I’m not sure why I enjoy plaster mold making as much as I do.  Maybe its the texture of slapping muck that makes me nostalgic for grade school arts and crafts.  Maybe its the strange science, pseudo alchemy, that tickles my brain.  Certainly its the challenge of designing the perfect puzzle, re-engineering a Jenga masterpiece.   The smart way to pour this piece would be to separate Eve’s Arm, and Adam’s leg from their bodies.  Pour them separately and then reattach later.  But Fun and Smart are not always equatable, and I’d rather have fun.  So with a little forethought, all the sections are staked out in advanced…  with break away lines being predicted.  The plan, naturally, last only for the first few sections….

One piece builds upon another.. and my eye is always searching for the hidden lock, avoiding the undercut that would trap the plaster in place.  As you can see, there is lots of opportunity to play with plasticine.  As an afterthought, one more reason why this is fun.

  Keep in mind that plaster is heavy, and so make sure you build your forms strong enough to hold back the weight.  Also, don’t forget to use Vaseline between the plaster sections. Plaster sticks best to itself…  And yes, in the past I have forgotten this step and entombed my original. With over a dozen sections, just miss greasing on side, and the whole piece is ruined.

Around and around you go…  Just imagine all the effort and time invested within that block of plaster.   Could be a complete disaster, a colossal waste of time.  Did I forget to Vaseline one side?