Step One: The ORIGINAL ~ Person One: The SCULPTOR
The “ORIGINAL” can be made of clay, wax, stone, wood, steel, or whatever the sculptor used to create the original model.
Modern mold rubbers are compatible with clays that are oil-based and sulphur-free. For life-sized pieces I prefer Chavant Le Beau Touche’ light green, because it handles much like my favorite water-based clay which is not compatible with mold rubbers. For 1:6 scale miniatures, I model originals directly in wax. In turn, that wax original is molded, using a similar process to what you are about to see.
I drive the finished clays from my home in Chesterfield, Missouri, to my mold maker in Buena Vista, Colorado.
A dear friend and teacher, Jaye Gregory, once told me, “Joy, you are not 17 any more. You do not have time to learn how to make an excellent mold. Find a good mold maker.” She gave me very good advice.
Since 1996, I have followed a good mold maker from Denver to Golden, to Salida, and then to Buena Vista, CO. I have watched Annette develop from a good mold maker into a fabulous mold maker and I am grateful to her. You will see her shortly making the mold for “Sunnyside Up.”
No. 3
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