Sculpting

N1gel

I stopped working 9 years ago mainly due to a neurological condition then developed OA in my left elbow because of the extra stress on my joints (crutches, wheelchair) I think the right elbow is going the same way..

I always wanted to go to art college but at the time teachers/careers advisers advised against it.

So as soon as I had all the free time I worked with stone (ouch!) then some clay, now I've just started using wax with the intention of getting it cast in bronze. If you look up Castle Fine Arts Foundry - Free Wax, they'll send you a small block of free modelling wax by post and if you like what you've made, you send it back and they'll cast it in bronze for the introductory offer of £75!

Don't be put off by the hardness of the wax, if you chop off little bits at a time it soon becomes workable in your fingers.

Big Cat - about 3" tall and 5" long (ok, not so big)

Mike1

I am the other way, my school teachers tried pushing my parents to let me go to art college but my mother was dead set against it so I joined the armed forces instead. Thanks for the heads up about the wax and bronze casting, I may well give it a go.

I have just signed up for it but the price for a bronze of your sculpture is now £95 + VAT.

N1gel

Oh well the price increase may be the amount of people signing up for wax, I have, the dog has, my parents have, the vicar has...

The wax is free and good therapy for the fingers. Apparently if you made lots of airfix kits as a kid it's a good start!

Mike1

I may sign the cat up too, have also told my baby sister.

N1gel

Here's one I did earlier, a favourite terrier who died a few years ago:

(same size)

KazandNoo

That's really impressive 👍

N1gel

Thankyou, it takes my mind off things when I can do it. I'll post more later.

Lilymary

What a lovely idea, and such lovely results too. Well done, I rediscovered the joy of plasticine recently, with a view to getting used to working in 3D, (don’t know why, I failed my art O level), and maybe having a go at a bit of light whittling, unfortunately the wood shavings are unbearably messy, so this might be a cleaner and more permanent outcome than plasticine,

N1gel

Just make sure you don't tread it into the carpet! There is a harder version called Plastilene or Chavant. I used to use it all the time before I discovered wax.

To get rid of the wood shavings had you tried one of the little hand held vacuum cleaners? I tried carving in soapstone but the amount of dust put me off.

Lilymary

Thanks for the tips!

MrsTiggywinkle

If you like plasticine, maybe try Fimo? I found it to be very therapeutic and have made a lot of little mushrooms and unicorn horns, fairy doors etc. I've also made some wall art, such as dragon eye area sculptures, elephant head sculptures, but my favourite piece was Alice in Wonderland with the caterpillar on his mushroom smoking his hookah.

Be warned though....it's very, very addictive! (Bonus is you could even sell some of your work at local craft fairs)

N1gel

Here's a little head I've just finished in black wax.

Lilymary

Wow, that’s amazing!

Brynmor

That's fantastic! 😄

N1gel

Thanks, not sure about future versions...

stellabean

That is soooo brilliant much better than some I have seen by professional artists .

frogmorton

I had missed these @N1gel

They are fabulous you are so talented I really admire your work. Thanks to @stellabean for replying this morning so I saw it in 'recent posts'!

N1gel

I had him cast in bronze back in December at a lovely enthusiastic little foundry in Hampshire. Thanks for the feedback, makes me want to go on and do more! 🙏

frogmorton

Good!

Go and do more you have talent and enjoy using it 🙂

Well impressed with him cast in Bronze - wow!

N1gel

Here we go, another bronze. 'Figsbury Ring' named after a hill fort just outside Salisbury that I knew as a child. I wanted to link these heads to ancient hill forts etc without using any of the obvious visual mythology stuff (mostly invented by the victorians!).

These heads are costing me a fortune! but it takes my mind off OA.

Lilymary

They’re beautiful N1gel, what amazing talent you have. Please keep doing more!

N1gel

Here's another one: 'Knook Barrow'

Mike1

That's nice Nigel. I got some of the wax on the special deal that was mentioned in the forum months ago but have not gotten around to using it yet!

N1gel

Thanks Mike, I warn you heat the wax before using it! I think I've made the OA in the thumb worse. Here's what I did with the last slab of wax, now

waiting to be cast.

N1gel

Time for an update - just had these two selected for the Bath Society of Artists Open Exhibition. Chuffed to get 2 pieces in one show!

Mike1

Congratulations! 👍️