Clay, Plaster, Wax, Bronze ... here's lookin' at ya!

Photo of the artist

Clay relief ... framed & ready for pouring plaster mold

Plaster mold in wooden frame ... ready for pouring wax cast

Wax cast

    I have used molds for a variety of projects, and on a number of occasions I have been able to repurpose the molds for other projects. This is what happened when I was working on a plaster cast self-portrait. I started by taking some close-up photos of my eyes and nose and then created a clay relief of the image that I thought best expressed my personality. After creating a plaster waste mold of the clay relief, I cast the image in plaster. I had to break the original mold, but the clay relief survived in excellent shape, so I used it to make another mold. I used the second mold to make a wax cast of the image, and then I cast it in bronze. I was quite happy with the way it came out. When it came time to make up business cards, I decided that this would be a fitting image to put on the card to represent both my aesthetic and the sense of play that I bring to my work. To top it off, I still have the plaster mold, so I may find yet another use for this up close and personal self-portrait in the future.
Stay tuned!

Unfinished bronze cast ... ready for chasing

Completed bronze

Business card