Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-31

here is how the clay model is made:
! In one corner of the workshop of the carver
in stone workman is bending over beau
tiful ornament in plaster; the cap of a
column for the picturesque Hostetter resi-
dence now being built on Fifth avenue. Be-
yond him is lad working on his knees at
q clay model. and in an adjoining room a
man is breaking the mold away from the
plaster of paris cast that he has made.
This is the carver's studio, and, though not
very commodious, there is still room at the
end of one of the benches for lesson to be
taken in modelling. AS much clay as can
be held in the hand easily is sufficient to
make 'srosette," the first ornament the
tyro attempts. As you dig your fingers into
1t Whit comes up that is like the dead
and-gone mudpie days, and you willingly
would relinquish every hope in the world
to model in clay forever. The modeler only
uses his fingers here, for the ''rosette" is
made simply and quickly. With nervous,
The thumb, nail down, makes good deep
ruts; then with the thumb and forefnger
the delicate relief is pressed out. The rosette
is.a sort of conventionalized four-leafed
clover, and the model Of it doesn't take
more than five minutes to make.
MAKING THE MOLD.
Then the very next thing to do is to pre-
pare the cast. A pink or salmon-colorsd
"batter" made of plaster of paris is poured
over the clay model pretty evenly, covering
it all. In few minutes this dries, after
which another batter, this time of white
plaster of Paris, is poured over the hard
ened pink lump. In another five minutes
10 drv IN L., L.
mass from the board. 1t is now turned
over, thus exposing the clay model once
more. AS the clay is quite soft it is easily
removed from the hardened pink and white
plaster, and the interior of the mold is
made perfectly clean by little soap and
water.
The pattern in the clay has now been
transferred to the plaster. Another batter
is formed of plaster of paris of the same
consistency as that of which the mold was
formed and poured into the mold. In 10 or
10 minutes, though sometimes it takes longer
or shorter, according to the humidity of
the atmosphere, the plaster is hardened, and
nothing remains to be done but get the
model out of its mold To watch the man
digging away with mallet and chisel at the
huge model in the other room thoroughly
explains it all, and now is made clear the
reason for using the pink colored compost
tion. 1t was, it will be remembered, poured
over the clay model. therefore when the clay
is removed and the white plaster OF paris
poured in the pink is Immediately next it,
forming thin skin. The colored plaster
tells at once where the mold ends and the
coat begins and is a guide to the workman
as he chips the mold away.
EFFECT OF THE WEATHER.
But it has been raining all day and the
damp air penetrating in from outside, the
cast and the model obstinately adhere. On
a clear, dry day the mold often will lift off
in large pieces, but now it is slow, laborious
work, every piece reluctantly breaking of,
and sometimes spiteiully refusing to do so
without carrying along piece of the model.
When every part of the mold is removed
the injured parts OF the cast have new bits of
the plaster grated on which quickly fasten
to the larger piece. The rosette comes to an
untimely end, all through the dampuess of