What do you need to know?

Dark Roasted Coffee! I recommend that you cook it out of doors, and have a container lid ready in case of flames. I have never taken the temperature, but you cook until there is a faint whisp of smoke on the surface. At that point adjust the temperature so the smoke just barely disappears. Remember where there's smoke there is fire. Good luck and take notes! Let me know how it went?

Google circumference calculator. Find your centerpoint in your length and measure out from the centerpoint. Allow at least 10 inches to a foot for the flat spots. Mark with a marker. And use a roll of tape around the tube to get a square cut. Draw out on paper first to make sure your calculations work. I should publish a formula, but those files are archived and I’ll have to look them up. good luck and feel free to contact me.

Ok this is the calculator I use online www.omnicalculator.com/math/circumference. 1- Diameter Calculation: An 8-foot diameter circle has a circumference of approximately 25.13274 feet. (This is just a calculation for reference.) 2 - Divide Circumference by 3: If you divide the circumference of the circle by 3, you get approximately 8.4 feet. Usable tubing. Converting this to inches gives you 8 feet and 5 inches. 4 - Adding 20 Inches: If you add 20 inches to the 8 feet 5 inches, you get a total of 10 feet 1 inch. 5 - Marking the Tube: Find the center of the tube and mark it clearly. Then, measure out 4 feet 2.5 inches from the center in one direction and mark it. Repeat the same step on the opposite side. 6- Do not cut the length down until the end. REMEMBER YOU NEED TO ROLL PAST THE ENDS TO AVOID THE FLAT SPOTS. AFTER THE BEND, THEN CUT!!!!

@@forsterarts Thanks for the calculator and calculations. I am still confused. After I mark the tube at 4.25 inches, how is this mark used? In relation to what? I’m trying to figure out how much bend to put in each 10-foot section so that 3 sections put together will give me the circle.

@@user-xx3we3bp1n the center of the tube is 5 feet. Circumscribe a mark with a felt tip pan at 5 feet. Measure out 4 feet 2 1/2 inches from the center. At that point circumscribe another line with your tip marker. do this for both sides? The remaining will be the flattened spots that you don’t want in your bend. Those get cut off and thrown away. I’m out shopping right now and should be home in an hour or two if this does not seem clear enough I’m having difficulty writing from my phone.

I address all the issues that you bring up. The medium I term as the Rubens medium, is one of six recipes that Maroger writes about. I simply state what Maroger and Max Doerner wrote about. Grizzaile Any medium that shortens the drying time, is ideal for the Grisaille. Maroger uses Rubens as an example of the Velatura glaze, as well as the grisaille. On the other hand, if you want to keep the paint pliable and malleable for the Sfumato technique of Leonardo, then I don't recommend any glazing layers, unless the painting rests for several months. Crazing or Cracking let's talk about the cause of crazing, or the little Spider like cracks in the painting. One of the greatest causes of crazing, is a ground that is not properly made. The other is thin on thick paint, or lean over fat. Yellowing There are several factors that may cause yellowing. There is a natural yellowing that occurs with using litharge. If you find that this alters your colors then I recommend using the lead oxide or white lead. The more common cause of yellowing is poor quality oil. I point out the best oils to use that need to be water clear! It is not the oil that causes the yellowing, but the mucilage in the oil, that has not been properly refined. Yellowing may also be caused by low quality paint, where the oil used is the the higher quality oil. More on Yellowing Just as the oil must go through a bleaching process, so can your paintings. If you are using a glaze then I recommend that you bleach your paintings in between layers. This will stabilize transient colors, and will bleach the oils and resins in your painting. Just a note, on the process. at the beginning of your session, you should mix the medium into your blacks and whites. And if you plan to use a dominant color that should have the medium mixed into that color. You should pick up a copy of Maroger and Doerners books. That would be the next step, on your path. Examples: Artist William Whitaker was a very good friend of mine. My recipe is close to his recipe, and he got his recipe from my father. He knew the importance of a good ground. In his later life his paintings were painted on white Lexan, sanded with 600 grit paper. He told me it was the closest thing to painting on Ivory. Most successful artist do not use mediums, if so they use medium sparingly. Such as a deep dark alizarin in a shadow, is one trick I have seen repeated. These artist say that painting is so difficult, why add another difficulty to the calculation. The other note, on the great prolific artist, is they stick to one brand of paint for consistency. One thing these artist have in common is they paint everyday, no matter what events occur they just trudge along. Good luck in your painting endeavors. Luis Borrero is the best on this topic, he also shows you a brilliant method for purifying oil. You can learn so much from this great teacher. www.youtube.com/@LuisBorreroVisualArtist

You can use any color additive you want. The purpose of the color is to act as a gauge so you don't chip away on the plaster replica. I use bluing, because it is designed to make white clothes whiter. In other words, there is always a little bit of the color that is absorbed by the plaster model. IE if you use a brown, the final will have a brown tinge to it. i use the bluing because it bleaches out eventually leaving the plaster whiter.

