anthonyfoo Posted April 2, 2010 Report Share Posted April 2, 2010 I've been using paper clay for my hand build sculptures since I found out about it in 2004. It has become my medium of choice for my works. It has several advantages over a "traditional/regular" clay body. I still use a "regular" clay body from time to time, mainly for the texture and color that I cannot get from paper clay. On the downside it's more expensive, but the peace of mind you get from it, to me, is worth it. Looking forward to meeting the people here. Anthony Foo www.anthonyfoo.com antjhfoo.blogspot.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann E. V. Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Anthony- Oops I'm new to this format! I love your sculptures, especially the organic 'sea anenome' and cup-like fungus shapes. keep up the good work....I'm inspired! Ann E. V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mara orsi Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 I've been using paper clay for my hand build sculptures since I found out about it in 2004. It has become my medium of choice for my works. It has several advantages over a "traditional/regular" clay body. I still use a "regular" clay body from time to time, mainly for the texture and color that I cannot get from paper clay. On the downside it's more expensive, but the peace of mind you get from it, to me, is worth it. Looking forward to meeting the people here. Anthony Foo www.anthonyfoo.com antjhfoo.blogspot.com Your work is beautiful, I am using it for some of my small sculptures, but some very thin parts are very fragile, what ratio paper/clay do you suggest? I didn't take pictures yet but some of my new forms are too fragile with paper clay, and it is hard to measure the ratio and keep it consistent. I really enjoyed your boat shapes and the flowers Mara http://www.maraorsiceramic.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyfoo Posted April 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 I've been using paper clay for my hand build sculptures since I found out about it in 2004. It has become my medium of choice for my works. It has several advantages over a "traditional/regular" clay body. I still use a "regular" clay body from time to time, mainly for the texture and color that I cannot get from paper clay. On the downside it's more expensive, but the peace of mind you get from it, to me, is worth it. Looking forward to meeting the people here. Anthony Foo www.anthonyfoo.com antjhfoo.blogspot.com Your work is beautiful, I am using it for some of my small sculptures, but some very thin parts are very fragile, what ratio paper/clay do you suggest? I didn't take pictures yet but some of my new forms are too fragile with paper clay, and it is hard to measure the ratio and keep it consistent. I really enjoyed your boat shapes and the flowers Mara http://www.maraorsiceramic.com Hi Mara, Glad you are enjoying my forms. We are really spoiled here in So. California as Aardvark, our local PClayâ„¢ supplier is just down the freeway from my house. I get the commercially prepared paper clay from Aardvark. They now carry 5 varieties of the PClay based on Rosette Gault's patented formula. I've tried making making my own paper clay and it's messy, labor intensive, and time consuming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyfoo Posted April 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Anthony- Oops I'm new to this format! I love your sculptures, especially the organic 'sea anenome' and cup-like fungus shapes. keep up the good work....I'm inspired! Ann E. V. Hello Anne, Thanks for your support! I enjoyed creating those pieces. The "anemone" series was my early foray into paper clay. I really enjoyed being able to shape and form the tentacles with the paper clay and have them keep standing. Was really fun making them, especially the piece titled "Searching" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terraforma Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Hi, Anthony! Took one of your paperclay classes at McGroarty Arts Center last year, and have been a devotee of paperclay (p'clay...) ever since. For anyone interested, I highly recommend attending one of Anthony's workshops - he's a great, patient, thorough instructor, and besides, it's just plain fun. I'm now awaiting the firing of my first piece using p'clay slip to join plain clay bone-dry feet to a very large bone-dry platter. Can't wait to see the results! BTW, I've just discovered Rosette Gault's great paperclay resource book called (surprise!) Paper Clay. Highly recommend this as well. Mickey Fielding Terraforma Studio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anne t Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 I have been a fan of Rosette's after taking a Paperclay class from her last summer in Idyllwild, CA. She encouraged me to experiment with the P'clay in ways I did not expect to work....but usually did. Besides Aardvark, which carries her formulas, I have used the paperclay that Laguna distributes. Anne Tryba Studio (http://www.annetryba.com) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venetiancat Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Anthony, your forms are exquisite, and as i looked at your website, it was a lot of fun to see how your work has evolved to become more subtle and refined. I just LOVE the organic sea forms. I'm glad that you included a description of paper clay, I think I'll try it next time I get a commission for a sculpture, it seems that it really makes life a lot easier! Ann, your sculpture is just beautiful, LOVE the details in the dress, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Anthony, The pieces on your website are an amazing source for inspiration. I want to add my commendations to those who have already expressed admiration for your