Sculpting with Plaster 5: Newspaper, Wire, and Other Stuff

John Edwards builds a life-size sculpture on an old door using simple materials.

[@debbiejohnson2789]

Dude, that’s awesome. Thanks for bringing us into your studio!

[@robertr7887]

Thanks for sharing your creations. I love your art!

[@trulykelterstone8268]

Great Creative Work. I appreciate that you are being seen and allowing us to see you work the process.

[@cantopia]

Thank you--John

[@shereenbarber]

Thanks for showing this... it's interesting to watch how it all comes together in the end.

[@sydneytolppi5672]

This was perfect for helping with mediums for my wearable sculpture project. Thank you for this ✨

[@carlwright904]

Omg I do my sculptures like this! Plaster and foam is so fun to work with. Great video man👍🏻

[@cantopia]

Thanks. Where can I see your work? --John

[@GigiSpruill]

That feeling when you look at your art... and love it! Nice work

[@cindyritchie5521]

Amazing! I'm going to try doing this!

[@rochellehall805]

FANTASTIC, YOUVE GOT TALENT

[@ibanez856]

Iggy Pop... love that song so much. thank you for this

[@gloriastephenmorris5581]

WOW! Expressive - the mind boggles Beautiful female forms and wiring technique. Pays to be knowledged of the human anatomy Thanks for sharing

[@theowickenden8174]

It's so refreshing to see what I call a real sculptor at work. I came to ask questions after watching some time lapse footage of some self proclaimed masters make some semi classical figures in drapes. So boring but each to their own . Anyway soon as I heard Beefheart it all fell into place. . Have left without having to ask you anything . Won't bother ripping down the cheesecloth net curtain ...newspaper . Brilliant. Thanks.

[@celesteobias]

I really appreciate this art and all the effort you put into this! Don’t mind the haters

[@kerricorser4562]

I love how you work!!! Beautiful lines and movement. I wanna play at your studio!

[@cantopia]

Thank you. It's nice to find pople who get what I'm doing. What do you do? John

[@kerricorser4562]

cantopia I started in clay and moved to oils, but sculpture is my natural inclination. No kiln, so have been looking into paper clay and found your video. I really dig what you did with syrofoam headdress or antlers or whatever...lol. I use up old doors too.

[@rosaelinav8036]

Amazing job, as right now it’s looking like a creature coming out of the wall…. Can’t wait to see it’s once is done completely 👍👍👍

[@arthurfogg171]

Terrific! Thank you for sharing.

[@rahulshaw1663]

incredible work 👌

[@echotrash466]

Me, a person who was trying to find sculpting videos for help for my own project, I stumbled upon your video. Your projects look very surreal, btw. And now I have a better idea on how I can make some sturdier body parts for my own project. ^u^

[@naghamkh.8872]

haha hope ur project went well, I also have a project !

[@macplastering]

Well done my friend love it

[@SpookerMovie]

Thanks John for sharing your work and technique over several KZbin videos. My favorite moment in this video is at the end, when you check out the figure using a lamp. I'd love to see your creations lit by colored lights shining from different directions - I imagine an impressive sight without spoiling the starkness of plaster.

[@cantopia]

Thank you. You might be interested in a compilation video I recently posted. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Znjbc2dnbM6KjKs

[@gannebishop8946]

I am an artist and I am loving this! I have experimented on much smaller scales but would love to learn from you and watch how you create. It is so inspiring

[@MUNDOARTEGENIAL007]

I love this work! Congratulations!

[@chrissweet4849]

Amazing work!

[@mariescott9071]

Absolutely fantastic!

[@cantopia]

Thank you very much. JE

[@leialello7542]

Man, you are my inspiration...

[@steviehammond1964]

I have been wanting to make something with plaster and armature. I was going to make a creepy alien , then started a mermaid doll with wings. You gave me inspiration to try something cool. Thank you! Love the music

[@cantopia]

You're very kind. Thank you. Have fun. ---John

[@angienegron9724]

you make such great content! Please make more!

[@shadefreeinchrist255]

Awesome great work!!

[@wormwood3118]

beautiful..

[@shaghayeghtaj1515]

so impressive

[@alexanderlopez4357]

Thank you for this video...

[@susanapined3023]

Bello

[@naghamkh.8872]

i have a project just like this, thank you for the vid!

[@blackkat5756]

I love it!!

[@angienegron9724]

I love it! I've watch all of your KZbin videos! I'm obsessed. I'm your biggest fan!

[@johnedwards1321]

Thank you. John

[@angienegron9724]

are you working on any new projects?

[@SetGozo]

Thanks for your channel

[@DanuLee_Wardoyo]

News paper is strarting to become a rare product nowadays

[@josemariavalenzuelaChema]

You are The best!!!!

