The Dodo Diary

July 9, 2015

It's Thursday, and it's getting tiring, making molds during the day and casting in the evening. Looking forward to the weekend! Once you start making molds, you have to keep going until all of the pieces are made, because once the plaster dries out you can't add new wet pieces very easily. However, it needs to be done, because new molds make new horses, and some of these are long overdue. The highlight of today will be finishing the rubber mold on the Dodo.

July 14, 2015

We have a good rubber Dodo. One bubble in his wing, which can be fixed. Now to make a plaster mold on him! Well, three molds... A two part head and neck; a three part body (pouring through the neck) and a four part base/ leg mold. Fun!

July 16, 2015

 So tired last night, this is how the work table looked this morning. Now it's clean, and I am pondering Disembodied Dodo Legs. Where to start on them?

This is what I had in my head, but the reality leaves me doubtful. The legs are too firmly encased, they will not demold intact this way. So this piece will be further pared down, and at least two more pieces required, if not three. Time to stop and ponder.

July 20, 2015

t's a hot, humid Monday and the thrill of a new mold is the only thing keeping me going. We have achieved 2/3 of a Dodo. No legs yet, the mold isn't done, but the rest works great! He'll sit in a wet box for a week, waiting for his legs.

July 21, 2015

Working late again. The legs don't get attached until the seam cleaning is done.

July 23, 2015

One of the biggest rewards in moldmaking is being able to reproduce a piece of art, faithfully. Cutting up the master, so that you can reassemble it in another medium, multiple times. It's always interesting to see the 'birth' of the first casting.

I'll be making and selling them, yes, they won't be inexpensive though. The coloring will take some time.