work. OK, so if I get 'hooked' on paper clay, I now have someone to blame, right? *big grin* My best to you, Paul:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyfoo Posted April 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Anthony, The pieces on your website are an amazing source for inspiration. I want to add my commendations to those who have already expressed admiration for your work. OK, so if I get 'hooked' on paper clay, I now have someone to blame, right? *big grin* My best to you, Paul:) Hello Paul, Thank you for your comments. I have to admit I've "converted" several people to using exclusively paper clay. They swear never to go back. Ha! ha! I'm really spoilt by the freedom paper clay has given me - not restricted to the working timeline imposed by "regular" clay. Many of my forms are not possible without paperclay. I'm having lots of fun creating them. Best regards Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyfoo Posted April 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Hi, Anthony! Took one of your paperclay classes at McGroarty Arts Center last year, and have been a devotee of paperclay (p'clay...) ever since. For anyone interested, I highly recommend attending one of Anthony's workshops - he's a great, patient, thorough instructor, and besides, it's just plain fun. I'm now awaiting the firing of my first piece using p'clay slip to join plain clay bone-dry feet to a very large bone-dry platter. Can't wait to see the results! BTW, I've just discovered Rosette Gault's great paperclay resource book called (surprise!) Paper Clay. Highly recommend this as well. Mickey Fielding Terraforma Studio [/quote Hello Mickey, Good to hear from you again. Glad to know you are having fun and success using paper clay. Regarding your piece, it should work. Paper clay slip is great as a "glue" even if used with "regular" clay. If you understand the fundamentals of using paper clay, you should have no problems at all. I find this very liberating and honestly, takes a big load off my shoulders when I work with paperclay. Would love to see you piece when you've finished it. Warmest regards Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyfoo Posted April 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Anthony, your forms are exquisite, and as i looked at your website, it was a lot of fun to see how your work has evolved to become more subtle and refined. I just LOVE the organic sea forms. I'm glad that you included a description of paper clay, I think I'll try it next time I get a commission for a sculpture, it seems that it really makes life a lot easier! Ann, your sculpture is just beautiful, LOVE the details in the dress, thanks for sharing. Hello Julia, Thank you for your comments. It's great to have an archive to see how my work has progressed over the years. As I explore what I can do with paper clay, my forms have become more challenging, sometimes too challenging. Ha! ha! I do a lot of sketching and drawing of my concepts prior to starting work. Even then, it's very different translating from a 2D to 3D environment. I think you will enjoy the benefits of paper clay. It is especially suited for hand building. All the best Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyfoo Posted April 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 I've been using paper clay for my hand build sculptures since I found out about it in 2004. It has become my medium of choice for my works. It has several advantages over a "traditional/regular" clay body. I still use a "regular" clay body from time to time, mainly for the texture and color that I cannot get from paper clay. On the downside it's more expensive, but the peace of mind you get from it, to me, is worth it. Looking forward to meeting the people here. Anthony Foo www.anthonyfoo.com antjhfoo.blogspot.com Hi all This is the direct link to my website and blog. Click on the links below and it will take you directly to the site. www.anthonyfoo.com antjhfoo.blogspot.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyfoo Posted April 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 I've been using paper clay for my hand build sculptures since I found out about it in 2004. It has become my medium of choice for my works. It has several advantages over a "traditional/regular" clay body. I still use a "regular" clay body from time to time, mainly for the texture and color that I cannot get from paper clay. On the downside it's more expensive, but the peace of mind you get from it, to me, is worth it. Looking forward to meeting the people here. Anthony Foo www.anthonyfoo.com antjhfoo.blogspot.com Hi all This is the direct link to my website and blog. Click on the links below and it will take you directly to the site. www.anthonyfoo.com antjhfoo.blogspot.com A SPECIAL TREAT When you go to the splash page on my website, and if you stay there for a bit and move the cursor away from the main black and white image, it changes every 5 seconds. You'll be treated to a close up of my sculptures. If you want to stop the slide show at any time, move the cursor back into the image. The slide show will pause for you to enjoy the details. Enjoy!! Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isculpt Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Anthony, I'm new to clay in general and to paper clay in particular. Your work is wonderfully free and organic. One problem I'm having with paper clay (I'm on the east coast, so it's Laguna) is that the clay is sometimes too lumpy for small, detailed work. Is it just me, or is paper clay meant for creating work that is more loose and free than this former woodcarver is capable of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Anthony, I'm new to clay in general and to paper clay in particular. Your work is wonderfully free and organic. One problem I'm having with paper clay (I'm on the east coast, so it's Laguna) is that the clay is sometimes too lumpy for small, detailed work. Is it just me, or is paper clay meant for creating work that is more loose and free than this former woodcarver is capable of? Hello, former woodcarver! I have just added a post about paperclay on another forum and thought you might be interested ..... I make my own both by using Rosette Gault's method (and Anthony's quite right - it can be very messy and takes ages) but I also make it using a block of clay and sandwiching a couple of sheets of toilet paper into every half inch or so of the clay. You do have to wedge thoroughly to mix the fibres into the clay, but the result is as strong and flexible as "normal" paperclay and can take detail beautifully. Kind Regards Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueline Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Hello Anthony and other paper clay sculptors, I'm new to ceramic sculpture, and recently bought some paperclay after reading Rosette's book. I am trying to create some abstracted horse sculpture but have still have difficulty with the legs breaking off easily while I'm working on it. I devised a sort of sling in which to hang the body (much like the vet would rehabilite a horse with a broken leg) to take some of the weight off of the legs. I was wondering...could I insert paper straws, or bamboo skewers to help strengthen the clay legs and they would burn out during firing? Thanks, Jacqueline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyfoo Posted April 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Anthony, I'm new to clay in general and to paper clay in particular. Your work is wonderfully free and organic. One problem I'm having with paper clay (I'm on the east coast, so it's Laguna) is that the clay is sometimes too lumpy for small, detailed work. Is it just me, or is paper clay meant for creating work that is more loose and free than this former woodcarver is capable of? Hi lsculpt, I have a lady here who uses paper clay (Laguna Clay Company paper clay and Gault 10 Pclay from Aardvark) exclusively for her portraiture works because she can create fine details with it. The paper clay should not be lumpy at all. I do not wedge fresh paper clay from the bag. If my paper clay has been sitting around for a while, sometimes I do wedge it, just to make it homogeneous. In general, I wedge my fresh paper clay (on a plaster bat) to quickly get rid of the excess water so it's not so soft. I've also used the Bmix + sand + paper from Laguna Clay company without any problems. Hope this helps. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyfoo Posted April 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Hello Anthony and other paper clay sculptors, I'm new to ceramic sculpture, and recently bought some paperclay after reading Rosette's book. I am trying to create some abstracted horse sculpture but have still have difficulty with the legs breaking off easily while I'm working on it. I devised a sort of sling in which to hang the body (much like the vet would rehabilite a horse with a broken leg) to take some of the weight off of the legs. I was wondering...could I insert paper straws, or bamboo skewers to help strengthen the clay legs and they would burn out during firing? Thanks, Jacqueline HI Jacqueline, Ah .... legs and arms; those spindly things. Aren't they fun to work with? There are several techniques you can use here. 1. Let your broken leg pieces and the horse body dry completely to bone dry and then use the dry to dry joining technique. In this way, the dried legs will be strong enough to support the body. 2. Another alternative is to use hollow tube paper clay armatures (covered in Rosette's book). Attach them securely using dry to dry technique. Let everything dry out completely and then you can "flesh" in the musculature of the horse legs using wet to dry joining techniques. 3. You can also work on your piece upside down so the horse legs are pointing upwards. 4. Work in sections and let each sub-unit dry completely to bone dry and then assemble them. 5. If you prefer to work with the moist paper clay, you can "speed dry" or "force dry" the paper clay with a heat gun (not a hair dryer) to firm up the area you are working on. DISCLAIMER: When working with any power tools, please be very careful and protect yourself by wearing eye protection, gloves or face masks, if applicable. Remember paper clay develops its maximum greenware strength when it's completely BONE DRY. Hope this helps. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueline Posted April 6, 2010 Report Share Posted April 6, 2010 Thanks Anthony, that really helps alot! I'll try them all. Hello Anthony and other paper clay sculptors, I'm new to ceramic sculpture, and recently bought some paperclay after reading Rosette's book. I am trying to create some abstracted horse sculpture but have still have difficulty with the legs breaking off easily while I'm working on it. I devised a sort of sling in which to hang the body (much like the vet would rehabilite a horse with a broken leg) to take some of the weight off of the legs. I was wondering...could I insert paper straws, or bamboo skewers to help strengthen the clay legs and they would burn out during firing? Thanks, Jacqueline HI Jacqueline, Ah .... legs and arms; those spindly things. Aren't they fun to work with? There are several techniques you can use here. 1. Let your broken leg pieces and the horse body dry completely to bone dry and then use the dry to dry joining technique. In this way, the dried legs will be strong enough to support the body. 2. Another alternative is to use hollow tube paper clay armatures (covered in Rosette's book). Attach them securely using dry to dry technique. Let everything dry out completely and then you can "flesh" in the musculature of the horse legs using wet to dry joining techniques. 