C.V.SmithARTWORKS
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Sculptures
    • Bronze
    • Clay / Apoxie Clay
    • Plaster
    • Wood
    • Stone
    • SLIDESHOW
  • Galleries
  • Contact
  • Book
  • River Arts
  • BRAF
  • Saltwater Artists
  • CMCA
  • Yarmouth Art Festival

Art Improv... MacGyvering Tools

10/27/2012

0 Comments

 
     I happen to be doing a lot of work in wax at the moment, in preparation for a bronze pour. In the past, I frequently found myself in situations where I just didn't  seem to have the right tool to get the job done, whether it was to attach something at an awkward angle, or to smooth or to texturize something that seemed to be inaccessible. Some situations had easy solutions and others required a bit more consideration. I thought I would share a few of the solutions that I have come up with over the years.
     My first efforts to attach one piece of wax to another involved using a thin bladed putty knife. I soon added a narrow palette knife and a butter knife to my tool kit to enable me to get into smaller spaces. A small clay tool with a curved blade allowed me to access small curved surfaces. I could also use the clay tool to scrape or smooth the wax, and I found that a slightly heated metal loop tool could be helpful in removing wax. When I had to apply heat to a small area, I found that
I could use a small metal stylus or burnisher.
     Texturizing a surface can often be an interesting challenge. Anything that is hard enough to be pressed into the wax can be utilized...a metal screw, a comb, etc.  As I mentioned in my 10/8 blog entry, I used a heated metal file to make texture on the pod bird wings.
     A recent addition to my tool kit was a simple wooden craft stick that had been shaped on either end. It is great for reaching into to small spaces for gentle smoothing. I also have utilized a piece of wire (heated) to make holes or textures. One of my favorite innovations has been to create specific shaped metal 'blades' that can be heated to use for attaching oddly shaped wax pieces or to attach wax pieces in hard to reach areas. I cut the metal shapes out of roofing flashing and hold them with a pair of vise grips. Lastly I have constructed several devices that can be used to cut circles out of a sheet of wax. I attached wooden handles to different sized metal cans, pipes, and lids, that, when heated, can be used to create either multiple openings or multiple circular shapes in consistent sizes. As simple as a cookie cutter and could certainly be done with other shapes.


Picture
palette knife, butter knife, clay tool, loop tool, stylus, burnisher, file, craft stick, wire


Picture
vise grip and assorted metal flashing shapes


Picture
tin can, aluminum pipe, light fixture base, metal pipe, tin lid
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Cynthia Smith, Maine artist, originally from Connecticut. Taught art at secondary level for 35 years, retired in 2004. Sculpts in bronze, wood, stone, clay & plaster. Her work can be seen at several mid-coast Maine galleries and shows.

    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    October 2022
    May 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.