger prints, dints and other small features?

Introducing a new texture and a new wax

Introducing a new texture and a new wax.

The new wax that comes in a solid block works very differently from the red wax and much more like a polymer clay than a wax. 

My first attempt at applying it was to pull of small sections from the block and apply it directly to the plaster core like building up an area of clay work. This didn’t work, I tried smoothing each of the pieces to adhere it to the first but the dusty surface of the plaster core prevented it from adhering and instead the back of the wax became covered in a powdery residue. 

My next attempt was slicing it down into smaller sections and warming it up in the palm of my hand until it was able to be pinched and pushed into a small slab. When the wax slab was placed onto the core it still did not stick to the plaster but it did stick to the waxed thread.

With the next slice I warmed and flattened a larger piece and this, when applied to the core, stuck to more than one guide line of waxed thread and adhered much more successfully. 

New ideas for wax sculpture

After experimenting with my solid cores and applying a woven wax to the surface, an idea began to form. Can a smooth wax be applied onto the surface of the plaster first then a pattern worked over the top?

The macrame patterns worked well in cord, could they be pressed into the wax as a surface pattern?

Maybe a very simple convex shape would work for the application of smooth wax, then pattern and shapes added with a woven texture. This would make an interesting combination of rough or textured wax and smooth wax which in turn would become textured and smooth bronze.

Some sketching is called for and research into smooth waxes that could be hand worked and be suitable for the lost wax method.

Casting Plaster for Lost Wax, Part 5 - Casting in Cardboard

Casting Plaster for Lost Wax, Part 5 - Casting in Cardboard

In my last post I discussed the option available for cutting down on waste and time when making my plaster cores for the lost wax technique.

This is the results of trying out casting in cardboard worked extremely well. The cardboard was cut into the rough shape I required and held together with tape. To ensure the seems were strong I reinforced them with duct tape, also along every edge and across the base, anywhere I felt could be a weak spot.

Next the card board vessels were nestled into the casting bucket and foam placed around the outside to hold the cardboard still. The plaster was fixed and poured into the card, so far so good. Over to the vibrating, this was the the part that has caused other ideas to fail, and this time it worked. The foam kept the card vessels securely in place whilst the vibrating worked all the bubbles put the surface.

After 5 minutes of vibrating the metal arms were fitted and the plaster left to set and cure for 2 hours.

After the cure time, the cardboard easily ripped away as it was still damp from the plaster, then a quick shape and the plaster core’s were ready for the final carving. 

This method has cut out a lot of lengthy carving and reduced on waste, a good result.

Casting plaster for Lost Wax - Part 4

I have now created 3 wax pieces that are worked over a solid plaster core to varying degrees of success. The process of making the core is very lengthy; preparing the casting bucket, mixing the plaster, vibrating the plaster, fixing in the metal arm and letting it set. Once set there is a lot of carving and shaping work to get the desired shape with a lot of waste material. 

Is there a better method?

I’ve had a few ideas of how to either reduce time or materials or both.

1. Balloons - Filling a strong balloon with the plaster that would give a nice smooth shape without the need to carve. How would the balloon withstand the vibrating? Could the metal arm still be fixed into the plaster?

2. Cardboard - Make the shape in thick cardboard, reinforced with parcel tape. The plaster is poured in and the card can be cut away once set. There still would be some degree of carving to finish

3. Lego Bricks - One of my artist friends who makes Glass art uses Lego bricks to make her walls for plaster casting. Would this be able to withstand the vibrations?

4. Sand Casting - Now I know this would not work as the vibrations would dislodge the sand.

5. Plastic Bags - Much like the ballon idea could a bag be moulded in some way by knotting off areas of the bag to create the rough shape? This would need support during vibrating, perhaps with foam. Or would the bag simply sag into the foam. Perhaps the bag could be suspended?

6. Latex Moulds - This is a method that once a shape had been designed could be used repeatedly to create a shape that is smooth, requires no carving and most importantly reduces waste and therefore reduces cost of materials. Only snag, I don’t know anything about making latex moulds.

Conclusion-I need to try some of these and research the others.

Woven Experiment No.65 - Larger open freeform without a core

Woven Experiment No.65 - Larger open freeform without a core

The aim of this experiment was to see if a larger form could be woven without the use of a core and if it would hold itself without sagging. It began with lengths of 6mm wax held together with figure 8 weaving in 3mm wax. The spaces left between the guide lines were then filled with crochet work.

There were movement in the wax and it required a more delicate touch with the wax, but the result is much more fluid than working the wax over a core. It is more organic in appearance and the weaving is more open and light.

My only concerns if the weave is too open, will this cause a problem for the foundry? will it cast well?

There is a degree of movement even after the piece is complete, so to hold the shape I have inserted a plastic bag in the inside space and filled it with polystyrene chipping, and then fastened the bag. It seems to be holding well, the foundry may even be able to invest the outer areas of the piece first, then remove the bag and its contents before completing the investment stage.