Watering can continues

As I continue adding the final layer of clay, I laid the sculpture down to let gravity work for me.  The final clay is put over the rough texture so it will adhere well.  Into the final clay surface I create a slight "elephant skin" texture by pressing crumpled up wax paper into it.   It is easier to push clay on while the sculpture is in a lying down position than to push clay on if the sculpture were standing up.  After I get to just above the eyes, and under the handle, I will stand the sculpture up to add the decorative details and final layer of clay.  Notice the eyeball...it is a glass eye used for elephant taxidermy!

WATERING CAN-INDIAN ELEPHANT THEME

This is a design sketch of the sculpture, showing it's basic shape and surface decoration.  The sculpture will be 4'x4'

The sculpture will be made of resin clay which hardens within 4 hours and is fully cured within 24hours.  The armature was carefully designed and measured. 

This picture shows the armature from the bottom.  The netting is necessary for the clay to grab onto. 

  I  laminated the Styrofoam then flipped the sculpture over and put clay on the bottom to harden.   Then I  finished building the armature in Styrofoam and wrapped it in the plastic mesh.  A layer of plaster was then added. The picture above shows the steps.  Starting at the top: carved Styrofoam, then plaster over the Styrofoam  and at the bottom, the grey area is the resin clay.  When finished the overall sculpture will be smooth.  The texture you see in the clay at this time is there so the subsequent layers of clay will have something to "hold" onto.


This is the making of the spout.  I used a ceramic bowl as the form, draped it with wax paper so the clay would not stick and after placing it on the sculpture, closed the opening with clay.
After many hours of work, it is finally shaping up.  Very time consuming is the mixing of the clay but it gives me great pleasure when it hardens and  I get closer to what the sculpture will be.