Relief Castings

I wish I could say I enjoyed this assignment, but I experienced a lot of failures – it was defeating. That is, with the exception of the paper cast. I blended pink and violet colored construction paper, and then I added in a final layer of orange paper – which you see in the deepest areas of the casting. I was pleased with the outcome of it as I believe it is clean and encompasses the fullness of my composition.

In terms of the concrete cast, a significant portion of my composition crumbled into unrepairable pieces as I was removing it from the plaster mold. Even now, the sculpture is extremely brittle – like graham cracker brittle. With the left portion of the composition obliterated, I do not think it is as strong in composition as the original. However, I am glad I have a fragment of it to present.

Speaking of fragments, I attempted a Jello cast. Would that not have been cool, though? I wanted so badly to produce an edible sculpture. The Jello was just not durable enough to withstand removal – super fragile and jiggly.

This one is not pictured, but I also attempted a chocolate cast. The biggest failure of them all, and the biggest mess I have ever made. I wish I had pictures, but I was so enraged throughout that entire process that it never came across my mind. The chocolate would not release from the plaster mold either, so I had to melt it in the sun and then scoop it out with my hands.

That plaster mold has been through so much, but I just have two finished castings to turn in. I have a second multicolored paper cast embedded with dried flower petals in the process of drying, but I am not sure it will release well after all of the Vaseline and vegetable oil that has seeped into the plaster.

As you can see, this assignment kind of ate me for dinner. But that is what being a creative is all about – experimenting and failing, and, every once in a while, nailing it.

Here's to nailing it next time.