Various sizes of plastic bowls/containers that you like the size and shape of. Recycled corrugated cardboard (keep those Amazon boxes! You know you have a million…) Even plastic toys in shapes you like or ceramic figurines. Items with texture for casting (think old engraved door knobs or jewelry with raised patterns. Gesso in clear or white (i LOVE Liquitex clear on plaster: ) Gel medium of choice (I prefer a heavy or soft matte gel medium) Two brick would be more than enough to get going.Īcrylic paints in your favorite colors (I like to have Payne’s gray, a yellow ochre, and true red of sorts on hand always.)

Green floral foam for silk or dried flowers (NOT FRESH) from a craft store. One of each is a great start.īig Gap spray foam (insulation) from a hardware store. Rebar Tie Wire (aka: baling wire) This is sold in rolls at hardware stores. THIS LINK IS TO A 1.75 LB WHICH IS BIGGER THAN NEEDED BUT I’M NOT FINDING A SMALLER PACKAGE ONLINE AT THE MOMENT. Plaster Gauze (there are a few different brands that all work great.Ī couple of 4 inch rolls would be a great start.ġ – 1 lb. Plaster of Paris (available at craft stores in gallon and half gallon cartons and buckets) “Art-making is not about telling the truth but making the truth felt” Share the joy of the journey of this course with children or friends in playful collaboration or dive in the learning as sacred personal creative time to build objects of lasting beauty and joy. You can expect to get a bit messy but will enjoy that most of the projects demonstrated can be created from start to finish in a day or less even with no prior sculpting experience. Once you have a stable foundation shape, you will explore various finishing and textural effects using paint, carving, sanding, finishing with encaustic medium, and incorporating paper ephemera & found objects. This allows air to get all around the mold and prevents warping.During this jam packed course, you will build multiple projects from start to finish with each project emphasizing different techniques that can all be adapted and modified to be combined with all the other techniques taught in the course.Įach project will demonstrate a different armature or foundation construction approach so that you can feel confident in the stability of your beautiful pieces no matter what the final form is. **REMEMBER when fast-drying plaster molds be sure to stand them upright, so that it is standing on the smallest surface area. I imagine rigging some sort of fan-and-heat combo would do the trick alright as well. Heat it good, but you need ventilation to carry the moister away from the plaster. The one we have is pretty shoddy at the moment because it doesn't get too warm, but the ventilation is good.

The thirds, which I have found most helpful is using a dry/hot box. You don't want the mold to go over 120*F or it will recalcine. Set the kiln to hold at around 115*F and keep the lid propped. I recommend putting them in front of a brick wall (or some other dark surface) facing the sun because it makes for a toasty atmosphere. Obviously it's not great on a humid day, but if it's a hot, sunny day it can definitely make some progress. Then was taught three methods of speeding up the process. The first mold I made (about 26 lb of plaster) took about two weeks to dry and be usable. I've been working with molds non-stop for about two months now at UF.

Blick art plaster cloth