I have to laugh at myself. I cut down the tree that was my breakthrough and then eliminated the stump that was to become a symbol because I didn’t like how it worked with the other components. Then I started the bases from scratch.
I wanted everything to start from the same place. I realized I could probably break the wax blocks in controlled ways and save myself a whole lot of time. Wax breaks best when it is frozen. Did it in a similar way to cracking a waste mould. Scored deep lines into the block and broke off what I didn’t want with a hammer. Got all five done pretty quickly.
The three new trees were made free standing. Once the base blocks were done, the top surface was reworked with applied wax.
Have added a pair of ‘wire mesh’ garbage cans that will serve to add support and stability to the benches in the firing. Made thin sheets of mesh texture out of wax, heated and bent them around wax cores. Made sheets of wax ‘lumber’ that I cut up into ‘boards’ to build the benches with.
Thinking about modelling the bent metal legs and supports in resin instead of wax. Resin will be strong enough in its hardened state to support the figures as I model them in place. Wax benches would collapse as I built on top.
Maybe because I don’t have hot water in the studio, I didn’t realize just how well it softens the wax for modelling. Have been bringing buckets of hot water from the house this week. Dropped in the wax pucks until they lightened in colour. Then wedged in the hands to make it even and super plastic. Simplest way yet.
So though I might have started over in many ways this week, I am further ahead than I was a week ago. Bases are much closer to completion.
