How To

How To Create Your Own Soft Stone Sculpture

Fine Sand

Cement

Vermiculite

Use equal quantities of fine sand, cement and vermiculite.
It's up to you as to the quantity of each - this will depend on the size of mold you are using.

Mix all three ingredients well together with water (really well).

Mix to a reasonably thick consistency - not too wet, not to dry.
If it's too wet it takes an age to firm up enough to carve and the sculpture will be weak.
If it's too dry it will set hard very quickly, before you've finished carving, and may be crumbly.

Place your mix into the mold that you have made beforehand.

       The mold must be very strong because the weight of the mixture wants to naturally pull down inside,             and might pull the mold apart.

        As you're putting the mixture into the mold, you need to get all air bubbles out. Again this will depend         on the size of the mold. I whack the sides of the mold to force up the bubbles. I also bang a long piece         of wood up and down, in the mixture in the mold, to force out air.
        For the size I make, it takes 2-4 hours to become firm enough take out of the mold without breaking             and begin to carve. I always describe it as being a consistency like a cake of soap.

Remove the block from the mold very carefully. This can be tricky and, at this point, many a block can break. Treat it with great care.

Now, you must carve quickly because the block is hardening all the time.

You've got about 3-4 hours, depending on the size. A small block will harden faster than a larger block.
I use potters tools for my carving, plus a couple of short nosed kitchen knives.

Heavy Grade Corflute for mold

Quick Release Straps around mold while mix is firming

I make my molds out of heavy grade corflute. I have 3 straps that I wrap around the mold beforehand at the centre, the top edge, the bottom edge. I pull the straps up as tightly as I can without bending the mold. The straps help to keep everything firm.

        The mold needs to be strong because the weight of the mixture will naturally pull down inside it                 and might pull it apart. I sometimes pile bricks up the outside of the whole tstructure, while the block is
        firming - or wood may be good too.

        As you're putting the mixture into the mold, you need to get all air bubbles out. Again this will depend         on the size of the mold. I whack the sides of the mold to force up the bubbles, and I also bang a
        long stick up and down, in the mixture in the mold, to force out air.
        For the size that I make, it takes 2-4 hours to become firm enough to remove the mold without
        breaking and begin to carve. I always describe it as being a consistency like a cake of soap.

I make my molds so that they can be 'unwrapped' from the block when it's firm enough.
Remove the mold very carefully. This can be tricky and, at this point, many a block can break.
Treat it with great care. I don't use any form of release agent, to stop the block from sticking to the mold because, in my experience this does not work. Some edge pieces of block may pull away with the mold, it's true, but you are going to carve the entire block anyway, so it really isn't an issue.

So, your block is free of the mold and sitting on your table.
Now, you must carve quickly because the block is hardening all the time.

        You've got about 3-4 hours, depending on the size. A small block will harden faster than a larger block.
        I use potters tools for my carving, plus a couple of short nosed kitchen knives.

Warning: Creating a soft stone sculpture can be treacherous and disappointing to the learner.
                If you make the mix too wet, or too dry, or make some unfortunate cuts with your tools,
                the sculpture may collapse part way through. Be prepared for this.

(Note) I think it is important to note how I make my molds to pull apart easily. Right from the very beginning of the process, I set the empty mold directly onto the table I'm going to carve from. I pour the mixture into the mold, on the table. Later, when I gently pull away the mold when the block is firm enough for carving, the block is already set on the carving table and I don't have to lift it up there from somewhere else (and increase the chance of breakage).
Also, you want the mold to be able to release water as it's firming, because during that firming time a lot of water will drain out. I have little holes in the bottom corners of my molds, for this porpose.
I have made quite long straps to hold the mold together during the firming process, and I strengthen the sides with timber and concrete blocks.
I have found that by going to all this trouble, I have less breakages of firmed blocks, than I otherwise might get when I have to go through the process of lifting a heavy the block up onto my carving table.

Just finished..................

Having mastered the techniques, Soft Stone Sculpture is a remarkably rewarding thing to do.

﻿﻿How To Create Your Own Soft Stone Sculpture﻿﻿

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How To Create Your Own Soft Stone Sculpture