Project 6: Modelling in plaster.
‘Oxidation 2’
So I rummaged through my very large box of polystyrene bits and pieces and found what I was looking for. I needed and discovered some sturdy pieces that I could fashion into something that might vaguely resemble my ‘Oxidation’ sculpture’ from Part 2. Project 3. I started out using my saw edged knife. I soon abandoned that knife in favour of long bladed craft knife. Too many loose bits flying everywhere. I stood the original on the work bench so I could study its form as I constructed the new version. Having cut all the required pieces to shape I then glued them into place. I cut about a dozen lengths of jute scrim in readiness. I mixed some some quality Crystacal R plaster in a flexi bucket and dipped half of the scrim into the creamy liquid plaster. I made the mistake of starting the plaster cladding directly on to the base board. I would need to separate the finished project from the board upon completion. I managed to achieve separation once the plaster had semi dried. This time I would place plastic sheeting between each surface.
The jute scrim is quite chunky and seems to have a mind of its own. I struggled at the start and cheated a little. I wanted to retain as much detail as possible and so I used some fine, ready impregnated jute, otherwise known as Mod-Roc. This was used sparingly. It was never going to be an exact copy of the original but I think I achieved a good likeness. I have worked with plaster on many occasions but never in this way. It was a revelation. Taking a flexible material like polystyrene and transforming it into a robust, rigid entity gave me great satisfaction.
It’s not strictly an external piece. With the addition of a liquid polymer, this could be achieved. I thought long and hard about the finish. Should I go way out? perhaps fluorescent pink? leave it white or perhaps some spots as in Kusama’s work. I opted for a dirty clean metallic finish. This is how the original might have appeared before the rust formed on it surface. Using the trusty Zinsser 123 mixed with some grey pigment, I coated the sculpture using a cheap brush. This primer was good enough to use as a base. I grabbed an old rag, dipped it in some Modern Masters acrylic silver paint and began daubing the grey primed surface. I don’t think the photographs show off the finish particularly well and to my mind, the work looks better in the flesh.
‘Julie’ (2019)
I dug deep into my box of polystyrene scraps and pulled out a nice long piece. This would act as the base for ‘Julie’ in plaster. I cut the piece down to 70 cm’s. I stood back and looked at the oblong. I wondered just how I was going to achieve that same shape as the version in clay. Undaunted, I began to shape the polystyrene using my craft knife. The central hole was a bit tricky. The arms should have been wood but I thought I’d set myself a challenge and use polystyrene. This helped me to attain an organic look. I recently read of a sculptor who used welding gloves when working with clay. This helped him to achieve a more rustic finish. I had a few ideas about how I might achieve different textural finishes. I had considered using a comb. This would have been a relatively easy process. One would have to work quickly to produce a well groomed piece. Alternatively, why not throw caution to the wind and take your time. This way, the plaster starts to harden and you could attain a riotously rustic look. The grooves left by the comb would be advantageous. They would hold a background colour well and emphasise the fore. I had also considered encasing ‘Oxidation 2’ in tin foil. Another idea was to uniformly embed objects like small pebbles, broken coloured glass or seashells into the semi set plaster. I could have screeded over remaining gaps perhaps with pigmented plaster using a flexible spreader.
I eventually elected to finish ‘Julie’ in faux aged, oxidised bronze. It just seemed to suit the Moore-like solidity of the piece. This must have been a subconscious decision based on my observed perception of much of his work. Had the piece been filligree in nature like say, that of Richier’s ‘The Bat’, then I might have considered a showy finish like silver or gold.
BA Hons Creative Arts: Starting out in 3D: Sculpture 1 