The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1901-08-09
FOR AMATEUR SCUlPIORS
THEY NEED cool HEADS AND FIRST
CLASS PLASTER.
How Ornaments For the Home Can
De Made ~ the BcRinncr Has n Lit
tie Ingcnuity and r~ntience-Enst OF
the nnby's Hand.

bt Nuue ~ INV ''"'
tie ingenuity and ratience-Tnst OF
the Bnby'- Hand.
Few people realize the pleasure n
instruction that can he gainco from
making plaster casts. IL Is Inexpensive
and the utensils required are found In
every household. \ cast of the baby's
chubby hand or foot or, In fact, n cast
of any kind Is not only n delight, but
nm ornament. The great secret In max
ing successful plaster casts lies III not
getting excited. Care should he used
when getting the plaster hat 1t be
plaster of paris and that it be bought
from some shop where II Is sure to he
fresh, as hat which is obtained from
a drug store is apt to be stale and VIII
not set properly.
A few quarts of plaster should be
sufficient for a first attempt. A bucket
of water, n tin basin, n tin spoon, some
oil or soapsuds and, If possible, some
common modelling clay and n bottle OF
ink are all the materials required. \
mold is first taken of the object, N
when this is filed it gives the cast.
There are two kinds of c~asts-thoSc
where only part of the object Is shown.
the other part resting on n tile or
plaque, and those that show the whole
object or are in the "round." The hand
Is about as simple an object as can he
found and is more interesting thar
most things. AS the hand on the tile
is the easiest, 1t would be well to start
with that. Place n sheet Of paper on
q table and then grease the hand thor
oughly with the oil or thick soapsuds
to prevent the plaster from sticking to
the skin when removing the mold.
When the hand is placed In the posi-
ton wanted, fill the spaces underneath
1t, where it does not touch the table,
with clay, or if clay cannot be obtained
use putty. 1t is convenient to make a
small wall of clay around the object to
prevent the plaster from running, but
it is not necessary. Put about a quart
of cold water in the basin and pour the
plaster into it, stir quietly and keep the
spoon undcr water to avoid making
bubbles. Use enough plaster to make
it the consistency of batter. If a little
a. . Va vi NV way I Va
cold is used, the plaster will harden or
set more quickly. a small quantity of
ink or any coloring matter Will make 1t
easier to distinguish the mold from the
cast and will also make it more brittle
or rotten and easier to separate the
two. Pour the plaster over the hand,
taking care that there are no bubbles,
until it is about half an inch thick. 1t
will require a few minutes for it to set
and is ready to lift off when it can be
scratched with q knife. 1t is easier to
turn the hand and mold up and lift
the hand out than to take the mold off
the hand. If any plaster has run under
the fingers, cut it away with a dull
knife.
Should the hand not come out easily,
working the fingers separately will Of
ten loosen them. The mold should be
allowed to dry a few hours and then be
filled with white plaster, the same con-
sistency as was used for the mold. A
wall of clay about n inch high will
have to be built around the edge of the
mold, which when filled gives the tile
for the cast to rest III. Let the whole
dry and then chip the mold away with
Il knife. The mold, being of a different
color, a be readily distinguished from
the cast.
In making the mold for a cast in the
round, after the hand has been oiled,
sink it to about half an inch in n bed
Of plaster. leaving about half an inch
for thickness. Make the rim smooth
and, when hardened, Oil. Now cover
the upper half with plaster. When set,
this should knock apart easily and the
hand be lifted out.
Another way, but a more difficult
one, after putting the hand half way
In the plaster and before this has dried,
is to put a thin strong string around all
the edges of the fingers, letting the
ends come out at the wrists. When
the hand is entirely covered with plas.
ter and before it has hardened, pull the
string out, which cuts 1t in two. The
manner Of filling both these kinds OF
molds is the same. Oil and tie the two
halves tightly together and fill with
plaster, let harden and lift the molds
off.
Only one cast can be made from
molds like these. At shops where plas-
ter casts are made and sold and a
number of the same casts are wanted
a gelatin mold Is made. Being elastic,
1t is easily pulled off without harm to
the cast and still retains its shape and
can be filed any number of times. The
yellow or ivory finish that is given to
many casts Is obtained by using white
shellac, which can be had already
mixed from a palntshop. BY adding
oil paint any desired color can be OBJ
tanned. Rubbing with a cloth gives q
high polish, A bronze finish can be
given by coating with a mixture OF
white wax dissolved in turpentine, tc
which bronze or green paint has been
added.
A fine set of casts. which would in
terest children and could be used in the
schoolroom, could be easily made, sucl
as fruit or vegetable forms, apples, ba
nanas, potatoes and corn, or simple
animal forms, such as frogs, fish, etc.
also models that one has made anC