Some Experimentation Going On!

"In the beginning...."

A general guide to make sure the hand is proportionately correct.

One days progress on my next project.

Photos: Cliff Derksen

It was a full day at the studio yesterday.

First of all, I am bisking three pieces, a stand alone DNA piece, "Dancing David" and the "4.5 Weeks" hands piece. I loaded them the day before. Yesterday I arrived at 9am and turned the kiln, the exhaust fan and the room fan all on. I cannot wait to get to the studio today to see the results.

Cross your fingers with me...nothing blown up ok!

Secondly, other than a few "business errands" I spent most of the day in the studio. I needed to change the kiln settings as the day went on. By 2:50PM I set everything to "high". Now it was just waiting out the time till it would shut off automatically. By supper time it had not yet turned off. I had a bite to eat and when I returned at 6:50PM it was off. Now I had to wait till tomorrow, which is today...ugh.

So, thirdly, I began another project as you can see above.

But, I am doing things a little differently. Some experimentation  is going on. For me to move on to larger sizes I am testing two things. Firstly, I am using what is called "paper clay". This is clay specially made for sculpting and has shredded paper embedded in the clay. This does two things, it makes the clay hold it's form better as one sculpts and secondly as it is fired it burns up the paper in the clay and so the result is a lighter sculpture.

I do notice that with this clay the surface is rougher, so I will probably have to do some sanding both before it goes to bisk and also after bisking.

The second part of the experiment is I am forming the sculpture out of solid clay throughout. I am not making it hollow as I normally have done up to now. I will finish molding the hand, then when it is dry on the surface...I will use the special, unique "dent" test. If when I apply pressure with a finger and there is no dent, I know it is ready. At that point I will decide where I cut it apart, make my "line up" marks and do the cutting. Then I will take each piece and hollow out (remove) the inside clay till it has a 1 quarter inch shell. Then I use slurry and weld it all back together the way it was in the first place. I have to make sure one cannot see the joints. This is a technique one uses with larger pieces.

Now, if you will excuse me, I am off to open the kiln.

"Each of you should put your own actions to the test. Then you can take pride in yourself. You won't be comparing yourself to somebody else."  Gal. 6:4