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Plaster Master Guide to Home Business Work at HOME pg 2 Starting Your Own Statuary Business
The Nature of Hedgehogs |
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Plaster Master Guide to Home Business Work at HOME pg 2 Starting Your Own Statuary Business
The Nature of Hedgehogs |
| Hedgehogs are not the same creatures as ground hogs. Hedgehogs are native to Europe and Africa. They are much smaller than ground hogs, which inhabit North America. An adult African hedgehog may not weigh much more than a pound, while it's European cousins may reach the 3 lb. mark. |
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Hedgehogs have short spines or quills. When frightened they roll up into a ball and erect their spines. They also sleep in a rolled up position, though they do not erect thier spines at that time. I have chosen this rolled up position for my hedgehog sculpture. It makes for an interesting pose.The roundness will resonate with many people, but more importantly it will be an easy casting to remove from the mold. |
Sculpting Tip ... projections are problems When designing your sculpted model try to have as few long projections sticking out of it as possible. They are prone to break and can cause mold making difficulties. Michelangelo supposed to have said that you should be able to roll a well designed sculpture down a hill without anything breaking off. Whether or not that's true it's important to keep the entire manufacturing process in mind, mold making, casting and painting, right from the start. It can save you from having to go back and rework your model after you have made a mold of it. Whats the story on Copyrighting?
Mount the Model on a Mold Making Board
Next apply shellac to the model and board. After half an hour or so apply a second coat to both the board and the plastiline model. Let them dry at least 4 hours,overnight would be even better. You don't want moisture building up under the rubber.
This is how your model should look after 2 coats of shellac. Some people spray on a light coat of PAM at this time to help the rubber release from the model. Do not use petroleum based oil on the model or on the latex mold. Petroleum products such as motor oil will deteriorate the rubber. Use only vegetable oil or castor oil. The model is ready to have latex brushed on.
the page in review:
You can order materials for this project at our Sculptor's Place
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The plastiline model
or sculpt of the hedgehog is shaping up nicely. For your sculpture start by forming lumps
of plastiline into the basic shape.Start slightly smaller, then build slowly and
carefully by adding small amounts of plastiline to develope finer and finer detail.
Keep your reference work handy and look at it often. I find that if I put the sculpt
aside for a day or two,when I come back I see things wrong with it that I did not notice
while I was working on it. Here I am using a wooden tool to sharpen up the
detail and to delineate the quills in the Roma Plastilina. Tools can be a great
help especially in putting in fine detial. A sculpture this size and shape will not
need an armature. If your clay model is to have the arms or legs in an extended
position you may need a wire armature or a foam shape to build on if your sculpture
is large so that you will use less plastiline.
In
an inconspicous place usually on the back sign your nameor put your company name,the
copyright symbol © and the year. It informs the public that the work is
copyrighted and helps to negate the claim of ( I didn't know it was copyrighgted) innocent
infringement. (SeeNotice of Copyright next page) If you have sculpted the work
yourself you are automatically protected under copyright laws. Please read the section
thoroughly under How to Secure a Copyright on the next page. If you have had someone
sculpt it in your behalf you are still protected under copyright laws. ( See Who Can Claim
a Copyright - works made for hire.) Read the copyright information on the next page for
clarification of the all the laws on these matters. 
The board for the model should be 3 inches larger than the model
all the way around. Drill a 1/2" inch hole in the center of the board. If you
are going to make a mold on a plaster model be sure the plaster is completely dry.
If there is moisture in the plaster will adversly affect the rubber. Glue the model
firmly to the board over the 1/2" hole. The hole will release gasses that may
build up. I use plastiline that has been heated to a paste to attach
plastiline models to pre-shellacked boards. Make sure the model is filled in all the
way down tight around the base where it meets the board, you do not want rubber running
underneath the model. 
