Small Heads, Molding and Casting

Here are two examples of the experiments I have been doing with mold making and casting. The first image is of a two piece plaster mold that will be a waste mold. The following images are of a mold for which I used moulage.


I have been learning a lot about different mold making materials by attending workshops at Douglas and Sturgess. I know have information about a huge range of materials, many of which I don't intend on using for these smaller heads because of their set times and toxicity. What I have been using are molding materials that are safe for you skin. for example I have also been molding my body parts with dermagel with varying levels of success. I would not use it to cast my clay work, but it is a unique product and I could us it to make different types of figural sculpture.

Ears and Gravity

In past works I've had major catastrophes with building clay structures that are not supported well enough to defy gravity. The experiences have taught me to know where I would encounter these problems and how to deal with them so even before I began building in the ears I already knew I would face problems.

I was able to resolve the cracking clay above the ear on the right side of the head that could be seen in the pictures above. The left ear I was not so lucky with. In the images below you can see the area where the entire ear broke away and the last image is of the ear on the ground. I had not yet added any depth or dimension to the bulk of the ear so when i reattached it I was about to make it lighter by increasing the scoops and ridges of the ear shape.

Family Day with the VBH

My parents, grandparents, and dogs came to visit my studio and took a series of photos while I worked.

The two photos below give an idea of what happens when my father sits for a model session. During the 4th session I decided that a mild facial expression would make the project more exciting for me and would help me move away from my previous work with blank expressions, while staying in keeping with my concept for the piece. I have started to make one eye brow raised and to lift the corners of the mouth slightly. I want the piece to be both an object in the around and a space within itself. If the facial expression is too extreme then the piece becomes about the face instead of the whole. I want to to be a series of surfaces that create an enclosed space that one could enter (obviously not while it is in its class state, but later after a mold has been made).

Shaping Clay

After two model sessions, the features of the face are starting to take shape. Clearly I need to do more work around the ocular cavities and cheek bones, but after an hour of modeling we stopped for the day.

The videos below were taken by my father while he sat for me. They show me drawing on the face with my clay knife and demonstrate how actively I have to move around the face to mark my ideas and observations. My favorite thing about working at such a large scale is the physical interaction I have with the piece. It's an activity that involves the whole body.

Applying Clay

I decided to focus on building up the face of the piece before adding clay to any other area of the armature to determine the scale of the piece. The photos below were taken after the first session with my model. The model for the VBH is my father. When I was originally building two armatures in my first studio I was planning to have both my mother and my father sit, but in the new space it felt my logical to let the single piece take over the space. My father was also open to the idea of sitting for me and had the most availability.

Unloading the Clay and the Second Studio

My new studio took less time to set up. Most of my shelves and material were already assembled and organized from my first studio, so I didn't bother to disassemble them for the move. Maybe my forced move from the first studio was a blessing in disguise because the new space has a garage door that can be seen in the picture below, which makes it much easier to view my work from a distance and ventilate the space, not to mention enjoy the summer weather and interact with other occupants in the complex.

In the picture above you can see the armature with the burlap and plaster layer as well as the line of where I had to cut the piece in half to transport it.
Shortly after I moved into the second studio I reconnected the two pieces of the VBH armature and seal it with more plaster and burlap. Then it was time to unload 2,000 lb palette of clay and begin sculpting.

The video below is a photo montage my father put together showing the process moving the 40 boxes of clay out of the cars and against of wall of my new studio.

Studio 2, Small Head

The photo above is of one piece from a series of smaller studies I am developing. This particular head was done by piecing together parts of previous studies, so it was not based off of one model but an accumulation of my experiences sculpting past models. The clay I used for this work is a smooth terra cotta mix that I bought before I found Leslie's Ceramic and their range of sculpture clays. Below are earlier images of the same piece from my first studio.

This last photo shows what happened when I tried to preserve the wet clay on an unvarnished wood surface. I think the mold came from the wood because I haven't had the problem since I started storing my smaller pieces on a different surface.

Buying and loading clay in bulk

The store I buy my clay from is very close to the new studio I moved into. Unlike my first studio which was the cottage behind a house in a residential neighborhood, the new studio is in a warehouse district in a complex predominantly used by artists and hobbyists called Activspace. To purchase the first and largest load of clay I would use I needed to come with two cars to distribute the weight...

The clay was brought out on a palette with a forklift. The type of clay I decided to use is called Berkeley Sculpture Clay. It is very groggy and appropriate for my mission (to make a large sculpture in Berkeley).

Each box on the palette holds 50 lbs of clay. The personel at the store helped me load the clay into the two cars and were kind enough to come with me to my studio to help me unload the boxes. I think I was a bit of a curiosity to them for buy an entire palette of clay.

First Studio Setup and Initial Armature

This was the first studio I moved into in Berkeley, unfortunately it did not last very long. I built the majority of the armature for the large head here. Initially I had planned on making two identical armatures and working on building both heads at once. The plan was inspired by the space and shape of the studio.

These photos are from my first week in the studio when I was collecting materials and drafting sketches for the VBH.
The setup, included covering the floor with rosin paper, which took a while, but the result was well worth it.

Below is the chicken wire skeleton of the first armature. To build this I began by drawing the shape of the base onto the paper on the floor. Then I made a long tube of chicken wire that I bent into outline of the armature's profile to act as a spine that would support the weight of the chicken wire walls.

Unfortunately, the tenant I was subletting the space from got into a dispute with the landlord and was kicked out. Consequently, I had to vacate the space as well after less than a month! I had finished the first armature (above) and had begun the second one when I received the news that I had to leave. I had covered the first armature with ribbed layers of burlap and plaster, which made it ridged enough to transport, but too bulky to move in one piece. I had to cut the armature into two halves to get it out the door.

Move to Studio 1

My biggest challenge in arranging to begin my Division III studio work was finding a spacious studio to work in. Through Craig's list I was able to find a place to sublet for the summer. Below is a small portion of my move to the studio; one truckload of storage racks, lights, rosin paper, tools, books, and a small skeleton.