By using casting clay in a plaster mould, you can really go in any direction with your ceramics. You pour liquid clay into a plaster mould and let it ‘soak’ for a few minutes.
Because the plaster extracts water from the clay, the outer ‘shell’ will dry quickly. You pour the excess clay back out of the mould, and done, you’ve made a replica in clay. Finish neatly, let it dry, and you can get started on the next replica.
A wonderful system for making quick series, or duplicating complicated shapes efficiently. But beware, making and using moulds is a real art, there is some work involved. If you don’t know exactly what you’re getting into, your studio will be a mess before you know it.
You can get ready-made moulds at a pottery supply store, but you can also work yourself with plaster to make a completely personal mould. Just be careful not to mix clay and plaster, as that can cause problems….