[@joeganech4184]

Splendid !!!

[@rukmeshart5313]

Nice work sir

[@ARtandSoul998]

Hi, I like your style, but what do you do with all the sculptures in plaster? surely they aren't weather proof is it a certain type of plaster you use like Herculite etc? Thanks!

[@cantopia]

No, they are not weather proof but plaster is pretty weather-resistant. By which I mean a plaster figure of any real thickness at all, say 2" thick, will endure a lot of inclement weather and survive one way or another for a couple of years. But that is without any additive. Acryl-60 and/or Elmer's Waterproof glue will add to the life of the sculpture both indoors and out, but if outdoors a final coat of some kind of polyurethane (once the plaster has dried good and hard) will help. The problem there is that if the sculpture is hollow and the surface is water-tight then water can accumulate inside the sculpture and will slowly and steadily push its way through the plaster and shove the polyurethane off and then break up the plaster so you need to vent the interior area of the sculpture or fill it with something like foam or actually build your sculpture over a solid foam core. Cheers. J

[@TheTedGawd]

Exterior varnish will make these things weatherproof. You just have to make sure there are no holes where moisture can get inside. Any interior moisture will cause it to rot from the inside out.

[@carkirsch77]

cantopia Have you ever tried grey cement? I would love to see your art survive longer in any kind of weather. Thank you for sharing!

[@cantopia]

@@carkirsch77 No, I haven't used cement yet but am working with 3 specialists to find a lightweight moldable, waterproof, weatherproof and strong material.

[@leandroqualquer]

Thank you to share

[@parasu108]

you can use this technique to make actual life like sculpture

[@shaunloynds5317]

Love it.

[@peepas2633]

Great choice in tunes my dude.

[@cantopia]

Thank you. Beefheart was a genius.

[@ansonstephen2891]

Great work😍😍😍

[@drakecrow9439]

thanks for the inspiration

[@khaopiolifejioquickdelicio7488]

Awesome

[@ART_INDIA]

Amazing

[@deaken5365]

Love Beafheart.

[@galactikbutterfly]

Great and yourtube is great thanks

[@artistprathapnkm9985]

Great,, thanks Sir,, 🥰

[@luzmarina2560]

Saludos desde Colombia felicitaciones wauuuuu

[@HornedBee]

This is beatiful

[@catherinemachado482]

Hi John! Love your videos !! so helpful. thank you for sharing. Working on my first large scale sculpture and want to use plaster - can you advise what brand/type you use exactly? plaster of paris? does it matter?

[@jude1143]

Thank you so much for sharing. You need a big area to do this work. Are they finished?.they look very delicate, like fairy people.You see in your garden.

[@umeshbagul007]

Thanks sir

[@ionaskallimanis845]

Love your work, how does the plaster not break? I tried using it the same way water+plaster stuck on similar base of a sculpture and it would just crack n w just a touch it would just fall off

[@christinenaylor4912]

could we please see you make the wire armature for this?...thank you

[@claudiacarcamo4878]

que bello trabajo amigo me inspiras a crear

[@orientacionpsicoeducativa1678]

Hermoso :)

[@bigbabyg]

thanks for showing, it wouldreally help in the future if youd annotate the video with process and materials used cause i dont know if thats water or some adhesive

[@cantopia]

Yeah. You're right. I will add notes. It's a mix of water and Elmer's Glue in no real ratio, just an eyeball guess. Cheers. John

Maravilhoso!

[@michellewhite6992]

Hi John new to your channel I currently on a 3d sculpture painting course only the tutor advises you buy her ready made plaster for the work which is costing a fortune in postage costs from Russia to the UK. I do know a few other artists who have given away her secret which is a plaster named Clavel riviera decorative stone plaster with added fibres. This imitates the Mediterranean Old stone walls. Now having watched this I seen cellulose fibres are added to your plaster and a green stuff used for insulation. I've been experimenting with making my own texture paste which has to stand upto the tutors expectations for the lessons upto 5cms high some petals need to be oh these are flower sculptures and have found a decorative plaster in the UK called fox decorator a Polish company makes it and it has cellulose fibres inside. I do know this Clavel is fibreglass not cellulose. I'm wondering is that insulation stuff you use any good for adding too this decorative plaster do you think as at the min I'm just adding marble powder to thicken it up because it's already got the fibres added.

[@enricagiammaria5963]

Bravissimo bellissimi

[@enricagiammaria5963]

Belli belli bravo

[@ernestobruno5733]

0

[@canaldogory1961]

Top muito bom!! Music tmb top!!🤟

[@rosaliaangulo7865]

Me encantó

[@ailaineneff]

Love seeing that IMAGINATION in progress. How much for a sculpture?

