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Jurassic whirl
May. 24th, 2017 02:34 pmGreat day to work in the studio, sunny but not hot--I have skylights, so the temp climbs rapidly on hot days, even with one of them covered. It's also very breezy outside, so I can make arm parts, then firm them up rapidly in the shade just outside the studio. (The breeze carries away moisture quickly and evenly, but doesn't over-dry bits the way direct sunlight would.) I also roll out slabs for the book and lay them out, but that'll take longer. I'm using a different clay body that I didn't pre-dry, and paying for it now.
Legs and tail have hardened up nicely overnight, so I can stand the beast upright and do a few tweaks on the undercarriage to make it sit level. I also cap the open end of the chest and trim and position the head and neck. Looks good, so I go ahead, score and slip and attach it.
The arm parts are ready surprisingly early, so I piece them together, positioning the upper arm while posing the forearms, then removing and assembling everything. Left arm goes first, then I notice one leg is cracking again, so I flip him over onto the foam pad, repair it, then add the right arm. As it turns out, upside down is a better position for the arms--less stress on joints--so I'll leave it that way uncovered until tonight, then drape with plastic for a day or two before drying in earnest.
The last thing I do is make a vent through to the inside in an inconspicuous place--the roof of the mouth, as it happens--so that moisture can escape the inside as it dries.
Tomorrow, book-making!
Legs and tail have hardened up nicely overnight, so I can stand the beast upright and do a few tweaks on the undercarriage to make it sit level. I also cap the open end of the chest and trim and position the head and neck. Looks good, so I go ahead, score and slip and attach it.
The arm parts are ready surprisingly early, so I piece them together, positioning the upper arm while posing the forearms, then removing and assembling everything. Left arm goes first, then I notice one leg is cracking again, so I flip him over onto the foam pad, repair it, then add the right arm. As it turns out, upside down is a better position for the arms--less stress on joints--so I'll leave it that way uncovered until tonight, then drape with plastic for a day or two before drying in earnest.
The last thing I do is make a vent through to the inside in an inconspicuous place--the roof of the mouth, as it happens--so that moisture can escape the inside as it dries.
Tomorrow, book-making!