David Martin Hershey on tue 3 may 05
Hi Brad & All,
Paper clay can be cast, extruded, hand built, or thrown.
Some people have trouble throwing it, but I suspect
that they are using too much paper.
Your piece sounds like it is tailor made
to be press molded and assembled.
After the parts are bone dry....
You have to get used to the idea that paper clay
behaves very differently than normal claybuilding.
It is quite strong in the green state, and can
actually be bent without breaking when bone dry.
For sculpture, you can build large sections, and
assemble the parts at any stage of dryness.
Bone dry is really the easiest.
If you don't like the results, just cut it apart & re-assemble
the piece some other way. I have been cutting parts out of
bone dry 1/4" thick slabs with an xacto & ruler, and
then assembling them! (think foam-core)
What I would do for your worm shape
is to build the other half of the plaster mold for about
1 or 2 feet of the length- to learn the technique.
I would pour the slabs out on plaster or hardi-backer,
between two strips of wood to give you the appropriate thickness.
You can put cheesecloth or such down first to make
picking up the pieces easier.
When the slabs are the correct dryness,
press them in the two mold halves, and trim the seam lines true.
When the parts are dry enough to stand on their own,
remove them from the molds.
Let them air dry until bone dry.
No need to cover or baby them.
Be sure the contact points can move
while drying to relieve the stresses,
or they might twist in the firing.
(set them on newsprint?)
When they are dry, join them using paper slip.
You can sponge dampen the join lines,
and score with vinegar, magic water, etc.
If you want to modify the shape after joining,
you can sculpt with paper clay or paper slip
wet onto dry. Don't worry about cracking.
Any cracks can be repaired with paper slip.
After firing, paper clay is just like the regular clay it was
made from, but supposedly slightly weaker.
I am using Laguna's mid fire stoneware slip with no grog.(965)
(I've been told not to use more than 5% grog, if at all)
My 1/4" thick pieces seem just as strong as normal,
and ring like a bell.
For the worms,
you have to pay attention to the engineering aspect
of making the clay thicker at the bottom
to support the weight of the clay above,
if you are going to stand them up vertically.
Just build up the slab while it is in the mold.
Maybe 3/4" or 1" thick at the bottom, tapering to maybe 3/8" at the top.
Or build it up after drying, before joining.
I could go on, but you should get Paperclay: For Ceramic Sculptors
by Rosette Gault. It is a slim little book you can read in a couple of
hours.
Don't skip the beginning. She will change your whole outlook on
clay sculpture. http://tinyurl.com/9dr6p
Axner & Steven Branfman have it too.
My only problem now, is keeping paper clay from distracting me away
from my other ongoing projects. I can think of a new use for it every day...
Good luck, and post some pics when you get these things built.
Best, DMH
Beautiful Hermosa Beach CA USA
> Hi folks,
>
> I have been following the recent discussion on paper clay and have a few
> basic follow up questions.
>
> 1. Can paper clay be slip cast?
>
> 2. Can paper clay be extruded?
>
> I have been experimenting with making 5-ft-long tapering undulating
> worm-like
> forms recently, 8 inches at base and 4 inches at top of taper. I have
> been
> usung sculpture clay. I roll out the taper in solid clay on a long
> table,
> establish the curves by bending and proping up using sand bags. Then I
> make
> a plaster mold of the top half (lengthwise) of the taper. Then I use the
> mold to hand build half a "hollow worm by pressing sheets of clay into the
> plaster mold then I handbuild the other half of the worm on top of the
> half that is
> resting in the mold. This is all done in the horizontal position. The
> biggest problem I am entountering is moving the sculpture from horizontal
> to
> vertical because it is big and heavy and wants to crack and break. So I
> am
> thinking of alternatives: use paper clay to work thinner and lighter and
> increase
> structural "strength" of the piece. I am also thinking of slip casting
> the
> forms in the vertical position. I am also thinking of extruding a tube
> and
> somehow compressing/ expanding it into a pressmold--this would eliminate
> seams
> and reduce risk of cracking.
>
> Looking forward to advice and comments.
>
> Brad Carter
> Grass Valley, California
Brad Carter on tue 3 may 05
Hi folks,
I have been following the recent discussion on paper clay and have a few
basic follow up questions.
1. Can paper clay be slip cast?
2. Can paper clay be extruded?
I have been experimenting with making 5-ft-long tapering undulating worm-like
forms recently, 8 inches at base and 4 inches at top of taper. I have been
usung sculpture clay. I roll out the taper in solid clay on a long table,
establish the curves by bending and proping up using sand bags. Then I make
a plaster mold of the top half (lengthwise) of the taper. Then I use the
mold to hand build half a "hollow worm by pressing sheets of clay into the
plaster mold then I handbuild the other half of the worm on top of the half that is
resting in the mold. This is all done in the horizontal position. The
biggest problem I am entountering is moving the sculpture from horizontal to
vertical because it is big and heavy and wants to crack and break. So I am
thinking of alternatives: use paper clay to work thinner and lighter and increase
structural "strength" of the piece. I am also thinking of slip casting the
forms in the vertical position. I am also thinking of extruding a tube and
somehow compressing/ expanding it into a pressmold--this would eliminate seams
and reduce risk of cracking.
