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dena6355

Just a little Happiness

Dena6355
18 years ago

After Herb posted "copy this?" in the gallery, I figured I better just get to work. I have a bulletin board near my work area that has pics and ideas of things to do, wanna dos and gotta dos. I also have a three ring binder, but that is a whole other story.

Here is the link to Herbs post:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hypertufa/gal052346368552.html?5

Happiness is my interpretation of the 'jinmen' photo.

I am pleased with the results. I started with a mound of damp sand, used 3 sand (very finegrey):3 vermiculite: 2 cement and charcoal dry colorant. Very dry consistency and patted it onto the sand mound. Shaped the face, exaggerating some features so I could come back and reshape/refine a little later. A little later; and in this case was not very long, less than an hour. The sand mound wicked moisture from underneath, and I was able to get this done in less than a 1/2day's time. It is still curing, still has the damp sand in it. The shell/face is about 1/2" thick overall. Will be interesting to see the inside when I remove the sand. I am also spraying it from above, to maintain moisture. Happiness is about 10"wide by 12" long.

Happy casting,

Dena

Here is a link that might be useful: Happiness

Comments (24)

  • Sarahsaid
    18 years ago

    Dena,How beautiful!!!!!!When I come to Austin to visit the kids,would you mind me driving by and peeking over your fence?What a great addition to "Peace".I also have a note book full of things I want to do.Happiness is just wonderful!!

  • Dena6355
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Sarah,
    I love for people to drive by and hope they enjoy the garden.....but unless my city or yours has moved it seems like that would be a pretty big drive.
    I am in Edmonds, Washington.................
    Come on by; e-mail me for directions and my phone number.
    See you soon? :)
    Dena

  • dixiesmom
    18 years ago

    Dena, you are such an artist. I just love all your stuff.
    I wish you were in Austin! I would love some lessons.

  • Sarahsaid
    18 years ago

    For some reason I thought you were in Austin.I think everyone in zone 8 is right near to me.AH...I am dissapointed.I love your work.I hope you are signing everything or leaving some sort of "benchmark" for future generations to know who made these wonderful things.
    We all need a litle "Happiness".

  • Belgianpup
    18 years ago

    You're so GOOD, Dena!

    Sue

  • Herb
    18 years ago

    Dena - thanks for posting that - I'm starting to get the feeling that I might try it too.....

    Herb

  • leigh_wi
    18 years ago

    Dena,
    Wonderful as always, you captured so much emotion in this one! The smile lines are perfect. You keep us all inspired.
    Leigh

  • paws4pets
    18 years ago

    Wonderfull. You are right we all need a little happiness.
    Paws

  • HowieDoin
    18 years ago

    Dena, he's wonderful! And you're creative as usual. You actually kicked me in gear with this one and made me get outside and do some of this. I did a leaf and a face. Even though my face isn't as elaborate as yours, I used the sand mound but I put my mixture in a large plastic grocery produce bag and patted it down into the face shape while still in the bag then I cut the seam on the front and worked in the features. After I was finished doing the preliminary shaping, I pulled the sides of the bag back over the face, with some additional cover, and started the curing.

    You should do classes. I bet you would be in great demand because you've got a great combination of the skill and the creativity with this stuff!

  • Louisiana_greetings
    18 years ago

    great happiness, Dena, you always have something cool goin on.
    bonnie

  • Sarahsaid
    18 years ago

    Howie,how I envy your thought process!!!I had to reread your post to get what you were describing.I am giving "Happiness" a whirl my self this three day weekend,and my mix will also be "in the bag"Great idear!

  • HowieDoin
    18 years ago

    LOL Sarahsaid--you envy something you have to go back and read? Sorry if my post was "rambling"--I was in a hurry yesterday.

  • Dena6355
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Happiness x's so many. I will be happily waiting to see what others come up with.
    Howiedoin, I am not sure I totally understand, did you do a leaf with a face? or a leaf and also a face. did you cover the mound of sand with the plastic, then put in your mix?
    I hope all of those who try a little happiness will post their happy thoughts and results.
    Happy casting,
    dEna

  • HowieDoin
    18 years ago

    Obviously I wasn't too clear! LOL

    The leaf and the face are separate--I guess I just wanted to let you know you motivated me to get out there.

    When I made the face, I put the already mixed 'tufa in one of those large thin plastic produce bags that you get at the grocery store to put your vegies in. I did that after struggling with putting clingwrap over the sand mound-ugh! It was the slightly opaque, non-stretch type plastic (I'm not sure how to describe it). I found that the bag was amazingly strong, held quite a bit but allowed the 'tufa to move around as I wanted it. I did the sand mound as you had described, plopped the bag-of-tufa over the mound (bottom was twisted at "chin") and basically patted and rounded the face while it was in the bag. Once I had the shape there, I had a seam (coincidentily) in the middle of the face and I pulled the plastic open and I squished the features into the 'tufa. During this time the bag was still damning the sides of the face in to a good degree. I added a little too much water to the mixture but it still worked.

    I didn't really mean to hijack your explanation on how to do this Dena! It's really the same old way of putting the plastic between the tufa and the sand, but in this case it sort of "dammed" the 'tufa in and rounded the edges of the face for me. Like I said, my mixture was probably a lot wetter than yours--not by intention though.

    A short version: bag, plop, pop and play!

