making oil clay with Jose Rodriquez & Christie Hackler
We are sculpting a twenty foot long reclining female sculpture that will be cast in an edition of 5 numbered castings and 1 artist proof. The first casting will go to collectors in Houston. I make my own oil clay using this formula:
50 lbs of 0M-4 ball clay
10 lbs of victory brown wax
10 lbs of red wax
5 quarts of 30 weight non-detergent NEW motor oil ( don't use used crankcase oil, it's carcinogenic)
2 lbs Grease (valvoline general multi purpose grease)
Melt the wax, pour in the motor oil & grease.
Keep it hot and use a paint stirrer in a powerful drill to stir it up well.
I pour the dry clay in all at once and stir up thoroughly while keeping it hot.
Keep it hot and occasionally stir well for a couple of hours.
Pour it out on thick plastic sheeting to cool.
Spread it out to about an inch thick.
When cooler, lift in up in small enough sections that you can put the pieces in 5 gallon buckets.
This makes very nice smooth oil clay.
