Now that I’m mostly caught up on making and shipping casts people ordered the past 2-3 weeks, I am finally able to get back to working on this model again. I didn’t do much at all the last couple of weeks as I had other things to get done, and even covered in plastic and spritzed periodically, it’s gotten a bit firmer than I wanted, but as long as I finish it this weekend and not let it go much longer- I can hollow the back out and let it rapidly dry out. It is called “Endurance” 17″ x 28,” modelled after an original ca. 1928 design by Rene P.…

The second panel in this series is roughed out and a work in progress. This one is called “Endurance” and depicts the figure exerting pressure Atlas-like in an upwards movement, the effort of which is reinforced by the cracking, jagged and distorted lines surrounding him. Original low relief design (one of eight) ca. 1928 by Rene P. Chambellain for the two lobbies of the landmark Art Deco Chanin building in NYC. Model- Feb 2012, by Randall, 17″ x 22″ water clay.

For aclient who wanted it in the bright gold finish, not easy to get a good photo as it is quite shiny, but here it is.

I have begin casting this panel now, this one is for a client who plans an Art Deco bedroom. The panel was cast today and will take a few days to dry out, then it will get the bright gold finish which I think will look best. The color of the panel as shown is with special base tint added to the casting material so that the color is completely through the entire panel. Using a base color like this under the gold (or another color under one of my other finishes) serves two purposes, one is it tends to deepen the final finish color, the other is, should the…

Now I found some time to start the mold for this panel, hopefully I will finish it tomorrow, but I did get a late start on the first application of silicone mold rubber, and it takes about 6 applications total, each an hour or so apart to build up sufficient thickness. Then it cures in about 6 hours, or in this case, over night before the plaster supporting shell can be made. Here’s the origial clay model laid flat on a board with the first “detail coat” carefully applied, very thinly over the whole surface to eliminate as much air bubbles as possible when it’s brushed on. Subsequent applications have…

A bit of progress on this model today.

I’m pleased to report that this recently completed model now has a “sponsor”, and a mold will be made in about a week for this so the client will be able to receive his cast. Also, the semi-discontinued lion 3886 may also come back again shortly. It was never a big seller, so when the mold tore I never replaced it and decided to just shelve replacing it till some later date, because each mold costs an average of $300 for the materials, and most of a day labor to build. For me to spend that money and time on a mold it needs to be for a design that…

I am working on this one next.

Now that the other model is hollowed out and taken off my easel and laid flat on strips of styrofoam to dry out, I’ll be doing this model next, same size as the first. I like the slight curving effect, as it reinforces the figure’s exerting pressure upward which is causing movement as evidenced by the vertical lines bending outward, and the horizontal upper section being bent upwards. This one will be #D-9

I pretty much finished this model (18×24″) today, except for minor surface cleanup. For those wondering about the clay I use, this is water based raku clay which I find extremely stable and has absolutely no tendency to warp or crack even in very thick slabs and pieces such as I work with. This is approximately 2-1/2″ thick, 18×24″ moist, when dried it will probably wind up around 17 x 22-1/2″ or a little smaller. I do not as of yet own a kiln, so these are not fired, but are used for master patterns to take silicone molds from. For the most part I am able to pull the…