Home Forums Explore Media Sculpture Cement as a sculpture medium.

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  • #983220

    Have any of you ever thought of cement as a serious sculpture medium? Have you worked with it? If so what do you think? Feel like sharing your experiences?

    After we built our home I decided to make all of the sidewalks and finish the foundation with cement stones using a walk maker mold by quickcrete. Plus a courtyard was in the plans as well…I built a walled courtyard with nine arches around our bedroom on the back of the house. This was MY project according to my husband so I started MY project.

    This took me 5 years mixing cement in a wheel barrow and working every day while my youngest son was a toddler. This was my job. It turned out very unique.

    What I learned about working with cement is that I loved it! After being a potter for 25 years at the time and having so many pieces blow up or ruined in the firing or glazing process…I was in love with cement.

    I started building sculptures. The first photo I will share is of a Celtic Cross; The Great Sun Cross. It stands 8′ tall by 4′ wide. I wanted to give my husband something special for an anniversary gift. I built it in my Art Studio to keep it a surprise, I told him to stay away. He did. It stayed in the studio for a year while he figured out how he was going to move it. lol It weighs 800-1000 pounds.

    It is reinforced….I built the base….then cast the top on the floor…then had my oldest son and two of his friends help me put it together…it was life threatening! That is a story in itself.

    I haven’t stopped building/sculpting with cement. I love this medium creating life sized pieces working from the bottom of the piece up to the top. Never really having a finished sculpture in mind. I work it like I do clay…hand sculpting and watching the piece come alive…more like telling me what it will be. I’ll share some photos. These are primitive works…I have a thing for aged ancient looking things.

    :D

    "There is always hope"

    #1006352

    "There is always hope"

    #1006353

    I need to post a clearer photo of the cross…that was taken with my old cheapo digital camera.

    "There is always hope"

    #1006354

    Here is a view of our courtyard entry from one side during winter.

    "There is always hope"

    #1006355

    Here is a handsculpted cement piece titled.

    Midlife Metamorphosis; A Rebirth

    7′ x 3′

    Mixed Media; cement, brass, genuine amethyst set in sterling silver, amethyst eyes, copper, glass, color wash.

    I start at the bottom of these pieces hand sculpting. This is a personal piece…a self portrait of sorts.

    This is the first time I used color…I’m not sure I like it but as it fades I will probably put a gray wash on it. This is a keeper for me…I had a man want to buy it and I almost sold it but decided to keep it.

    Certainly not a great work of art but I enjoy creating these. As I said…very primitive.

    "There is always hope"

    #1006356

    I had no idea what a poll was when I made this thread? LOL I’m new to this….

    "There is always hope"

    #1006329
    OtterTail
    Default

        I am very interested in working with cement also. You are already way ahead of me, though :) . I just started in my garden lasts year – but I love the stuff. I got a couple of informative/inspiring books, so plan to try different methods this year.

        I think your sculptures look great. I’m interested in all the other materials you put on your Midlife Metamorphosis piece. I’ve heard you should not put copper with concete as they react badly and the copper “rots”. (I like to play with copper too.) Have you had any problems?

        Amy

        #1006357

        I think your sculptures look great. I’m interested in all the other materials you put on your Midlife Metamorphosis piece. I’ve heard you should not put copper with concete as they react badly and the copper “rots”. (I like to play with copper too.) Have you had any problems?

        Hi Amy! Nice to meet you. Thank you for checking out this thread.

        I had no idea about the copper and cement? The heart on the front of the MLM piece is copper. The wings are brass….I do have a copper torc around the neck…oh and I forgot a moonstone at the base of the torc.

        You will have fun working with cement. For the side walks I mixed 3/1…3 shovels of sand to 1 shovel of portland. For the sculptures I mix probably 2 sand to one cement….when I work the cement it goes on like clay. I have sculptures in the yard that are 5 years old and they have held up nicely. I’ve basically played around with it and haven’t read any info. I guess I should! lol

        I can try to take some close ups of the inlaid silver/amethyst….the amethyst eyes are cool.

        I have two sculptures in a Gallery in New Orleans at the moment…they are really interesting. I need to go pick them up and bring them home. I miss them! :D

        Let’s keep this chat going….I really like the subject!

