Casein Finished For Now

I think I might stop now ... the casein finish is still changing and still smelling a bit, but I think I'll see what my Dad thinks of it before I make any further changes.

Inspired By Christine #1

A life size section of Christine, built up hollow.

Cheesey

The odour of cheese lingers. I thought it was me but no, on investigation it was the head. So I tied a jostick to a string and hung it down inside to smoke out the rotting camembert whiff!

Tools

Casein Jack

After soaking in skimmed milk and drying out, here is Casein Jack before being chalked.

Alginate

Can you stop your mind turning this round? You are actually looking into the back of an alginate mask cast from my face last year but your brain won't let you process that - will it?! Ha ha ha!

Casein Finish

Casein (from Latin caseus "cheese") is the predominant phosphoprotein (αS1, αS2, β, κ) that accounts for nearly 80% of proteins in milk and cheese. Plaster casts were traditionally finished with this substance although the method is little used today according to Badger. Except perhaps by experimental sculpture students ...

Casein is deposited by steeping a finished sculpture in skimmed milk (only skimmed). What it'll do to clay is another matter of course, but I am game to try anything once. Paul has convinced me to try it on my Dad's head - the clay one that is.

Process Instructions from Paul:
To avoid using a large quantity of skimmed milk, put the object first in a plastic bag, and then fill the bag with milk. After an hour or so remove the sculpture and allow it to dry completely. A final polish can be achieved by rubbing French chalk into the surface to give a higher lustre. Casein finished plaster, it has been said, resembles bone.

Ok so here we go ... 5 litres from Lidl ... the head goes in a bag which is filled with milk ...
which then leaked everywhere so I tried pouring and brushing on the milk
and then trying the bucket again!
And some other sculptures decided to take a milk dip as well!

Life Week 3

And here's where I am going with my life sculpture:
Paul's quote of the week:
"Clay is NOT butter, don't spread it!" i.e. squash it, carve it etc.

Statuephilia

We had a quick look at the Statuephilia exhibition at the British Museum this week. Here's Badger with Mariora & Our Julia.






We didn't think too much of the gold Kate Moss which has quite an unreal quality and rather obviously draws your attention to her crotch!




















My favourite was the Ron Mueck head. Paul worked with Ron on the film Labyrinth. He is basically a model maker and now uses these techniques in his artworks which always play around with scale.

Badger reckons this Aphrodite is a bit out of proportion - long body short legs! Yes look he's right!

Horse Chestnut Heaven

Conker works in progress ...

Life Week 2

More progress on the life sculpture of Christine - about 5 hours in.



More words of Badger wisdom: what am I interested in improving this term?
A) The planar structure of the figure?
B) The rhythm that runs through the body?
C) Observation Skills?
Paul said look at Art History and see who observes what in their sculptures. Matisse's bronzes could have been done by first year MWC students (what worse than me?) Yes, look! Henri what were you thinking?