Torso in soap

 

Normal hand soap 4.5" x 2.5" x 1.5"

I have been reading some stuff about carving and someone suggested working with soap before you attempt plaster.  The studio stinks like a bad girl's garrett now but the carving was certainly easier. This took me about an hour. Don't pay much attention to the subject. I just wanted to try out two things.  One to improve carving technique and two, forcing my brain to see things in a three dimensional way. 

I have also discovered that one of the reasons the plaster carving was such hard work yesterday was because I had allowed the cast plaster to dry out for too long. (you can see a couple of casts supporting the figure in these pics).  It's apparently better to cast and start carving as soon as you can - like within half an hour or so of the plaster being poured into the casting mould so that the set plaster is still moist. Once it's properly dried out it's like cast iron and therefore much more difficult to carve.

So now, I have to start working on drawings again but this time my drawings. and maybe once I have an idea of my preferred direction I can try it in soap again first and not attempt plaster until I have a clear day ahead of me to cast and carve.  

One of the best things I did at art school (over 50 years ago) was a mother and child sculpture made of clay and cast in plaster. It got trashed along life's highway but the pleasure of creating it is coming back to me.  Plus ca change....