Figure Sculpture in Wax and Plaster (Dover Art Instruction) [Paperback]

This is one of the reference books I keep in my studio.It covers techinques on materials that are not covered in other sources. The set up of the book is logical and helps one to understand the materials and techinques valuable to a sculptor focusing on the figure and other forms of expression. So valuable are these techiques as they offer a sculptor the opportunity to quickly create his design with the use of fairly inexpensive materials. i highly recommend this book to anyone serious about sculpture.

"Figure Sculpture In Wax And Plaster" by Richard Miller is mainly about how to use materials, not about the shapes in a human figure. You learn things such as how to mix plaster as opposed to how to sculpt the muscles of the arms and legs. The book focuses on the "direct" use of wax and plaster. In the "direct" method, wax figures are created by using wax as one would use modeling clay, not by casting wax in a mold. Plaster figures are created by putting plaster and burlap on armatures. "Direct" wax or plaster sculpture has a rough and lumpy surface. (The figures on the cover of the book are an honest representation of what can be attained.) These methods are not useful to people who want to make scale models or highly realistic figures with smooth surfaces.

The book also has some projects involving casting wax and plaster.

The most outstanding feature of this book is the overall organization of its projects. They provide a gradual introduction to the materials. This would be a useful reference for art teachers who want to design a course that gives students substantial work but doesn't expect them to make great leaps.

The Dover edition is a reprint of a 40 year old work. The technology of wax and plaster has not changed much. However, don't expect to find any hints about using modern materials such as epoxy putty or acrylic varnish as accessories in the sculpting process. The book has a 1970's attitude toward safety and environmental hazards. If that is your own outlook then you can happily heat a mixture of petroleum jelly and kerosene in a double boiler or melt a pot of lead on your stove. From a modern perspective, some procedures in the book are only for workshops set apart from living quarters and food preparation.

The book has many photographs. All are black and white. They are not high resolution, not on glossy paper, but adequate to convey useful information.

Contents and a few notes:

Foreword page 5
Introduction page 9

1 The Figure page 11
This section gives generalities about figure sculpture and many photographs that appear to be of small figure sculptures about the size of the projects described in the book - say 8 to 12 inches tall. A few of these figures have a smooth surface, so I suspect they were not created by the "direct" methods show in the text. They may have been carved or cast in a mold from a non-wax, non-plaster original.

2 Conceptual Tools page 33
A fairly abstract discussion of how shape and proportion are used in sculpture

3 Working with wax page 48
Describes various waxes, gives formulas for making modified waxes.

4 Sketching A Small Figure in Wax
Shows modeling a small wax figure of a stooping woman in modeling wax. (I estimate she would be about 9 inches tall if standing.)

5 Modeling On A Wax Armature page 59
The small wax figures shown in this book do not need armatures for support. An armature, itself made of wax, is a useful guide to getting the proportions of a figure correct. This project uses a wax armature resembling a stick figure. The armature can be built from rods of wax made by rolling wax on a surface or by casting it into rods. (The casting of rods and armatures is a later project in the book.) More wax is added over the armature to create a standing female nude about 9 inches tall

6 Hollow Wax Modelling page 65
This project uses wax pressed into sheets to create a hollow sculpture of a female torso about 1 ft tall.

7 Working With Plaster page 72
Describes the types of plaster ( "soft" Plaster Of Paris vs "hard" Gypsum cement)
Describes tools for working with plaster. Lists shellac as a sealer for materials that come in contact for plaster. (From a modern point of view, there might be better materials, ones that don't use a solvent as flammable as alcohol .)

8 Getting The Feel Of Plaster page 82

The first project in this section is to construct a simple tower of plaster about 2 ft tall by making a succession of small pours of plaster, one on top of the other, and shaping the sides with a rasp or chisel. The student learns how to mix plaster and gets an idea of how quickly it hardens.

The second project to sculpt a small seated figure ( I estimate it would be about 10 inches tall if standing.) A wet slab of plaster is cut into pieces. After the pieces harden, they are assembled with additional plaster to form the figure.

9 Modeling The Figure Directly In Plaster page 94

In the first project, metal rods are used to construct an armature that is attached to a board as a base. A standing figure about 2 ft tall is constructed by putting strips of burlap soaked in plaster over the armature.

In the second project, a metal pipe and wire mesh ("chicken wire") are used to construct an armature for a female torso about 18 inches tall. Burlap strips soaked in plaster are applied over the armature.

10 Casting Wax From Plaster Molds page page 110

This chapter does not show any wax figures being cast. The projects involve casting slabs of wax, rods of wax or flat "stick figures" , which can be reshaped into wax armatures for figure sculptures. Simple one and two-piece molds are used.

11 Making Plaster Molds From Original Wax Sculptures page 122

The project is to make a hollow plaster cast of a female torso about 18 inches tall from a wax sculpture. A once piece mold is used. The fact that his figure has a wide base is utilized to scoop out the wax from the mold and to insert burlap and plaster into the mold to make the cast.

The second project is to cast a figure from lead using the "lost wax" process. Two ways of making a mold are discussed. One involves using plaster and burlap. The other ( only possible for small figures) is pour a shell of plaster around the original. The wax is melted out of the mold by boiling the mold in water instead of burning the wax out in a furnace. The mold is thoroughly dried. Then the figure is cast in lead.

Appendix page 152

Working With Wax
This section discusses specific brands of waxes and companies that sold them (as of 1971, I assume)
It explains how to make an alcohol lamp with a blow pipe by modifying an oil can. (Such a lamp is used for melting and welding wax.)

Working With Plaster
The section discusses specific types of plasters and their properties. Points out that plaster sold at hardware stores is generally unsuitable for sculpture. Lists companies that sell plaster ( as of 1971). Explains finishes that can be used on plaster.

Working With Metals
This section discusses the specific types of metals suitable for casting sculpture and their properties.

Information On Molds
One page of advice on storing molds and slush casting

Miscellaneous Information
Lists sources for art supplies.

Index page 173

Photo Credits page 175

I rate this book as three stars out of five to indicate that it is an average introduction to sculpture with wax and plaster. In the 1970's it was a four star book. It's still good as a course outline.

Exactly what I was looking for. If you are looking for well illustrated practical instruction on plaster and wax modeling, then this will be perfect. Although it focuses on the human figure, the techniques could obviously be applied to any subject matter. Wax and plaster are both relatively cheap materials that have quick results and hold there shape and allow reworking later on.