For this Saturday, The Art Store is hosting the final scheduled July Saturday Sculpture Open Session from 1 to 4pm. Feel free to come by and make a pot on our wheels, start a bust of a loved one or learn the molding processes. After this session, our sculpture open sessions being offered in July will be determined by if our Introductory Watercolor Class will proceed and/or our Comic Generation Class will be proceeding. If both classes proceed, sculpture class may not be offered for the rest of July.
We will post about these happenings and at what times the sculpture sessions will be available after this Saturday. All attending students will be called after this decision is made.
The July Saturdays Drawing Class is a GO!
All registered students will be called directly to inform them of this. Due to this class proceeding, single sessions have also been released for all interested students. This class does have space for other students to attend. If you are interested you can register for all of July’s Saturdays by clicking on the image below, calling us or dropping by the store.
Single sessions are scheduled by calling or dropping by the store.
This class is being instructed by our own staff member , Keith Kendall – owner & manager of the Art Store
July’s Sunday Introductory Watercolor Class
This class needs one more signup for July to proceed. If you have always wanted to understand watercolors and how to get what you want out of this challenging medium, our in-store class can simplify this technique and make the paint work for you. This class is a beginner’s class but some of our more advanced attendees have remarked, “Oh…..that’s how it works!”. To sign-up online, click the image above or navigate our monthly scheduler. If you wish sign-up over the phone or in the store, please feel free to call us or stop by.
This class is being instructed by our own staff member, Sean Welch
Many of our customers recently have been after our fineline applicators for watercolor effects. You can use this equipment as a resist or water-based paint applicator. These are now back in stock and are hot, hot, hot. See image below for what we are talking about:
What can you do with one of these? See below:
Acrylic and watercolor can be thinned to apply with a pressured applicator with a free flowing style. Golden’s highflow can easily do this technique with a little practice.
Sculpture 101 – Starting with Modeling
Modeling
Modeling is the process of shaping and forming an object from a pliable material such as clay or quick hardening materials like Fimo, plaster of Paris and papier-mâché. Modeling is very a tactile art at which it is very easy to succeed and provides fun for kids as well as adults. Only a few basic supplies are needed to get started: some modeling material and a few basic tools that can be purchased or found around the house.
Clays & Tools
Modeling materials may be placed into two categories: traditional and non-traditional. Clay, clay mixtures, papier-mâché and plaster of Paris are considered traditional materials. Clay, also called earth clay, is very common and is what most people think of when they consider modeling. The one deterrent from beginning modeling using earth clay is that the final product must be fired in a kiln. Unless you have access to a kiln, begin your modeling education using air-hardening or oven-hardening clays. Clays made from synthetics, such as Fimo and Sculpey polymer clays, or made from clay mixed with chemicals and oils known as plasticine, are for obvious reasons considered non-traditional. Polymer clays come in a huge assortment of fully blendable colors; they remain pliable until you fire them and can be fired in a home oven. Plasticine clays also come in a variety of colors but remain totally pliable–they are used mainly in preliminary sculptures and for animation.
Tools
Because clays are so pliable, it is easy to manipulate them with simple tools that may be fashioned from everyday objects. A bent piece of wire or different size nails are quite useful in shaping sculptures as are toothpicks and scissors. For more professional results clay tools are available. These tools are typically shaped wood or bent metal wire on wooden handles. Just a few will allow you to define your sculptures with precision.
Molds
When pushed into a mold a pliable material will adhere to the mold’s shape, most often with extreme detail. Molds are available pre-made, and all you need to do is push a modeling material into them to create the shape. These push-molds are great fun for kids and crafters who find the results can be used as jewelry, ornaments, wall hangings, magnets, etc. Molds can also be custom made from any original piece of sculpture. Custom moldmaking is a complex process and complete books on the subject are available.
Armatures
No matter the modeling material you choose, if your final sculpture will be quite large, you will most likely need an armature. An armature is a structure used to support the sculpture, similar to the skeleton of your body. Modeling materials adhere directly to the armature and the whole becomes the final sculpture. Armatures are available pre-formed in basic figure and animal shapes or you can make your own. A variety of substances can be used to make armatures. It’s best to experiment with different types of wire and wood to find what works best for your technique.
These and other sculpture techniques can be learned and practiced in our sculpture class open sessions at the Art Store.
