New and very excited!!!!!!!!!!

20 years ago

my goodness, I did not know that this forum existed! What a wonderful discovery. I love sculpture but havenÂt been able to make anything since IÂve gone domestic. I have two children and in a small home without a studio has pushed me to become obsessed with something else. Gardening! Now I can sculpt things for the garden!

My primary experience sculpting is using clay. I understand casting in theory but not much in practice. I am a very visual learner So what I am interested in seeing some photos. I was hoping to find some step by step things in the FAQs or elseware. I am particularly interested in carving into foam and using that as a mold? Also are there sturdy/reliable ways of joining two pieces together to form more interesting shapes than a single cast can? Maybe I am jumping ahead of myself but I am just so excited.

My most recent garden project was using bricks from freecycle and building a planter. My kids loved mixing the mortar and helping build the walls. You may thing I am crazy but they are 4 and 2. I am not sure it this stuff will be as safe for them to get there hands into but definitely need the creative outlet for myself.

Thanks to whoever has listened to my ranting..

It is VERY GOOD to find you all,

Annette

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Comments (6)

jazzbone
20 years ago
Faerieannette,

Welcome to the forum. There are several good pic-tutorials mixed in the postings here. Buddyfly is our resident pro at this; you need to visit her photo gallery. She has also posted "progress pictures" of retaining wall, ancient jug and well, and others in the body of her forum messages.

I hope you find the outlet you need for your creative urges to sculpt. Hang around here awhile and these guys will have ideas spinning through your head so fast... there are endless possibilities.

Me... I've gotten addicted to this site and feel this remote bond with the regulars here. WE ARE THE TUFA PEOPLE!
Fleur
20 years ago
Ditto the welcome. I've only been here since June and am amazed at how much I've learned and how much fun I've had here. Never be afraid to ask for help or suggestions. Someone here will offer solutions. Tufa and crete folks here are the greatest.

I think there was a link posted here a few days ago that you might enjoy looking at. It was for stepping stone molds but the reason I mention it is that the resident designer of the molds does her designs in clay first, then makes the molds. Look on the forum for the "Great Web Site" thread and follow the link.
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LunaNegra
20 years ago
Oh My....I am new at this too. I just got the ingredients to start playing with it. I am serious thinking in making this my full time job and sale the stuff in craft shows or garden shows. I got info on the web but no books for sale in the local book stores... Barnes and Nobles and other ones. The good think is that I have tons of moss growing all over and I can add moss to the pots and other garden stuff.
Love and Light
Luna
ltd123
20 years ago
I believe you would love the latest 2 books by Sherri Warner Hunter- she deals with aspects of sculpture as well as garden ornaments in concrete. Here is a link to probably the least expensive place to buy them. Notice they are also available in "used".... often these books are brand new also... you just have to read the descriptions.
Laura

Here is a link that might be useful: check here
tufaenough
20 years ago
For a good first experience I strongly recommend using a STRONG recipe that will harden quickly.
Most failures are due to pots crumbling from being removed for molds to early. A strong quick setting recipe is the solution.
Recipe should be between 1/3 and 1/4 FRESH Portland cement, no less.
And use an Admix for your first few attempts.
Elmers wood glue will work, or you can buy an Acrylic admix for about $5 a quart or less. If you have some old latex paint around use that.
If you replace around a 1/3 of your water with any of these your project will be stronger and setup faster. Even 10% admix makes a noticable difference.

As you gain in experience you can leave the admix out.
But for the excited newbie a bit of admix can be the difference between success and failure.
ltd123
20 years ago
These 2 sites show photos of projects and include many how-to instructions:

http://community.webshots.com/user/artb4u

http://groups.msn.com/TheManicSculptor/pictures

Here is a link that might be useful: try this