Critique #4: Materials & Methods - Directed Production (Wax)

For this critique I focus to apply the techniques I learn in the wax experimentation/ intentional play. I knew I want to continue with the "Nature Forms". Also, I wanted to mix the fabric with the wax to understand and use the research on these materials. 

At the end I choose to work with paraffin wax and felt for the flexibility of this fabric.

I pick the pattern of colors because I wanted these pieces to match somehow with the  nature forms of fabric.

I will hang these pieces to decide the way I want to present them in juries and maybe add wax to the hemp as well. 

I enjoy to work with these pieces because it was manual work, because I learned a new way  to manipulate the felt, because it took me out of my comfort zone, and because made me work in a different scale (quantity).

Process:

Step 1

Melt the wax carefully

Step 2: forms made in felt

Step 3

Form nature forms with felt

Step 4

Forms been  Package 

Final Display for "Nature Forms" 

Critique #3: Materials and Methods- Intentional Play (Wax)

My first experimentation with wax was at the beginning of the semester when I quickly test my 3 materials, at that moment I decided to melt crayons into a fish mold. 

My experimentation continue with Micro Crystalline Wax: melting this material and mold it with my hands to achieve the desire form. I am constructing nature/female forms. This material was very fun to handle but using only the hands was not enough to spread the material evenly, the form is too thick looking similar to a male form. Carving was successful using appropriate carving tools. 

The next step include dripping candle in a piece of wood, I enjoy working with that process but was not successful for the idea I had in mind. 

I tried  melting similar materials such as crayons, paraffin wax and wax warmers with help of a heat gun to see the final results.

* The crayons were really fun to melt and to see how the start mixing and giving more texture to the original candle drip.

* The wax warmers were the worst because they were to oily and start to separate the material making it to light and causing the wax to loss deepness. Also it makes the dripping from before get a horrible dirty look and contaminated all the wax.

* The paraffin wax worked good but was a slow process and you had to realize how much you want to melt it so it did not disappear in the mixture of wax.

The next step was to test if it was possible to mold these materials with my hands.

* Crayons, wax warmers and paraffin wax did not fulfill these requirements, they break after manipulate them a little bit. 

My next step was to melt the paraffin wax in a pot

I wanted to keep working with my female/nature forms so I decided to used a remaining piece of my fabric bowls to test the wax on it!

It was too flat for me so my last step was to carve the female/nature forms into the wax to make the forms more notable. Is the first time I used carving tools, I enjoy the process but now I know I have to be very careful about how deep I have to carve to avoid losing the material with the technique. 

For the upcoming two weeks I am going to focus on the last process, making this combination of form using fabric and wax. I am going to work larger not  in size but in quantity, My goal is to fill a good amount of a wall with these forms using different textures and colors putting to the test the knowledge I got during these weeks. 

Materials and Methods: Wax Experimentation

So far I been working with different types of wax and tools to find out what is more suitable for my female/branch forms. I been having fun with most of the wax but not all work the way I was expecting. 

Types of Wax

1. Microcrystalline Wax:

  Done

    a. melted

    b. molded with hands

  Need to be done

    a. carve

2. Wax Warmers:

  Done

    a. melted with heat gun = did not work; its to oily that make to fast to melt, mixing quick with other material like crayons or candle drip

      b. molded with hands = did not work; the hands destroys the wax

3. Paraffin Wax:

  Done

    a. melted with heat gun

  Need to be done

    b. melted in pot

    c. molded with hands

4. Crayons 

   Done

    a. melted with heat gun

5. Candle

   Done

     a. drip in wood

     b. melted with heat gun

Tools

I experiment with the heat gun, my next step will be to learn how to use the soldering iron. 

Microcrystalline Wax

Wax Warmers

Paraffin Wax

Crayons

Candles

Wood used to melt different types of wax

Heat Gun

Materials and Methods: Outside Visit Update

Like I promise I went today to the "candle shop" located  in the country walk area. My surprise there was a warehouse called "trampoline high" instead. :( I got so frustrated that I just turn around and head back home, I apologize because I totally forgot about taking a picture. To compensate I being researching about mold making for wax, wax techniques, how to use the soldering iron and testing . So far I been having fun experimenting with the material and understanding the differences between each type of wax!