Making a Sculpture using Plaster Casts

We will be using plaster strips to cast our faces

The plaster casts will serve as a mold for soft slabs of clay.

Your task is to create a sculpture that utilizes the mold of your item today and your face mold.

Students will be able to build a large, figurative, ceramic sculptures using plaster mold making techniques.

Students will be able to use the plaster mold process to plaster cast an object to be created out of clay.

George Segal (1924-2000) is most famous for his sculptures, as he is considered the artist responsible for introducing the use of plaster bandages as a medium for sculpture. He did not use the plaster as a mold, but instead the shells cast from his models became the sculptures. As his career progressed and he gained world-wide notoriety, his sculptures evolved. Initially constructed of only the white plaster casts, he then began painting them, and later casting them in bronze.

Bronze cast

Plaster strips:

Plaster Cast:

a mold used to make an object by casting.

(We will be using plaster strips to create the mold).

It is a means of a desired end.

Today we will be casting your object, we will later cast your face or your hands.

gauze bandage infused with plaster of paris and used to form plaster casts

Plaster is a common building materials. It is a dry powder that becomes a paste when mixed with water. The reaction with water liberates heat through crystallization and the hydrated plaster then hardens.

We use plaster for sculptures because it is very strong and sets quickly. We use it for mold making because it sets quickly and can record fine details.

We will be using plaster strips to make molds of our faces and/or hands.

Be Creative – Try to be conceptual with your project/idea

Utilize all construction methods (pinch, coil, slab)

Be aware of appendages, everything must be at least 80% attached

Think about final presentation (mixed media, mounting, glaze)

If you want hands, plan for it! You will have to set aside additional class time with a partner to mold them

***On casting days we need you to come in and get right down to work because we will be tight on time!

Inspired by a social issue or current event topic that you choose for your exhibition and theme.

Prepare workstation with:

Warm water

Plaster strips

Vaseline

Object to be molded

Scissors

Trap

Begin to apply Vaseline on your item so that the mold with be easily removed.

Note: When we cast our faces, we need to ensure that Vaseline is applied and also apply one ply of tissue on sensitive areas such as eyes, lips, and eyebrows.

Begin to dip one plaster strip at a time into the warm water and apply to object to be cast.

Ensure that the water has fully been removed from plaster strip by dragging fingers through the strip.

Continue to apply plaster strips to item until item is covered.

Note: ensure that object surface is covered by at least 2 layers of plaster strips.

Let cast item dry at least 10 minutes.

Ensure all areas are covered before allowing item to dry.

Remove item from the mold and allow the mold to dry at least 24 hours.

Once your item has been removed from the mold, write your name on your mold and leave on your blue tray.

Roll out a slab of clay and press slab into mold. Bag clay and mold together for at least 24 hours.

Remove clay from mold and attach item or face/hands to your project by scoring and slipping.

Student built a figurative

sculpture, but was not

able to add and details

and did not illustrate a

social issue.

Student built a figurative

sculpture, but and added

interesting details but did

not clearly illustrate a

social issue.

Student built a figurative

sculpture with realistic

modeling and added

details that illustrated a

social issue or concept.

Student built a figurative

sculpture, whose social

issue was carefully

thought out and designed

to create a powerful

sculpture