Mould mash ups with Matt Perez - Day 3

Last night we were told to make a small wax object to cast, no bigger than one's clenched fist. As I was doing some other work on the computer, it was 11pm before I thought WAX! Yikes!
Here is a pic of my wax bird before it gets covered in plaster silica.

The whole class invested their objects, my invested bird looks rather cat like.

Invested bird

After the moulds were steamed, cleaned and filled with furnace glass frit, lunch was eaten before the coloured bullseye glass sheets were brought out. I think everyone else was pleased to see colour...in glass I find it overwhelming...unless I have an idea to go with it. Here are some of the designs put in the kiln by the class.

Ravens

Here's a collection of photo's of ravens from the web, thanks to all those photographers.

I love this one! So typical

Ravens

Again I am thinking of Ravens...

Done..again

At last the Ravens are in the kiln for the second time. I'm tired (very tired). I feel as though I have been re attaching bird bits, mixing plaster and scrubbing for eternity.

The elective I have taken this semester is  the intermediate Print Media class. The structure of the classes sounds good...A practice based project to work on with mini workshops in various techniques being run throughout the semester. Screen printing, etching, CMYK, soft ground? etc Proposal due next week...

arrrgh

So, I was being hopeful and a tad ambitious to get both Ravens, invested and steamed and in the kiln today. It took most of the morning to set them up with sprues and supports..the glass components are heavy as you can imagine. Beaks, legs and tails fell off at varying times. All up we got one raven invested. I'm going to miss my first theory class tomorrow (Sorry Danie) in hope to get moving on this..and getting to college early..thanks Deb for the lift.

2 birds in a pie

Today was the big day, the day my ravens came out of the kiln. Kate and I were also loading the furnace..that's how we got the time at uni. 

Everything was going well..looks as though the glass has done it's thing

Look at those layers!

Until my wooden scalpel went through the plaster where it shouldn't be able to...a hole...no a cavity???

So I have ended up with  quite a weird situation

We think (Kate and I) that the top temp heat wasn't held long enough so when it was really hot it trickled down to the bottom of the mould (the head) and then the temperature started to fall  and it thickened up and filled the legs, base and reservoir instead.

So instead of a fun last weekend before going back to college (good bye Neil Gaimen and the Graphic Novel festival) I get to..redo the missing bits in wax..plus feet (cause they are easier than the head), MADLY make moulds on Monday, melt wax and get them in on mOnday night ( aprocess that took me two days last time)..wait for a week (change the kiln program) and hope that the Exhibition Curator will let me set up a day late (though before the opening)  PHEW!

Utility - Untold / Sydney Design Festival 31st July - 15th August

'Untold' exhibition opens 4th August at SCA, part of 'Sydney Design' the Ravens will be there (in one piece hopefully) and some other great stuff so come along!

Huginn and Muninn in plaster, silica, chopped fibre sheet and grog!

Kids and ravens at the Australian Museum