@ bierstadt This is the ideal medium for Hudson River painters, if that’s what you follow?

This is a water based clay. It is a light buff color, and contains no grog. the brandname is Maccabees sold from Laguna Clay

Thank you so much! Is this a clay that does not need to be fired? @@forsterarts

@@JosephLiatela Only if you want a permanent record. Size will dictate if you can fire your clay. Clay is a temporary medium! It can be modelled, and is plastic in quality. Bernini used clay models, but generally they were smaller than his original works. Plaster can be used as an intermediate step ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-FBOramlOyto.html. - the Italians refer to the galleries as Gipsotecha. The results of the clay can be quite alarming, in that the white of the plaster will expose every flaw in the clay. That is why I highly urge artist to use plaster before turning into a bronze.

@@forsterarts This is very helpful! Thank you so much!

Any Oil Clay. Michelangelo is thought to have used small wax models that he thumbed. Bernini used dried red clays, a wet clay he let harden. Clay itself is fragile in nature. the air dried water clays are prone to cracking and falling apart. The oil clays may attract dirt and marble dust. Wax is similar to the oil clays. Of course you can use anything that will last the duration of your carving. Plaster of course can take quite a beating. There is nothing like the white of the plaster to reveal subtle nuance of shape. In Italy the refer to the various stages, the clay is the birth, the waste mold destroys the clay, and is therefore referred to as the death. The marble they call the resurrection. The plaster once cast is referred to as the master. The copy of the plaster that is in the artist possession is referred to as the master piece.

Thank you.

Any resin will work. Damar is not pure like mastic, so you will need to strain it first. Make up a volume of Turps and soak the damar in the turps. Look up how to cut in any manual. After you make the black oil, and have removed it from the heat, add you solution of damar and turps at the end. All will be fine.

You should always cook out doors, because it can burst into flames. Be Careful! I first make the black oil with the litharge. The temperature should be just a faint smoke off the top. If you have a faint smoke, turn the temperature down just a tiny bit so it doesn't smoke. You cook until it is as black as coffee, for me that takes around an hour. But it all depends if the lead is dissolved, if the lead is not dissolve it will take longer. The black is the first indication that the lead is dissolved. "Remember there are six basic recipes each of the six has many multiples. Get the book, take notes and find the formula that is right for you!

They have the best reproductions by far. www.capronicollection.com/products/set-of-details-david-head-item-150?_pos=1&_sid=161614f6d&_ss=r&variant=875872391

Yes of course, he is a wonderful teacher!

Thank you

I always sculpt a nude figure first. Drapery used to be neglected by the older artists, the younger artists are picking up its importance. For drapery, I mix beeswax with paraffin wax and vaseline. I melt the ingredients and dip muslin cloth into the mixture, then hang it to dry. Then I arrange it on another clay or plaster. In this way, the fabric retains its shape, but doesn't look like they went for a swim in wet epoxy, which is what many people do. "keep in mind, you want the fabric to have a sense of air". The fold has two basic parts, the eye and the belly. Depending on the fabric, determines how the folds will appear. Reaching for Bernini, he does two things to folds, he often flips the draper, or puts a twist into the drapery. It is best practice to get a sense of how folds work, then be inventive on the figure. For a sense of realism, as the model advances you will want to hollow out the folds as much as possible. That will give that real fold appearance.

Thanks for your kind remarks - my channel www.youtube.com/@forsterarts/videos. | my website with downloadable PDF's. www.peterforster.com/gallery/video/

Well that is certainly kind. Many thanks!

I used to get four or five hundred views, but now I just barely get any views. All I can do, is try to better my work. Thank you for your kind words.

Yes you can use lead carbonate, it is whiter but not as durable. I am using litharge, which has a yellow tone. the color of the lead degrades through the heating process. Now ask yourself what is the principle behind the lead? It acts as a siccative, right. Now remember that Velasquez used verdigris as a siccative. In the spirit of Maroger, he gave us the base notes but wants us to go out and be innovators. So take notes on your successes as well as your failures. Let me know how the lead carbonate turned out for you. I encourage all who practice this to do so outside, and with fire control. Remember that everything you are cooking is a type of fuel. Never push past a lightly smoking stage. Lightly smoking means reduce your heat.

