During this first workshop, the focus was to practice with techniques.
I was shown the plaster carving method, this was a simple method to use as it is focused on relief and surface.this technique would be very appropriate for shallow relief forms.
I decided to approach this task with the idea of playing with the materials and exploring ways I can push the material, therefore I felt a continuous line allowed me to explore thickness, shape and texture.
I faced problems whilst undertaking the task, due to the shallow nature of the design I had chosen I found during the pouring of the pewter it struggled to reach all the areas of the design, causing big gaps in my forms. although this was resolvable by working back into the forms and taking more of the plaster away, trying this multiple times with no improvement, it was suggested to me to draw breathing holes into the forms.
The forms that did not go to plan are the ones that I prefer as they remind me of washed up shells, that have been eroded by being endlessly tumbled in the sea.
I want to experiment with this method in the future as I feel it would be an appropriate technique to explore surface, textures and pattern.
Lara Hoad Artist Designer: Maker 