Altered Model Mold Making

Situation

My brother was in town visiting, and we had just barely enough time to create a new ceramic mold and complete the entire firing and glazing process before he left. We wanted to start working on a project right away and get some slip casts made.

Task

Quickly start and finish a new mold that would be ready to use within a few days.

Action

• We started with a glass bottle that had a similar shape to what we wanted.
• Filled it with water so it wouldn’t float when we poured plaster around it.
• Added clay around the neck using a pottery wheel to create a better profile for casting.
• Quickly torched the clay to speed up the drying process.
• Built up a form around the bottle with clay and melamine board.
• Cast it into a three-part plaster mold.
• Let the plaster cure, then set it in front of a fan to dry for a day before use.
• Finally, cast several pieces, bisque fired, glazed with crystalline glazes, and fired them again.

Result