Jonny in Florida

by Jonny
(Florida)

i just started working with limestone.. I have collected it for years from Suwannee Florida. I haven not made anything even close to your work. Your work is beautiful. Can you give me some hints..?

Thanks,
Jonny H.

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Oct 29, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Working with Limestone
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Hi Jonny. Thank you for your compliments about my work.

When you start working with Limestone it is important that you start with a good sketch on paper of the sculpture you have in mind. What I like to do first is to make the design in plaster or a very soft stone material. Just to give me an idea what the sculpture will look like. You also get a good first three dimensional impression of the final result. You may want to decide to change one or more things in this stage.

The sculpture tools I use for this job are hardened flat steel chisels in various shapes. And with the use of a small hammer (750 grams or 500 grams) I let the sculpture come alive to a point I am satisfied about basic shapes I have in mind for the sculpture. Do not take away to much stone. Just get the limestone roughly in the shape you want.

When you are satisfied about the basic design you have created with your chisels and hammer then it is time for the more delicate work. What I do in this stage is draw lines on the limestone so I know where to remove the last remaining pieces. But be careful when you start working in this last stage because you do not want to damage the parts you want to keep in the sculpture. Work your way around the sculpture in a oblique course. A flat wide chisel is great for this.

At a given moment you will notice that the flat wide chisel is not the right tool any more. Then I like to use a chisel which a pointed front. Your design will come to live more and more. In the last stage of your work you need to file away al the rough edges. I use many kind of files from the ones which have rough teeth on them to the diamond files and sanding blocks which I use at the end.

Most important thing is always to take your time. Step back a few times while you are working to observe your sculpture from a distance.

Regards
Wim

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