(: for you too hang10tki.

Flash forward to now. It takes a month to dry the mold. When it wasn't in front of the heater it was in the garage with a fun blowing on it.

I didn't try to clean the mold because bits of clay will come off as I pour.

Dan pours in the slip slowly while I pound the side with a rubber mallet.

This pounding makes air bubbles come to the surface. I don't want him to blow up in the kiln.

Once the mold is filled it sits for 2 hours to let the moisture be removed from the slip.

Two hours later we pour off what remains of the wet slip.

I put a tray over it so that the inside doesn't dry out. It sits overnight this way.

Next I just tip him out of the mold. You can see how it is solid under his arm and chin.

Now I do some detailing. I carve his chin to match the wooden tiki.

I made the tiki that was molded slightly flares so that it would come out of the mold. Now I must remove clay to make the sides in a 90 degree angle to the back.

Same on the bottom

and the sides.

I made the indentation above the ears.

I carved the backside of the arm.

He is a long way from being finished. I need to cut him away from the background to use for a bowl or leave the back piece and carve it into rocks or tapa and make a wall plaque. Or I could make a bottom and use this as a lid for a box. With clay you have many options until it dries.

He will go into a plastic bag so he'll not dry out and then he has to wait until I start his Wish List project.

Thank you always for the visit, Wendy

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2013-12-06 21:00 ]