Working in 3 D – Stage 1

THE TREE THAT NEVER GREW

 

My second novel has been edited and I am going through the long in process of submitting to publishers. Waiting … waiting. Meanwhile, what to do while ignoring the fact that the floors need vacuuming and the bathroom needs cleaning? Making a sculpture came to me, partly through trying to think of activities for helping to home-school the grandkids, and partly because It’s been something I’ve been meaning to get back to.

I made a few pieces years ago after leaning the process from Mary Knott. I sold those pieces before I thought to take photographs of them. I want to try it again and I thought if I shared the process, it might keep other people ‘off the streets’ during this pandemic. It is an easy process although time-consuming. You can make it as easy or as complicated as you like.

You will end up with a light-weight, sculpture that you can add colour to, or otherwise embellish. Your sculpture includes using clay as your mould so it must be open enough in one place to dig out the clay when you are finished.

The first thing you need is an IDEA. 

My IDEA involves making a hill the base of which will be the open area to extract the clay when it is complete. My hill will sit on a flat surface but I have also made pieces that can be hung on the wall like 3D painting.

YOU WILL NEED

• A bag of clay
• some simple tools – fingers are great
• PVA glue
• rice paper (buy in a roll from art supplier)
• Alfoil and some plastic to wrap clay while if you want to take a break from moulding
• other bits and pieces that you need for your idea – I am using a small branch from a bush to make my tree, which I’ll poke in through the top of the clay hill

 

 

My idea comes from the Glasgow Coat-of-Arms

• There’s a tree that never grew
• There’s a bird that never flew
• There’s a fish that never swam
• There’s a bell that never rang

There’s a story behind it – I’ll let you look it up.

This is the lithograph I did, using the same idea. I will now translate it into 3D probably minus the woman because I don’t want it to look too busy.

So if you are interested I will post Stage 2 tomorrow. Meanwhile, you can think of an idea, perhaps draw it, and start collecting your bits and pieces.

Like all art, the main thing is TO HAVE FUN!