Melted m. crystalline wax: – Trying to introduce it to a cold bucket of water quickly has proved troublesome and has at times caused what one observer described as the ‘poached egg’ effect! (Not really what I was going for!) With tin foil I was able to get the wax into the bucket in a reasonable quantity. But I could not get the foil away quickly enough and the wax always stuck to the foil. If I could avoid the foil sticking the small cavernous shapes are quite interesting. Though another problem is the white wax makes them too reminiscent of what’s left of a candle after a long power cut, and not organic form.
Exploring the more accidental ways of creating wax sculptures: – Had problems with what containers to use, as thin plastic containers melt! The wax sticks to metal foil. (Not to mention testing my asbestos hands to the limit!). Other more robust containers end up with the wax breaking up as it is removed, even after warming them before putting the wax in! I do like the effects that I see happening though. I like the many honeycombed crevices (a little like a Therese Oulton painting). The feathered edges explore the delicacy I enjoy, and the way the water swirls around the solidifying wax causes some interesting surface texture to form on even the smoothest parts.
Finally have managed to get two usable sculptures, one by using part of an old card tea bag box. Filled it with hot wax then after submersing this in the cold-water bucket, peeled away the card. Did lose some sections, but was left with a reasonable form. The other was a section from a ‘gone wrong’ early piece, which I salvaged. Both are very different in their shape. The one being as I have said quite honey combed, the other much smoother and solid.
The candle looking aspect, which I did not like about the white wax, I have tried working on in these 2 accidental sculptures by adding paint. I do like colour! But will have to consider further how far to take the colour aspect of the sculptures as I also feel the etiolated look of the more yellow waxes adds it’s own ambiguity and unease.
I have tried to add colour to the harder wax and strength to the soft wax by mixing the soft brown with the hard microcrystalline. This has not been very successful, varying mixes have not given the results I wanted. When mixed for the introduction into cold water, the resulting wax is not a good colour, insipid and uninteresting, and also (and more importantly) has no form. It often remains limp, and large amounts float in the water looking like scum on the top of a pond!
