Tuesday, January 31, 2006

S'tat you?



Years ago I did a wonderful workshop with a fabulous artist called Peter Rush. He was showing us an easy peasy paper mache technique. You make up some wallpaper paste and put a dab in the centre of your hand. Then you run a sheet of kitchen towel through your hand and it becomes a modeling medium. Magic! I made a 'bronze' of dearly beloved at that time. Today I resurrected the technique to see if my little monkey children could cope with it. In his superb book 'Rush on Paper' Peter talks about the hundreds of schools workshops he has done. He uses chicken wire innards but that's definitely too dodgy for my lot. I made my head today around a plastic bottle which worked a treat and means you have the potential to turn it into a puppet. Think this is the next delight I am going to introduce my little darlings too.
Today I was packing for my differently abled workshop. Took me hours! I learned a valuable lesson when planning this one. I sent them a breakdown of what to expect. When packing today I keep looking at it and thinking oh on, not another technique! The lesson learned is keep your overview of the day simple to allow yourself room to maneuver.

Off to a party tonight. Frankly Scarlet, it's the last thing I need!

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Sally, Love the paper mache heads!!! I don't know where you get all these ideas from but carry on as they are just great! The kids will love it. And I agree about the packing etc. Pain in the doo dah. Helen

Digitalgran said...

Sally, the heads are fantastic! Oh, you make me want to try them all. I like the bottom one better than you DB(smile)

Anonymous said...

Durn it, Sally, every time I read this, I find another technique I want to try. :)

The paper mache heads are great! AS are the robots and of course your stitched drawings.

~Romilly

Zaz said...

great sculptures! I also prefer the bottom one - much more character!

enjoy the party!

Sara

Judypatooote said...

You are so creative.....I love the heads, and I too like the bottom one best, he has classssss.....

Woolly Wormhead said...

Have another suggestion for (another teacher here of Textiles and some Art, although mine are older with far more attitude)

A quick technique for casting using masking tape.

1) Roll the masking tape around whatever you wish to cast (head, hands, objects etc).. roll it sticky side up and make sure it overlaps.

2) Once the whole are is done sticky side up, start wrapping the masking tape sticky side down. You might want to have a few layers to make it stronger. The masking tape should be stuck to itself quite nicely.

3) Gently cut the tape mould in as few places as possible to remove it from it's object and to keep it's shape.

4) The masking tape sections can either then be cut further into flat pieces and used as patterns to be cut from fabric, to make a soft sculpture

or

5) Re-joined to make a solid item. A GCSE Art student I had a few years back made a whole cast of her sister (and photographed the process) We then stuffed it with newspaper, rejoined it securely so she had the human form. It was then plastered with modroc to make a mummy. She got a good grade, too!