Direct Plaster

I've also got this going. It's direct plaster onto chicken wire inspired by the fabulous Audrey Reynolds.
I cut some chicken wire and then connected/sealed it into a pillow shape. I am looking for a lot of in and out in the sculpture. I am interested in the rippled surface of seeds like dates and nuts and have attempted to recreate this here.









Scrim is cut and dipped into wet plaster, then applied directly to the chicken wire. I have used two different types of scrim, one a tight knit gauze and anotherthat is woolier and thicker.

Here's a couple of hours worth of plaster applied. It's getting heavy.








But here I am lifting the alternative F.A. Cup

Lost Wax at Home

When Mrs T was not looking, I did some lost wax at home in the kitchen. I really like this one.

I made this one in a plastic water bottle which was easy to cut away once the plaster had set

Emergence sans Sprues

The sprues have been cut away and a small amount of finishing applied to the metal with files, colour powder and elbow grease. It's probably best left fairly natural though

Emergence

ॐ शांति शांति शांति

The aum on the left is plaster, painted in metallic acrylics. On the right is the original clay fired with a metallic glaze.

Lost Wax Process 5

It is difficult to break the plaster casing out of the tin - it took 2 hours! I had greased the inside with wax but obviously insufficiently. Anyway ... eventually I chipped it all away to reveal this ...

Glazing

Each week I have been trying out new glaze effects on those bit of clay I made in September. The purple wisteria colour is a matt underglaze which was fired then covered with a clear glaze and refired to produce the more shiny effect. The two browner pictures are mainly clear glaze with just a little colour beneath.

Lost Wax Process 4

The wax sculpture is then inverted, a reservoir added on the bottom and it is then set in plaster











The plaster cast is then set in the wax melter. The wax slowly melts over about an hour

Lost Wax Process 3

Lost Wax Process 2

The finished wax is a human-like form emerging from the primordial waters. Sprues are added to aid the flow of molten metal to all parts of the sculpture.