Work in progress for Karen

Karen begins with the tube for the cable run (and the centre support for the tree) having a threaded brass fitting brazed into one end, and the steel armature for the base and the centre of Karen welded on.

An oval base was first made from clay using a plastic former and a loop of string held by two nails at the focal points of the elipse. The former was dragged around the outside of a clay slab to form an oval with a consistent profile. A plaster mould was made of the clay structure and a concrete base cast within the mould around the armature. A clay ridge was placed in the base of the mould to leave a channel in the concrete for the cable.

Wire mesh was then wrapped around the steel armature to provide a base structure for the plaster/burlap build up. The steel was all coated with three layers of shellac to seal it before the application of concrete or plaster.

The build up of the plaster and burlap has begun. The lower section was not going right, so I adjusted it (with an axe).

The body is building well. The joint between Karen's leg and the base has been reinforced with glass-reinforced-plastic (polyester resin). The base has also been given a coat of GRP (experience from Lisa shows that the base is a good place for coffee cups etc.).

The body and tree have been built up to almost the final layers now. The tree and arms are made from a hard plaster (Modell plaster) for strength. The body is given a final coat of softer dental plaster (without burlap) that can be sanded to a fine finish.

The hands are modelled from plaster.

Karen is now given three coats of shellac as a sealant before painting.

Two coats of good masonry paint are applied as a base coat. The white on the body will help to give a clean yellow top coat.

Three layers of top colour and two layers of a satin varnish are applied. Her glasses have been cut from copper sheet (was a hot-water tank).

The final lamp. Karen is on the left, Lisa on the right, and some ugly sculptor in the middle!