Sculpture and Bas Relief

Mounted Amazon tile 3x3 inches Patrick Gracewood ©2010

Direct carved plaster mold by Patrick Gracewood ©2010

Here's a challenge. Can you think inside out and backwards?

Here's the finished tile and the original carved plaster mold.

Sometimes dyslexia is a good thing because you think about things differently. For tile work, just like printmaking, you have to work in reverse. If you want your image facing left, you must create it facing left. That's the backwards part.

And because bas relief has depth, you must carve away material for the finished work to stand proud of the surface. That's the inside out part.

It gets confusing even for me. Sometimes I use a mirror for quick checks, or pull a quick clay impression to see if the process is working.

Nothing gives the same detail and crispness for clay work as direct carving in plaster.