[@cantopia]

Hmmm... "How much for a sculpture?" I dunno. I've never been asked that before. I've never sold any of my artwork. I kinda make it cuz I want it. If I could just go buy it, life'd be a lot easier. Less fun tho. Thanks, John

[@cliffdariff74]

where you get the Green Fiber? do you like the stuff?

[@cantopia]

Home Depot or Lowes or someplace like that. It's cheap. Be careful not to use to much or it will weaken your plaster; which is why I add Elmers' or Acryl-60. And be sure to mixe the insulation cellulous thoroughly so you don't get dry wek spots.

[@user-zs9yc7gw3h]

Fantástico

[@nickfanzo]

The existential battle

[@toriderosa6309]

Interesting materials and technique. Will have to try my own version

[@davypaul9827]

have watched probably all your video's, and though you are more advanced than I, We use similar techniques. But saw the Portland cement, and wondering if you mix with plaster at times? my sculpturs mostly are exterior, so curious if that is a possible solution. thanks

[@cantopia]

Hi. Yes I have mixed various cements with plaster, not directly but on top of each other. I did this because some cement -based mixes are a little more plastic and easy to manipulate when I want some greater control. None of it is even close to the malleability of clay although a lot of them are marketed as "clay-like" or stuff like that. Plaster alone will survive outside for a few years but not forever. If I where stuck making something out of plaster that had to be outside or otherwise take a beating I would mix it with Acryl-60, which is a polymer additive for cement but works fine with plaster. Elmer's Glue works too but makes the plaster gummy. I am also about to do some experiments with Minwax Wood Hardener, which is a liquid that I believe penetrates porous materials. It's expensive but not as expensive as watching your hard work dissolve in the rain. The Minwax liquid would be applied after the plaster has set and dried, otherwise you'd be trapping water in there. Whether or not it can be added directly to the wet plaster mix, I don't know, but I don't see why not. All I can say about cement is that it's real hard to work with. It tends to go off too slowly and it's far too heavy for my purposes. Perhaps you can find a method that suits your work. Keep in touch. Good luck. John PS Can I see your work somewhere?

[@msart000]

If you don't mind me asking, how fragile are this sculptures, and have you ever tried cement??. Thank you for the great art work

[@cantopia]

Well, these won't take too much of an eating but they are easy to repair. And no, I haven't used cement yet but I have experimented a little. Problem is that it doesn't model the same and is too heavy, probably. I am trying a material call Structolite which is plaster mixed with perlite. It is very light but comes out s grey/brown which I'm not sure I like. We shall see. Thanks.

[@bhagyn3236]

Beautiful ! Beautiful! Beautiful! All your artwork is different and just gives a very appealing feeling! Watched all ur videos! Loved ur work! U have really inspired me to try this out! Btw is pop and plaster which u use r both different? How do you prepare the paste which u r using..can u please tell the proportions of mixing the glue n molding powder? U have used different molding powders in the video..

[@cantopia]

Thank you for you comments. I truly appreciate them. As for the addition of Elmers glue, I generally add that to plaster maybe a cup to a quart of water. I don'tnt worry about proportions too much. I just want some extra strength. If you add too much the mixture will,become gummy and hard to work with but it'll certainly be strong. The second material is Amaco Sculptamold. It comes already mixed with glue so you just have to mix it to the consistency you feel,like working with:either wet and sloppy or thick and more like paste. Third, I have added celluloid (household paper insulation) in varying amounts thinking it might add strength to the plaster but in this case I fear I used too,much and may have actually weakened the plaster. I think it would be important to pre-soak the cellulous and then mix it very thourighly with plaster but not use as much I I have here. The other reason I used cellulous was to ,try to,make the plaster lighter (weight) but I have since found a lightweight plaster called Structolite which is mixed with Perlite and is, I hear very very lightweight. I haven't used it yet but intend to this weekend and will post a video about it, its strength, ease of worksbility, and whatever else I discover. Thanks again. Hope this answered your questions as best as I can right now.

[@bhagyn3236]

@@cantopia wow!! Thank you so much!! Looking forward for the video!! Hope you have fun ..

[@moneysaverlady]

I found myself intrigued, even scared of your images..this art drew me in to being uncomfortable, but i couldn’t look away! Fantastic imagination..i mean brilliant! I would diffidently own those 3 alien looking bodies all together down the hall on the wood ..id be scared all the time...but wow, art should move you, if it doesn’t its not for you, find something that does! Art is just beautiful

[@cantopia]

Thank you for your heartfelt and complex reaction to my work. I appreciate your willingness to give it your thoughtful time and attention. John

[@lindafitzgerald9019]

Appreciate your creativity! Do you offer workshops?

[@jackamo9426]

Hi John, what is the largest gage of aluminum wire do you use?

