Page 87 - Casting of Angels- Dave Parvin

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larger board so as to have enough space to position the Between December, 2005 and June, 2006 I wrote a
model in an extended dance like pose. series of four articles that explained how and encouraged
I have had other occasions to use on of the padded people to learn more techniques so that they can separate
boards on sawhorses. In photo #11, for example, we were themselves from the run of the mill life casters both for more
casting a dancer’s foot in a ballet slipper during a casting personal fulfillment and also for monetary rewards. The use
workshop. For stability, the model was holding on to a rope of padded boards as I have explained in this and last month’s
that had been hung over a couple of large hooks in the articles could help one progress to the next level.
ceiling. Note that behind her head is an ancient pulley which At the end of last month’s article, I showed a plaster cast of
also is attached to one of the hooks. The pulley is just one of my assistants, Jessica. I explained that I never use
something I found in the basement of the old building in plaster as in the finished casting. Since then, I repaired a few
which I have my studio and has no artistic use whatsoever; it flaws in the plaster, partially opened her eyes, made a
just makes it look as if my studio might have just once been silicone rubber mold of the plaster, cast her in Forton MG
s butcher shop, or perhaps still is... with metal powder, and applied a green patina solution to the
I have also used the padded boards as model stands hair and cloth. In Photo #13, Jessica is holding the almost
when doing conventional sculpting, i.e. not life casting. finished portrait. I say “almost” because the only thing
When the model was posing for the statue in Photo #12, I remaining to do was buff it. Unfortunately, it needed to cure
used the narrower of my padded boards for her to lie on for a couple of days before buffing, time i didn’t have to
which she found to be quite comfortable. meet this article deadline. But at least, I hope, you get the
idea.

Photo 12 Photo 13

Sculpture Journal December 2007

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