@@forsterarts Sir how much temperature we need to make this and can I use the mixture of lead and linsid oil as a black oil midium .

@@sohelpervas4821 As Maroger describes bring the heat to a light smoke, then reduce until the smoke dissipates. Remember where there is smoke there is fire. Be careful! The lead with the oil, is the black oil medium as described by the Italian masters. Cook until coffee black.

​@@forsterartssir are you using the lead oxide form maroger medium

@@sohelpervas4821 I have lead carbonate when I need an absolute white or clear medium. I generally use the litharge, which forms a harder surface, but tints very slightly yellow. Its your choice. Litharge has been easier to get and is cheaper than the Lead carbonate.

Hi KC, I need to preface with a word about plaster. I have seen the industry make several changes to the various types and grades of plaster. Due to endless regulations over the decades, the quality of plaster has degraded. 50 years ago, plaster would heat up to such a degree if you were not careful you could be burned. Also the whiteness has degraded among the various types of plaster. For this mold, I used pottery plaster because it is relatively soft and cheap. Which makes easy work for the mold wasting. In this case I did use hydrocal, a harder plaster. The advantages of using a harder plaster, is it expands when cured. That helps in the de-molding. Hydrocal and ultracal are double the price to pottery plaster. It does not make economic sense to use a more expensive product to make a mold that is going to be wasted. This time I experienced a gritty surface using the Hydrocal, I will not use Hydrocal again.

@@thesculptorschiselThank you very much for your answer. I've found your videos very helpful and I admire your work. I did have one more question. How much plaster did you use to make the mold and the cast? If I order 25 lbs of No 1 pottery plaster would that be sufficient?

@@KC-ku3wi I use Plastic quart measuring containers. I pre-fill the plaster so the plaster remains free from water contamination. My ratio is about 3 plasters to 1 water. If I want the plaster to be thin, then perhaps 2 1/2 parts plaster to water. "the trick with plaster is to let it soak, a process called slaking. 25 lbs is not very much, and plaster is cheap. I store my excess plaster in plastic bags, seal it well and put it in a lidded plastic container. Try one bag, and see? If the sculpture is my size then 2 bags absolutely.

I do apologize for not mentioning the link as where to find out how to make the glue. Please follow advice on video no 4 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ucI3aDZJhdM.html My Glue preparation is anecdotal and handed down. The reason is because of your very question, as to what is the glue strength? The glue source is the issue. They advertise calling it rabbit skin glue, in actuality it is a hide perhaps cowhide glue. The gram or pound strength changes from batch to batch even from the same manufacturers.

@@forsterarts thank you very match for replying my question, yes egzacly you are right! I catch the word you said in the video " water not important, glue and gesso proportions are important " or relationship you said something like that. And then I said to myself that should be the key! So now I thinking how to find best proportions🤔😀 You add one part glue and tree part gesso, is not too much? I make last week with one part glue one part gesso one part titanium white and two part water, canvas looks okay at the moment But still thinking glue was weak little bit

@@themrakaki Take notes! the purer the water the better the glue. If possible use distilled water. water temperature is critical too, refrigerate the glue as you make it. Glue temperature is important. Never get it over body temperature, that will weaken it! Body temperature is where you cannot feel hot or cold! too weak the glue will cause cracks, dirt will cause cracks, and too strong it will deform your stretcher bars. Take notes regardless of outcome! This will help down the road, when you write your book!😀

@@forsterarts thank you very much! That is really good advice, will be more focused next time, about book I am not sure 😀👍 If I make same paintings I will be more than happy 😂

I do not mix clay with plaster. What an interesting idea?

Yes you could put it over a pre prepared canvass. I love the Elmer's glue recipe. It is an absorbent ground. It allows thick abundant paint to be applied. I prefer linen of canvass because the weave is not mechanical as the cotton duck. Linen is 60% less absorbent than cotton, that will influence how the prepared canvass or linen will react to humidity changes in the atmosphere. Linen has become one of those anomalies of this recession where the price has gone down. I would contact your favorite art supplier and ask for a sample pack. I know that Dick Blick has bought up many art suppliers.

Silica suspended in a colloidal solution will only turn your painting white. Litharge is a dryer known as a sicitive, that speeds up the drying time. Other metals, such as verdigris, can also act as a sicitive. If you put the mastic in the turps, you will surely have fire. The Terpines in the turpentine are highly volatile. Like I said in the video, oil first then after it is cooked, add the turpentine.