[@cantopia]

1/4 inch if I need a real strong armature but it's hard to work with so 1/8" in fine and sometimes I double it up. The strenght of the piece comes principally from the shell, the plaster and paper itself. Cheers.

[@jackamo9426]

Thank you, and cheers to you!

[@alfredoreneangel]

Everyone I work with plaster it cracks. I have done large pieces and I end up using paper and glue. Plaster cracks on me. Any recommendations?

[@cantopia]

I'd need to know a little more about how you're using the plaster but initially I can suggest adding elmers gle to the mix or some kind of fiber. Excelsior (used to stuff furntiure) is often added to plaster catings for strenght but I don't know how you'd build with it. It'd be a hell of a mess. I often use a coupld of layers of plaster bandages (less expensive in bulk from medical supply places than art supply sites) and that stuff will not crack. Then you layer additioanl plaster over than. Tell me more about your process and I'll see if I can think of anything. Thanks and have fun. John

[@alfredoreneangel]

Just small figurines, but I wanted to make an angel and the wings kept cracking

[@cantopia]

Hmmm.. make them thicker? And/or add Elemer's glue to the mix. Let me know how it goes. Cheers, John

[@carkirsch77]

Rene L Have you ever tried cement? Here you have some directions I found in KZbin. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYeUnqBjYraNgdU

[@lauriemashek5419]

What are the components on the head? At first I ththem to be positioners but it looks as if they will stay.

[@cantopia]

They are some sort of head dress I suppose. Goid question. But I avoid being real specific. Don't want to get in my own way. Btw you,might like kzbin.info/www/bejne/Znjbc2dnbM6KjKs

[@Annabelle12345]

so cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool

[@27leeka]

Já fiz muito disso, com terra e água no quintal...😁

[@cantopia]

Excellent

[@ryandeakinsstuff]

Captain beefheart!!!!

[@moh-p7036]

cool

[@mechey10]

Where is these type sculptures used or sold?

[@ernestoguevara7624]

And after all,can I to develop the door?

[@silviafernandezrodriguez7361]

👍

[@universaluniversal8249]

Muy interesante el proyecto

[@cantopia]

Muchas gracias. Juan Edwards

[@AlTiradoFomenta]

Sorry that I can´t visit the website

[@SamRadDude]

where do you get the wire? what kind of wire is it?

[@elizabethdiaz8001]

Thank you for sharing, the work is amazing! Do the figures end up being heavy? Like can they be hanged on the wall? Thank you.

[@cantopia]

Thank you. No, generaly the figures are not all that heavy. It depends on how much plaster each requires. Some are fairly light. The figures attached to backing boards get pretty heavy though because they don't generally come off the backing boards. Again, Thanks. John

[@elizabethdiaz8001]

@@cantopia great! thank you again!🙂

[@brochanteur8253]

Bien vue, ((S u p e r)) .Chapeau John .

[@cliffdariff74]

Hey how about making a bust or head from plaster?

[@cantopia]

well, I probably ought to do a video on sculpture portraiture. I've done a lt of them. Thanks for the suggestion. John

[@cliffdariff74]

hi I noticed youb used some Elmers with sculptmold, does that give it texture?

[@cantopia]

No, the Elmarers is for dry-strength. But it can make the plaster gummy and you have to work faster, especially if you use too much Emlers which , how much is that? I don't know. I just add some into the water and hope. HAve fun. John

[@carkirsch77]

Cliff DaRiff Another one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqanmH-po6qln80

[@lauraswan8647]

A monster?

[@cantopia]

Well here's a link to me making my best guess: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4ascmyhqLaqfsU Maybe that'll help. I'll be interested to know what you think. Cheers, John

[@Angelina_Jolie_xxx]

Another alternative is "good stuff" (home Depot) insulation spray $5

[@cantopia]

Yep. I use that to glue insulation board chunks together and to fill in the gaps. Thanks. John

[@nicuivan6785]

Ciao,cosa e la povere bianca ,che usi per bagnare la carta,? Grazie mille!

[@cantopia]

plaster. thanks!

[@zischendergeist]

O! Captain beef heart!)

[@almondv]

how many thick or gauge is the wire you used? can anybody answer me!!!!!? ]

[@cantopia]

Hi. For the main armature I use fair thick wire. Up to 1/4 inch. For hands, I use something like 1/8" or even thinner. You can always get thing and wind it up to a double thickness. . But important: It's Aluminum wire. Steel is too tough and springy and won't bend easily. Cheers

[@almondv]

@@cantopia thank you so much sir. Very appreciate this response. I am subscribing to your channel :)

[@usamapatni4171]

please show the starting video

[@cantopia]

A good look at the preliminary steps in this process can be found at kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2XWipqArNeIbqM "Sculpting With Plaster: 1 Newspaper and Wire." Thanks for your interest. John

[@khosrowkhavar8427]

Waht is this