Sculpture

Using fine dental tools, a high grade professional plasticine (called plastiline) or clay is shaped into a variety of characters for either stop-motion puppets, bedside clocks, trophies or prop food (like a pigs head) etc. Moulds are often made from silicon or dental plaster and sometimes need the support of a fibre-glass jacket. Castings in foam - latex, resins or silicon, depending on the application.

	Through a mothers eyes	John jnr poses for a photo shoot. Generally, seven year olds don't make good models, so I worked mostly from photos, with John sitting for a short session towards the end. With Mums' guidance and approval, the plasticine sculpt was tweaked and I could proceed with the casting process. A silicon mould with a fibre-glass support jacket was made. Then the two halves of the face were laid up in fibre-glass, with real bronze powder mixed in with the first layer of resin. After joining the two halves together, for the patina I used a well known fire-grate polish
	Macabre goings on	I placed the head in the fridge so that the plasticine would harden up ready for moulding.
	Gold ranger	Aprox 1:12 scale, this figure was another rush job, with no time for casting and moulding. 'Milliput' is a self drying putty that modellers often use for doing one-offs. It can be carved and sanded after it has hardened, so a smooth surface is very easy to achieve. It's not a substance I'm used to sculpting with as I prefer plasticine. Still, no changes required from the client. A non-aggressive pose was desired, not actually in the process of kicking butt, but in a 'state of readyness' (to kick butt)
	You gotta be kidney-ing	About 5 times actual size, this was carved from Eurathane foam, then filled and sanded, filled and sanded until it was smooth.
	T.Rex 1:25 Scale	Using reference from London science museum, this Plasticine sculpt was eventually cast in Foam latex around a ball and socket armature. Trying to get this college project ready for the 'Dip' show forced me to do something that I've gladly avoided repeating in my professional life - two 'all nighters' in a row.....no wonder I mixed the foam up wrong!!
	'Ouch'	Having had limited success at Wembly's Model Engineering Exhibition in 1982. 1983 saw 'Ouch' win the 'New Voyager Trophy' (best in show) in the space modelling catagory. Made from mixed media, the armature for the professor is made from hollow brass tubing and serves as the conduit for the wiring of the LEDS in the levitating robot that he is supposed to be leaning on and repairing. He has slipped and made a short-circuit ,resulting in the robots response. I think it was the concept that won the day, rather than the modelmaking techniques. The competition was judged by Matt Irvine and Bill Pearson, who was unknown to me at that time, although I had seen his work in ALIEN.

	Rancor-ish	I prefer 'Pit Bull Dinosaur' for this three day plasticine maquette. 6" tall at a scale of 1:25. Personal Stop motion project.....SHELVED
	Street fighter	6" tall plasticine original for bedside clock .'RYU' took 5 days from clients' sketches. No changes made.
	Lizard man	8" tall plasticine original for stop-motion puppet. Had to look like he could lift up a house. Ball Socket joint armature made. Plaster mould.
	Batman	Original 'pattern' for popular bedside clock. Solid car body filler over a simple wire frame, carved and sanded to shape because of time restrictions. Vac formed cloak over plasticine former. 8" tall, Three days including paint.

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