  • HowieDoin
    18 years ago

    sorry, I meant to say "dammed" not damned--the plastic was holding the 'tufa in, not hexing it. LOL

  • suzyqute
    18 years ago

    Dena, He is absolutely breathtaking !
    Color me green
    SuzyQ

  • Dena6355
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    HOwieDoin,
    I just love when others have a different take on how to do something. I have made tufa planters the way you are describing, putting tufa into a bag, kind of shaking it into a shape and then putting my fist into the covered tufa, placing a rock where my fist leaves an indent and letting it sit for about a day. Uncover it, put a small hole at the bottom of the indent, and there you go instant rock/alpine hens and chick planter..

    Now I do want to say something about what you said placing a barrier between the wet sand and the tufa. When I made Happiness I patted the mix right on top of the sand, no barrier. The damp sand does a couple of things at first it kind of wicks moisture from the mix, allowing a 'shell' to form, then allowing you to make shapes by adding or taking away. The other thing it does is that once the sand has soaked up what it can, it gives moisture right back to the mix. You still have to mist the project, but it will maintain a little more moisture from underneath too.
    Check out my webshots where I talk about sand casting, that more closely resembles what I was doing.

    HowieDoin, are you happy with your project? I hope you will say it was pretty easy to do.
    Happy casting,
    Dena

  • Dena6355
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    HowieDoin,
    Here is a pic of the tufa in a bag that you are sort of describing. I sill be checking to see the face you made.
    Dena

    Here is a link that might be useful: Tufa in a bag

  • HowieDoin
    18 years ago

    I had considered digging up some sand in my yard and putting it into some type of bin to do this project but I figured by the time I did that I'd flake out on the hypertufa projects! :) I had just dug some post holes out last week and had the extra dugout sand sitting in little piles from that SO I just figured I'd use those and blow the bin part off. But I knew, because of our heat that the sand wouldn't remain damp long so I used a barrier. I had the bags there to use for the barrier but thought with the face project that I could probably put it in the bag and plop. It's not the Saran wrap type bag but one that sort of crinkles when you handle it--I think that possibly made a difference in not getting the crinkles that cling plastic usually gives--much easier to work with. It really worked out well, I thought. I guess it ended up being the right bag size for the amount of mixture and diameter I needed.

    Now as far as my sculpture ability went that day, that might be a whole other factor. I was squatting down to do this rather quickly before the fire ants found me so I didn't do my best job forming the face. The thickness is about 1 1/2 inches except for the eye sockets and the mouth which are about an 1/8 inch thickness. If I decide to, I can carve them out later. I also have him with his tongue sticking out (possible fountain). It still needs some carving to define the details.

    I did unwrap them today and have them in a complete water bath hoping that they will stay somewhat carvable until I get to them after the holiday weekend. If I can find my camera battery charger, I'll try this again and show some pictures. I'm going to have to find those bags again because I think that's why it worked so well. Yes, it was easy, especially for this type of rounded edge shape.

    I'm sure it's what you're doing with the planters but I just used the mound to inverse that method.

    With the amount of slump in my mixture though, I probably would have done well without the barrier but I may not have been able to control the runaway 'tufa. Oh well, live and learn.

  • ianna
    18 years ago

    Dena,

    Have you created hypertufa 'fossilized shells'? If so can you provide instructions?

    Ianna

  • Dena6355
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Ianna,
    To date have only thought through how to but nothing in concrete as they say.
    I would begin by having a thin latex mold of the shell, then placing the latex mold(the shell copy facing up) on damp sand and sort of pushing it into the sand. Sort of flanging or hiding any hard surfaces of the latex mold underneath sand will create an effect of the shell being smooth and coming out of the sand, rather than seeing the edge of the mold.
    Another option that I would try would be to impress a shell or several into plasticine clay, or potters clay, then remove the shell and proceed as above, covering the edges of the clay or tearing them away. Then add a mix.
    I think I would use either a mortar type mix, 1 part cement to 3 parts fine sand, with enough water to create a toothpaste consistency, then press it into the mold and wait. Or a lightweight mix could be used, 1 part sand, 1 parts sand and 2 part vermiculite or perlite (your own preference.
    This type process could be used in a tile or stone or on a rock surface, big or small.
    Does that help, I will try something like this this weekend, and see if it is what you were talking about.
    Others have created fossils here, I think it was rustinj who has an animal fossil. There are companies that sell either thin latex molds of fossils or stepping stone molds of fossils.
    Good experiment, I love trying to visualize how to do different projects.
    Dena

  • Dena6355
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Ianna,
    Take a look at how the lavender stone was made. lavender was impressed into clay, then removed the lavender, and added a mix. After the stone was turned out, I made a thin 'skin' latex mold that is very thin at the edges. I can place this in the bottom of my stepping stone form and put mix on top, turn it out after a day and peel the latex skin off. I do not have a picture of the latex skin in my webshots, but would be happy to send you a pic of what the 'skin' looks like.
    Dena

    Here is a link that might be useful: lavender stone

  • heehoo
    18 years ago

    Dena and Howie, your generous spirit and time spent in providing instruction gives me great pleasure. Thanks to all of you who share, modify, add to, and create excitement in the people like me who stumble along, playing happily in the mud. Dena, your climate-specific directions are particularly helpful to me, since I live in Edmonds and have a summer place on South Sound. Many thanks.

  • Dena6355
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Updated Just a little Happiness and a couple other things today. Using concrete acid stains. Good practice.
    Happiness has ebony and jade for colors, up close it is a little more detailed.

    Dena

    Here is a link that might be useful: Happiness update