        Stephanie

        "There is always hope"

        #1006349
        LaVonne W.
        Default

            Hi Moondance, thanks for starting this thread. Your cement sculptures are great! I can’t belive you built that whole arched enclosure by yourself! by hand! You must be very strong – and/or- energetic. :p

            I’ve been researching using cement for a couple of weeks. I got a couple of books from the library “Making Concrete Garden Ornaments” by Sherri Hunter and a book by Lynn Olson, I can’t remember the title, something like “Sculpting in Cement”. They had a bunch of different formulas, including mixing steel wool into the cement. I haven’t tried it yet, since I have a couple of other pieces to finish, but I really want to. I’d like to make some bigger pieces for the yard, like you did! I have a large nude I’d like to either cast in cement (once I get a mold made), or use as a model to make a new sculpture directly in cement. I think I’ll post the picture in a seperate thread since I’ll have to include the Butt icon and I don’t want to scare anyone off from checking out your cement thread. :)

            You have inspired me to go ahead and try the cement. Fair warning, I’ll probably have lots of questions once I get started. lol.

            LaVonne

            #1006314
            al22
            Default

                Yes, believe it to be valid………. have been wanting to try some………
                ………al

                A person who makes no mistakes - seldom makes anything.

                My hat is nfs.............lol....

                CLICK HERE[/URL].

                My Photo Album My Website
                #1006358

                Hi LaVonne….

                I will be happy to share/help any way I can when you get started. I am really hooked on creating cement. Also pronounced “SEAMEANT” down here in the south! HAHA!

                I’m going to start a new sculpture in Feb….and I will take photo’s of each step and share possibly on this thread.

                Hi Al! Thanks for posting….I do like your hat. heeeeeehe

                :cat:

                When I bring my sculptures home from the gallery in New Orleans…I will take photos of them…you know I didn’t take a single one before taking them over there! The hair on the male figure I did is great looking.

                I do want to see photo’s of anyones work….that would be great!

                "There is always hope"

                #1005995
                Yielding
                Default

                    Hello all

                    To answer the question of the thread, yes I would say cement is a valid medium in which to sculpt from.

                    Here are some examples of how I have used cement.




                    Yielding

                    #1006318
                    JMM
                    Default

                        Hey Moondance!…………… sure are impressive pieces of sculpture and courtyard work. Yes, cement is valid art medium. I have been wanting to get some experience in cement to make yard sculpture. If you have other examples of your work please show them. Would you please show some close-ups of the “Rebirth”……………………………….John

                        #1006359

                        Yeilding! Nice to meet you. WOW! Thank you so much for showing your cement pieces! Don’t you love the medium? Of course I can see you do. Nicely displayed and photographed. Please share more if you have the pieces. Thanks for posting.

                        Hi John…nice to meet you too! I will take some close ups of the MLM piece…….this is an extremely busy week for me but I will definitely get around to taking some close ups.

                        You will have so much fun making cement garden sculptures or making anything from cement. I will tell you how I start with my sculptures…the tall free standing life sized figure sculptures.

                        I use the black plastic plant containers….the ones the trees and shrubs come in. I save them and use them by pouring cement into them…I then insert a rod of re-bar the length of the sculpture I want to make…I wrap it with chicken wire then set it into the bucket….I prop this up in whatever way works. I let it set up a day or two.

                        I remove this once set up..then I mix my cement and start at the bottom of the piece and start sculpting. I use rubber gloves of course…I take the cement in both my hands and start moving it into the chicken wire and around building up….I can add details as I go….it is really thrilling for me because I can see something come alive in front of my eyes!

                        What is really fun is the cement can act like clay in a lot of ways…sometimes the accidental swirl or a blob here or there will guide me. I just love it! :D

                        Keep sharing! Thanks to all for posting. :clap:

                        "There is always hope"

                        #1006284
                        jackddavis
                        Default

                            Many years ago, I built a pond/waterfall in my backyard with concrete????? I’m not sure I can call it concrete. I used a cement/sawdust mixture. People thought I was nuts and I couldn’t disagree because I’d never heard of such a mixture either. I troweled the mixture over a screen form to form rocks and ponds at various levels. When we moved, five years later, it was still in good working condition.

                            Has anyone tried working with patching concrete? There are several types, but all are quick setting and can be “worked” for about 20 minutes or so before it gets too stiff. Some are almost “plastic” and others more like mortar.

                            Jack

                            Web site / Art Gallery: www.hmds.ws

                            Steel Sculptures and Wrought Iron fabrication.
                            Camera: HP Photosmart 850 digital and Crystalvue LX8X Telescope.

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