Here are a new batch of grade 9-10 soap stone animals! The students did a great job on these, showing a lot of time and dedication. I really enjoyed the variety of colours we got out of this batch of stones. Of course, they look better in person, but you get the idea. Click on them to see the gorgeous details! (They are on average the size of an outstretched hand).
2 comments:
Hello, Canada! I am an elementary school art teacher from Council Bluffs, Iowa,USA. I have a passion for sculpture, yet I have never attempted soapstone. Your student's work is AMAZING! Just how does one go about carving soapstone? Is it very soft? The high polish they seem to have makes it look like they are marble! Nice work!
Thank you Pat!
These are so easy! They take a while to do, these were three weeks, but at a relaxed pace.
I get the Brazilian soap stone from a man in London, Ontario (Stoneman)- he ships around the world. It's soft enough to scratch with your nails, and non-toxic (masks are suggested). Stoneman also taught me how do carve and how to teach it.
The students choose a stone and based on its shape, decide what kind of animal could be carved from it. They use small hand saws and files to create the forms. To get them smooth, they use three grades of sandpaper to smooth them out to a glass like consistency, and I sprayed them with a low gloss spray to keep the colours vibrant.
It's very motivating for the students, and they keep really busy during that time!
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