Sculpture process : Essential oil choice/ Hyphen project

As the tiger mold is in the process, I am ordering the materials for the sculpture. Main issue is what essential oil to use?of course no palm oil; and as the recipe of many different bloggers suggested shea butter or cocoa oil, I tried to find the differences, advantages and most important, the harmful to nature between them. Seems shea butter gives better performance for skin care, “unfortunately it can take up to thirty years for a crop to yield the right quality of this fatty acid”. For this reason I am choosing cocoa oil.

http://www.ebay.com/gds/CocoaButter-vs-Shea-Butter-/10000000011274041/g.html

***************************************************************************

Hyphen Project

An Art community from, supporting all Hong Kong artist that studying UAL, I am joining their moving gallery project this year. their aim is to bring art piece to public, not only place them in a gallery and wait for audience. I think it’s a right time for my survivors project, letting audience know it, comment on it, criticize it.

I am now thinking if I should some lip stick or lip balm for the random audiences as souvenirs. Or, just order some containers to perform the interactive idea?!?!??

one more issue is to provide some postcard? or leaflet? aim is to introduce my work in a easy and friendly way.

http://www.thehyphenproject.com/

Tiger metal casting 2

continue~

soft wax used to make the joins fatter, but the main linkage cannot rely on that.

straws are used as other method of runners

little “worm-shape” wax as runner as well. since too much and close runners will may the grog crack….and damage the mold

meths will be spread on the wax before painting a layer of grog on it.

clay was used to detach the whole model, or it will stick on the broad.

fine grog ( fine ceramics : paster is 2:1) painted on.

risers added afterwards (similar to runners), but runners is for liquid metal running while risers are for air go through. Without that, metal cannot go through properly.

grog wall making, because the mold will be inverted afterwards, wall between cup and risers was to ensure enough support.

plastic bag for remaining humidity

inverted….since many inner surfaces could not be reached by fine grog

almost finish….adding extra risers

paint it together with grog

using flat metal to surround it, clays on the bottom avoiding grog leaks. recycled grog are used to cover the whole object

lifting for fire

final check for nothing blocking the risers

after firing, the mold is fragile, we have to use paster with net (3 layers) to hold it.

net rope with paster

metal bar also for enhancing the structure

o….my mold is full of smoke…why?

Becky using vacuum cleaner to check the risers

metal pouring

after one day, we dig it out

the smoke is because of some wood not burn out yet, some turned into charcoal….that’s also means that the mold is not perfect and some parts could not be reached by liquid metal

final outcome……less part can be cast, only the joins and some bottom parts. It is because 1) joints are fatter. 2) mold is too big, heat cannot reach inside well…..that’s why some wood just turn to charcoal.

during the interim show, Michael suggested me to use wax for the original model so that it melts easier and won’t turn to charcoal. On the other hand, try to use the technique named “ceramic shell” for casting. will search it out!

Tiger metal casting

procedure for the metal casting:
paint the whole object with one or two layers of “spirit sanding sealer”; because the form is complicated so I added pigment into it to make sure all surfaces with the liquid.

 

 

about 20 mins to dry out, modeling wax was used to make the join fatter, easier for metal liquid running.

wax pillars were added for running tube, again modeling wax assisting the joins.

New Tiger making!!!

Here’s I made a new version of tiger, for experiment of metal casting and exploration of new material. Although I tried to follow the previous one but after awhile I already doing it with new steps, with better form and shape…..and larger size ( need to get used to controlling the size). On the other hand, I do like the random process that making art piece unpredictable…never be identical. I like it very much, just like our life.

compare to the previous one:

 

 

 

Tutorial feedback and frame work begin~

Thursday 5June tutorial with Barnaby and Maiko,

Barnaby always think I do not have much passion, just making use of the art project……damn it, come on, if all classmates need to do a project, I’d rather want to do something meaningful but not testing this testing that….neither nor experimental type….-_-!!! And I don’t think adding much self style is not passion enough~!!! He suggested me to do something simple and easy to let the audience understand. e.g…..cut the poster into many pieces, and taking away 1/3 of them, using 2/3 of them for collage (Siberian Tigers reduced 1/3 from 1983 to 2014). I will try to merge his suggestion into my work. However, I really don’t want to make something that any other people could do.

Maiko seems more encouraging to what I am going to do. On the other hand, she suggest me not thinking of the minimizing size….but finding another way……she said there will be misunderstanding that people might think the smaller the artwork, the more serious of their endanger situation.

Both of them suggest me to make some minimized model first….ok, I am making…..

Artcube Competition Final work

This is the final work of the Rhino Head, named “Exist or Extinct”

link for all angle’s view

Final result: 1st place (pic1 with organizer Melissa and David) (pic2 with 1st & 2nd runner-up)

Artcube Competition Process 3rd day

3rd day, finishing it by adding the few rods left and also repaint the whole art work.

it’s nice under sunlight, but yet…..need to be repainted.

repainting

Artcube Competition Process 2nd day

on the 2nd day, the paints still a bit wet but I have to start making it.

a rough sketch for 1:1 scale~

starting with a horn~

It’s been too long for making the beginning, until sunset at around 8pm…only the horn and a bit mouth was made. Problem due to the joining method (nail, screw, wood join, staple, glue) and angle of joints. Afterwards, it seems easier or get used to~

this end at about 12am, I hanging it up so that easier to imagine the next step and joining myself.

Artcube Competition Process 1st day

There are over 200 students applying, 30 finalists were selected to make the art piece within 3days.

I’ve brought all tools and materials arriving on the first day~ 28April

First of all, I paint the wooden rod with white, grey and black accordingly. It takes time to dry, so I could only continue on the second day.