You're right about my shoelace. I actually recall having to tie my shoe. Good catch.

@@forsterarts the trick is learning a square knot. You tie 2 knots, both in opposite directions

You have some really good questions. My daughter criticizes me for not explaining things well. Sculpture really needs one light source! You cannot sculpt in a fluorescent environment. That type of light flattens things out. The best light, is north light from above! That kind of light settles the nerves and doesn't not change with the sun as it moves through the day. As for a traveling light, that is a hand held light. When you shine it from multiple angles you pick up flaws that you would ordinarily not have caught. There is nothing like bright white gesso and plaster to expose the flaws in clay. Finally there is no medium that teaches you sculpture better than marble. Its natural resistance subordinates years of academic reasoning for the whys and wherefores of sculpture.

I see exactly what you're saying. You know honestly that is a good catch! I did not explain this properly, and this is a good reason for me to take notes. Let me try to explain. Measuring from four heads down to the pubis symphysis and then jumping over to measure from the iliac crest is one method of achieving proportional accuracy in the depiction of the human body. The reason for starting the measurement at four heads down from the top of the head is that this is approximately the location of the pubis symphysis, which is the joint where the two halves of the pelvis meet in the front of the body. By measuring down to this point, I can ensure that the proportions of the torso and pelvis are accurate and in proportion to the rest of the body. The iliac crest is the curved ridge at the top of the hip bone, and measuring from this point allows the sculptor to ensure that the proportions of the legs are also accurate and in proportion to the rest of the body. By combining these two measurements, I can create a figure with accurate and proportional dimensions from head to toe. This method of measurement is commonly used in classical sculpture and can help to ensure that the resulting figure appears balanced and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. I don't think a lot of artists understand this point. For feminine beauty, I will not measure down from the iliac crest, but jump over to the great trochanter, to achieve a lengthier leg. Also the ribcage should not align with the outer pelvis but be drawn in about one eye width per side. And it would not hurt to loose an eye length from the bottom of the ribs to the top of the hip. Regarding Feminine beauty: I have much to say on this matter with my notes on Eurythmy. I think I have more to say on this than any other person, as it has been my focus for many years. The topic of Eurythmy is not taught in schools and is greatly lacking in understanding. Universities and colleges have lost this knowledge, I am sure some of the Ateliers may be teaching the topic of Eurythmy. So far there is nothing on the web. In the end is it pleasing to the eye? I am very appreciative of you pointing this out, and giving me the opportunity to clarify the matter, thanks!

Good Idea! OK. I have to many books, more in the house. Been collecting for 50 years. I have gotten a lot of antique books through Abe books. Many of which the postage costs more than the book. Also I will search with other languages, French for some reason is really good with sculpture, and Italian. German and Spanish seem to offer many in Wood carving. And Dutch is not bad. I think I will follow up on your advice.

I know. Thanks. Taken with an IPhone, I have to change the angle to loose the fisheye. I don't use 7 heads, i use 8 heads to add elegance.

are you using bees wax? Please write down for me your exact materials quantities and exact process. Maroger spends very little time talking about Malbutter, which is what you are trying to make. Max Doerner spends quite a bit of time on Malbutter or McGilp. It would be an encaustic method so it should dry very hard. Ben Stahl used Malbutter and his paintings were very thick and rich. In the mean time this is the best book on that recipe www.amazon.com/Materials-Artist-Their-Use-Painting/dp/015657716X. BTW I made batches of Malbutter back in the 1970's and had good luck using Damar, wax and turps. You may try making some with Japan Drier. Remember to never boil your turps, The terpines are very flammable. Pine resins and Mastic may be too oily, you may try Dammar or Copal resins instead. The Van Eyck Method uses wax and water, Saponification. Your basically turning oils into a soap. The trick is to add the Ammonia in very very slowly. You may read about it on page 179 of Marogers book The secret formulas and techniques of the masters. Or you may go over to your friends place and have him demonstrate it for you. Remember there is not one Maroger medium, he has six base mediums and dozens of other ideas for you to try. I talk very little about the Van Eyck method or the small masters. I mostly refer to Rubens and Velazquez. Also look up the McGilp recipes either online or from books like Formulas for painters by Massey. Or Ralph Mayer.

@@forsterarts can I send it to your email please?

@@andrewtozerfineart9623 Sure

@@forsterarts what's your email please Peter? I can then send you how I made it:)

@@andrewtozerfineart9623 If you go to my about section and click the link that says reveal your email, that will give you my email address