in this random rambling thread we post random pictures

[theoldchick]

 

[Cold Canadian]

Love the colors / designs on the mushrooms , it's amazing how beautiful nature creates itself .........

 

[NickyKnack]

They are all visually stunning. It just goes to show, there really is beauty in everything. Thanks for the fun fungi!

 

[drumstick diva]

They are beautiful, some of them don't look like mushrooms in any way, shape or form.

 

[Gargoyle]

Are these then fired? I would be afraid of them exploding. Or are they used for casting?
Will they become bronzes? I thought they used wax for that.
If it isn't too much trouble, could you give me a quick explanation ?

Normally when the clay is finished you'd make a mold. In the old days it was a hard plaster piece mold (multiple pieces that key together). Now it is more likely a flexible silicone rubber mold, and then a hard shell over the mold to keep it rigid. That type of mold can bend around and under to get into undercuts, whereas with the old piece mold you'd need complex pieces to do that.

What is done with the mold depends on what material you are casting in. For bronze, you'd pull a wax cast; otherwise you might cast it in plaster or resin, with that being a final material.

I'm not sure if he is using water clay (which drys and cracks) or oil clay (plasticine) which remains workable for years. With some types of water clay, you can hollow it out and then fire it, making a terra cotta final piece. You could also mold multiple terra cotta pieces from a mold.

There are other options too, these are just the most common.

 

[Cynthia12]

Thanks Gargolye!

 

[drumstick diva]

too much work think I'll just continue to scribble with crayons.

 

[Cynthia12]

 

[Cynthia12]

 

[drumstick diva]

Cyn - you mean those places really exist