Wax Scuplture

Let me preface this with the fact that I sincerely enjoyed working with the wax, especially since I had started to dread working with a new material after becoming so comfortable with the plasticine. This also started with a trip outside to the stove where I watched the small beads-like chips of wax melt into a steaming hot liquid. The color of the deep red wax was beautiful and I marveled at the transition of color as it dried. The melted wax color is gorgeous when it is hot, almost the color of a hot-tamale candy, and nearly transparent when dripping off the brush in a thin layer like a piece of blown Chihuly glass.

Next I got to work on correcting all the imperfections that come from the rubber mould’s imprint of the plasticine. On the fun side I got to smooth the wax using a giant torch. A blue fire zips out from the tip of the spout placed on top of the green propane gas bottle. To do so I heated the smooth edge of the metal tool by the blue flame. Once the knife is smoking the wax will become liquid with the slightest touch. It was wonderful just sliding the blade over the liquid wax and smoothing it, brushing the knife this way then that. The wax then solidified so quickly, it was amazing. I also like smoothing with the metal sheet grid and the kerosene, specifically using it to shear away the tiny edges of the wax left from the rim of the knife. Running your finger over that completely smoother surface was awesome because I was initially apprenhensive about getting that frictionless surface with the wax.