Art and Design A comprehensive guide for creative artists - Aaltodoc

Gluing
Can make sculpture in very many different
ways. This is mainly because; there are so many
types of adhesive substance which can be
used as glue to make sculpture artworks.
Peck (2007, 161) argues, “... gluing may be
a better choice” to build small sculptures.
Whereas “any of the objects used in found—
object sculpture may also lend themselves to
gluing rather than drilling.” The leaner should
be notified that outdoor sculptures necessitate
using waterproof glue, while indoor requires
carpenter's glue.
Preparing clay for making a sculpture
Despite the fact that Michelangelo regarded clay as an
inferior medium suitable for only producing maquettes,
it is still greatly desired by many sculptors today. Clay is
cheap and it is one of the most accessible sculpture material
locally used in many African art schools.
As a sculptor who wishes to produce artworks from clay, it
is important to have an acquaintance with clay by visiting
its sources, dig and touch it. Clay is mainly excavated
from swamps—in places where deposits of stiff, sticky
fine-grained earth form as a result of a gradual chemical
weathering of rocks. Thus, go and visit a swamp so that you
mine your own clay.
Clay is a natural material with a fine quality, which allows it
to be easily shaped—governable drying and softening.
If clay is dug up from swamps, it goes through different
stages of preparations. That is to say, using clay with all its
impurities may cause undesirable results for the executed
final artwork of a sculpture.
Impurities can be removed from clay by handpicking and
also by making clay more wet (slip). Or, dry and smash it
to pass well through a sieve. All ways can lead to a proper
sorting process—to get rid of all chaff or unwanted
materials. A sieve is quick for this purpose. It works well with
dry and wet clay.
Clay that has passed through a sieve must be mixed well
with some specified amounts of grog. The purpose of grog
is to decrease clay plasticity and to increase its structural
strength. Grog can be locally acquired by sieving smashed
fired bricks or unglazed pottery (terra cotta).
However, too much use of grog can diminish the strength of
a fired sculpture.
Extremely wet clay (slip) can be drained to dry by throwing
or spreading it randomly—on a clean flat metal surface
such as an iron sheet. Then put it under sun.
When clay reaches the ready stage to be worked for a
planned task remove it from a drying surface and pack it
in a cool, clean and dry plastic container or polythene bag
to mature. By maturing clay will be at a regarded stage of
plasticity—ready to be used at any opportune time.
Apart from that, ready and well prepared clay can further
go through another process known as wedging along with
kneading. When it reaches a befitting stage of working
Gardner (2006, 22) explains, “Kneading or wedging means
working the clay with the hands until it becomes the same
consistency throughout.”
Undoubtedly, ready clay should be adequately moist; it
can be checked by pinching and squeezing—clay between
fingers and a thumb with one hand. If clay sticks or remains
on the fingers then it is not yet ready for proper use. Wet
clay lessens working efficiency. Where necessary, at the
appropriate stages of wedging and kneading (clay) one
may make consultations from a skilled person dealing with
clay. “There are many ways to wedge clay and all styles
take some practice to master” (Müller 2007, 51). That is to
say, almost always, actions differ and so does working
environments used by clay artists.
Müller (2007, 51) is more enlightening: “Wedging clay should
not require too much effort, but it does take some practice
to master.” At all times, clay learners must be encouraged to
understand the process and actions of clay.
To wind up our clay preparation processes, we need to
make sense of Potters (1912) remarks, “working with clay
to make a sculpture does not have
distinctive rules since sculptors
develop individual senses of quality
and ability through continuous
work and practice with the various
materials.” As a creative sculpture
artist, train yourself to handle clay
through experiments.
Hands
wedging clay.
A necessary
stage of
preparing clay.
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