3. You can also work on your piece upside down so the horse legs are pointing upwards. 4. Work in sections and let each sub-unit dry completely to bone dry and then assemble them. 5. If you prefer to work with the moist paper clay, you can "speed dry" or "force dry" the paper clay with a heat gun (not a hair dryer) to firm up the area you are working on. DISCLAIMER: When working with any power tools, please be very careful and protect yourself by wearing eye protection, gloves or face masks, if applicable. Remember paper clay develops its maximum greenware strength when it's completely BONE DRY. Hope this helps. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isculpt Posted April 8, 2010 Report Share Posted April 8, 2010 Anthony, I'm new to clay in general and to paper clay in particular. Your work is wonderfully free and organic. One problem I'm having with paper clay (I'm on the east coast, so it's Laguna) is that the clay is sometimes too lumpy for small, detailed work. Is it just me, or is paper clay meant for creating work that is more loose and free than this former woodcarver is capable of? Hi lsculpt, I have a lady here who uses paper clay (Laguna Clay Company paper clay and Gault 10 Pclay from Aardvark) exclusively for her portraiture works because she can create fine details with it. The paper clay should not be lumpy at all. I do not wedge fresh paper clay from the bag. If my paper clay has been sitting around for a while, sometimes I do wedge it, just to make it homogeneous. In general, I wedge my fresh paper clay (on a plaster bat) to quickly get rid of the excess water so it's not so soft. I've also used the Bmix + sand + paper from Laguna Clay company without any problems. Hope this helps. Anthony Thanks to you and Christine for your comments. Isculpt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bptakoma Posted April 9, 2010 Report Share Posted April 9, 2010 I've been using paper clay for my hand build sculptures since I found out about it in 2004. It has become my medium of choice for my works. It has several advantages over a "traditional/regular" clay body. I still use a "regular" clay body from time to time, mainly for the texture and color that I cannot get from paper clay. On the downside it's more expensive, but the peace of mind you get from it, to me, is worth it. Looking forward to meeting the people here. Anthony Foo www.anthonyfoo.com antjhfoo.blogspot.com Anthony, Isn't this a great forum. I've been watching your work through flickr for ages. So -- speed or force drying. I've put items in my (gas) oven on low when I want them to dry faster. Always under 200 degrees F. Am I missing certain risks with this? It's worked pretty well on small slabs so far. I've done it with larger, thicker pieces. Then it's important to take things out and cover in plastic to equalize moisture when edges are drying too quickly. Cheers, Beth bptakoma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyfoo Posted April 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2010 I've been using paper clay for my hand build sculptures since I found out about it in 2004. It has become my medium of choice for my works. It has several advantages over a "traditional/regular" clay body. I still use a "regular" clay body from time to time, mainly for the texture and color that I cannot get from paper clay. On the downside it's more expensive, but the peace of mind you get from it, to me, is worth it. Looking forward to meeting the people here. Anthony Foo www.anthonyfoo.com antjhfoo.blogspot.com Anthony, Isn't this a great forum. I've been watching your work through flickr for ages. So -- speed or force drying. I've put items in my (gas) oven on low when I want them to dry faster. Always under 200 degrees F. Am I missing certain risks with this? It's worked pretty well on small slabs so far. I've done it with larger, thicker pieces. Then it's important to take things out and cover in plastic to equalize moisture when edges are drying too quickly. Cheers, Beth bptakoma Hello Beth, Glad you are enjoying this forum and my images in Flickr. Me, too. I've got to update my website and Flickr as I get more projects completed. As for your speed drying, what you are doing is fine. Water boils at 212 degrees F. As long as your oven temp is below that, the water will be driven off as hot steam. The paper fibers will allow the steam to escape and not affect your piece - ie a blow up! I've even used the microwave oven to "zap" some parts of my work, if the fresh clay is too soft and I'm impatient. For example, the handles/lugs on my vases. You will see steam coming off those things when you get them out of the microwave so do be careful. The paperclay is quite forgiving in getting "zapped" this way. I started out with a lower power setting and for 15 second burst. Eventually I got brave enough to do a whole minute at full power with no problems. I just love paperclay! Best regards Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyfoo Posted July 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 Hi all, I started this post for paper clay enthusiasts. Hopefully, you'll find the topics, questions, suggestions here useful and helpful in your ceramic creations. Anthony Foo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 I began using paperclay since 1993 when I was at Banff right after Rosette Gault was there. The architectural pieces in the gallery on this site are all made with paperclay that I mixed. I also use paper clay in my large raku slabs to make them lighter. The attached small arch was soda fired to ^01 terra cotta paper clay made at the Archie Bray Foundation in 2002. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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