Brand: Creative Paradise
Theme: Animals - big and wild
Use: embellishing
Material: Hydrostone Plaster
SKU: MOLDSDRAGON
$29.00 $23.20
They are plaster or fiberboard forms used to fashion shapes with clay. These forms and tools can be successfully used to create imaginative and unique clay pieces. Because of the absorbent nature of plaster, clay can be depressed into highly detailed sprig molds and lifted from the mold without sticking. Minute details can successfully be transferred from plaster to clay. The absorbent plaster forms help to assure an even and timely draw of moisture from the clay body, limiting cracks and sticking. Convex plaster forms are known as "hump molds" while concave plaster forms are known as "slump molds."
To select between a hump and a slump mold of the same shape, the artist must decide whether access to the inside surface (available with a slump) or the outside surface (available with a hump) is most important. Hump molds give the advantage of adding feet and handles to the outer surface of the piece. One must be sure to remove drying clay from a hump mold precisely at the leather-hard stage due to potential cracks from shrinkage strain. Slump molds allow the clay piece to dry with a limited risk of cracking because the clay is able to shrink away from the plaster wall.
Download a PDF below:
Step 1: Place a piece of flattened clay over the design in the sprig mold
Step 2: Use the bag of sand to pounce the clay into the form.
Step 3: Lift the clay from the form.
Step 4: Use a cleaning tool to cut the shapes from the clay. Repeat steps 1-4 until you have gathered the desired number of sprig objects.
Step 5: Use a moistened sponge to lightly clean edges of your objects.
Step 6: After arranging the objects on your hump or slump item, use a clean- ing tool to lightly score the area where the sprig objects will attach.
Step 7: Use a cleaning tool to lightly score the back of the sprig objects.
Step 8: Apply a small amount of slip to the back of the sprig item. Step 9
Step 9: Depress the sprig onto the scored area on the piece.
Step 10: Create any additional adornments with clay and attach the same way as your sprig items.
Step 11: Gently clean the entire object removing any imperfections with a sponge and cleaning tool where necessary.
Step 12: When the object is leather hard, remove it from the mold and clean the edges with a cleaning tool. Allow to dry completely before firing.
Note: Add a small ball of clay to the backside of sprig objects and fire to create clay stamps for making impressions in wet clay.
