The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-06-05
MODELLING IN CLAY.
How sCulptors Prepare Their DIFF
fcult Work.
The Principal Tool is the Artists
Forefinger.

cling tools, are made Of wood ana
wire, but no tool is more useful than
the finger; indeed, tools have been
invented as mere aids to the fingers,
and are designed only to do what they
cannot perform. Wire tools are the
most useful, being fashioned into
loops Of various shapes and sizes,
found and angular, and fixed into
wooden handles. The wire is some
times notched or indented, TO give q
rough surface 10 the clay. The
wooden tools are made Of box and
ebony, Of various shapes and sizes
curved, straight, pointed, rounded
and fat and bfoad-the broad tools
being notehed, and designed chiefly
for working the large convex masses
or large folds in drapery. In model
ing q bust, especially the features,
great nicely is required, and the mod
eler must be particularly careful not
to injure what is already done, by re-
touching with the tool while clay is
Adhering to it, or he may risk the
complete destruction of his work; the
adhering clay will drive up the sur
face.
The clay used is common potter's
clay, but should be Of the best quality.
1t must be so wet that it will not stand
in mass much higher than its own
width without support. The supports
for the clay are a most important con-
sideration, for, if not properly at
tended to, the finished work, the fruit
Of months OF labor, might suddenly
fall to pieces by its own weight.
Sculptors generally model figures of
the ordinary size upon bench or
stand called a banker, about thirty
inches high and about thirty inches
square-for bust 1t must, of course,
be much higher; above this solid
circular plinth is fixed on wooden
boss, and is revolved upon six of more
wheels, or, what are better, short,
slightly conical rollers, fixed on the
plinth near the circumference.
On the centre of the plinth there
must be fixed vertically strong iron
bar, about the height of man, and
from about six to ten inches in cir
cumference, according to the weight
of the figure; it must necessarily be
strong and firmly fixed, as it is the
main support of the whole skeleton Of
supports.
In modelling a bust very little sup
port is necessary, an upright piece Of
wood with crossbar at the shoulders
being quite sufficient, but a small
crossbar at the head would do no harm.
Another essential part of modelling is
preserving the moisture of the clay,
which should be always uniform il
possible; it must never be allowed to
dry, and it can be kept moist with very
little trouble.
When the model is complete, the next
process is to take the cast to work the
marble from, or to make other casts
from. The whole model, while wet,
must be covered in two or three
masses, or more, if necessary, witt
plaster of Paris; when this is fxet
and dry, the whole may be separated
at the joints, without any regard K
the preservation of the model, for wher
the mold is taken the model is M
longer of any value. When the clay i
completely removed from the mold
the component parts Of the mold mus
, be again put together, and in the plac,
of the original clay it must be filled
! with plaster Of Paris, and, when the
cast is well set, the mold may b,
carefully broken off in fragments
and the cast is exposed and complete
, the finished work. If casts OF it or,
t required, a new working mold o
Q safe mold, as it is termed, must b
: taken in many parts, and, if the fgur
{ is to be executed in marble, it j
i copied by the carvers, with the assist
' ance of the pointing machine. 1t
so contrived that it can diminish 0
increase the scale Of the model wit
perfect ease and nicely. It is alway