Looking forward to advice and comments.
Brad Carter
Grass Valley, California
Peter Cunicelli on wed 4 may 05
Hey David & All,
Thanks so much for the information! I'm going to print it out and keep
it. I'm currently setting up a new studio, so I won't be working for
another 2-3 weeks.
I've had a lot of problems with cracks on the bottom slabs of my work. So,
I decided I'm going to start using paper clay slip.
Was it me or did anyone else give a little shudder when David wrote, "It is
quite strong in the green state, and can actually be bent without breaking
when bone dry."?
Bone dry!?
Thanks again.
Peter (www.petercunicelli.com)
On Tue, 3 May 2005 20:39:12 -0700, David Martin Hershey
wrote:
>Hi Brad & All,
>
>Paper clay can be cast, extruded, hand built, or thrown.
>Some people have trouble throwing it, but I suspect
>that they are using too much paper.
>
>Your piece sounds like it is tailor made
>to be press molded and assembled.
>After the parts are bone dry....
>
>You have to get used to the idea that paper clay
>behaves very differently than normal claybuilding.
>
>It is quite strong in the green state, and can
>actually be bent without breaking when bone dry.
>
>For sculpture, you can build large sections, and
>assemble the parts at any stage of dryness.
>Bone dry is really the easiest.
>
>If you don't like the results, just cut it apart & re-assemble
>the piece some other way. I have been cutting parts out of
>bone dry 1/4" thick slabs with an xacto & ruler, and
>then assembling them! (think foam-core)
>
>What I would do for your worm shape
>is to build the other half of the plaster mold for about
>1 or 2 feet of the length- to learn the technique.
>
>I would pour the slabs out on plaster or hardi-backer,
>between two strips of wood to give you the appropriate thickness.
>You can put cheesecloth or such down first to make
>picking up the pieces easier.
>
>When the slabs are the correct dryness,
>press them in the two mold halves, and trim the seam lines true.
>When the parts are dry enough to stand on their own,
>remove them from the molds.
>
>Let them air dry until bone dry.
>No need to cover or baby them.
>Be sure the contact points can move
>while drying to relieve the stresses,
>or they might twist in the firing.
>(set them on newsprint?)
>
>When they are dry, join them using paper slip.
>You can sponge dampen the join lines,
>and score with vinegar, magic water, etc.
>
>If you want to modify the shape after joining,
>you can sculpt with paper clay or paper slip
>wet onto dry. Don't worry about cracking.
>Any cracks can be repaired with paper slip.
>
>After firing, paper clay is just like the regular clay it was
>made from, but supposedly slightly weaker.
>I am using Laguna's mid fire stoneware slip with no grog.(965)
>(I've been told not to use more than 5% grog, if at all)
>
>My 1/4" thick pieces seem just as strong as normal,
>and ring like a bell.
>
>For the worms,
>you have to pay attention to the engineering aspect
>of making the clay thicker at the bottom
>to support the weight of the clay above,
>if you are going to stand them up vertically.
>
>Just build up the slab while it is in the mold.
>Maybe 3/4" or 1" thick at the bottom, tapering to maybe 3/8" at the top.
>Or build it up after drying, before joining.
>
>I could go on, but you should get Paperclay: For Ceramic Sculptors
>by Rosette Gault. It is a slim little book you can read in a couple of
>hours.
>Don't skip the beginning. She will change your whole outlook on
>clay sculpture. http://tinyurl.com/9dr6p
>Axner & Steven Branfman have it too.
>
>My only problem now, is keeping paper clay from distracting me away
>from my other ongoing projects. I can think of a new use for it every
day...
>
>Good luck, and post some pics when you get these things built.
>
>Best, DMH
>Beautiful Hermosa Beach CA USA
>
>> Hi folks,
>>
>> I have been following the recent discussion on paper clay and have a few
>> basic follow up questions.
>>
>> 1. Can paper clay be slip cast?
>>
>> 2. Can paper clay be extruded?
>>
>> I have been experimenting with making 5-ft-long tapering undulating
>> worm-like
>> forms recently, 8 inches at base and 4 inches at top of taper. I have
>> been
>> usung sculpture clay. I roll out the taper in solid clay on a long
>> table,
>> establish the curves by bending and proping up using sand bags. Then I
>> make
>> a plaster mold of the top half (lengthwise) of the taper. Then I use
the
>> mold to hand build half a "hollow worm by pressing sheets of clay into
the
>> plaster mold then I handbuild the other half of the worm on top of the
>> half that is
>> resting in the mold. This is all done in the horizontal position. The
>> biggest problem I am entountering is moving the sculpture from horizontal
>> to
>> vertical because it is big and heavy and wants to crack and break. So I
>> am
>> thinking of alternatives: use paper clay to work thinner and lighter
and
>> increase
>> structural "strength" of the piece. I am also thinking of slip casting
>> the
>> forms in the vertical position. I am also thinking of extruding a tube
>> and
>> somehow compressing/ expanding it into a pressmold--this would eliminate
>> seams
>> and reduce risk of cracking.
>>
>> Looking forward to advice and comments.
>>
>> Brad Carter
>> Grass Valley, California
>
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