To begin a new sculpture inspired by folio 73r of the Voynich Manuscript, I started by making a round porcelain shape that will be the main structure of the sculpture.

I made the round shape by forming a flattened slab of porcelain clay into a plaster mold—the plaster absorbs moisture from the clay until it is partially dry enough to be removed. At this stage the clay is able to hold its shape without external support, and is still at a workable consistency such that other alterations can be made by hand.

I already had a half-hemisphere shaped plaster mold, but since I wanted the clay sculpture to have straight sides of several inches that curve at the top, I had to make a second ring-shaped plaster mold that would stack on top of the first one to extend the shape. I didn’t document the process of making this but you will see the result. Even though it is not a typical technique, it worked surprisingly well to temporarily attach the two mold sections with duct tape so that they wouldn’t shift apart when turning the mold on its side.

One of the most important considerations when working with clay is to avoid trapping any air bubbles. Any pockets of trapped air, caused by folding the clay, can expand when the ceramic piece is fired in the kiln, and can cause the piece to either crack or explode. It’s always important at the sculpting stage to use a technique that does not create air bubbles. I had to be careful of this when flattening the clay with a rolling pin and also when joining different sections. Also, I began with a new, unused bag of clay so that there were no air bubbles to begin with, which makes it easier to get started when working with such a large piece.

I used the shape of the plaster mold to make the outside walls of the sculpture, and then I added a second inner wall by hand, to make a fully enclosed, donut-like shape. I have never made this type of shape before, and since I am not fully certain it will work for this sculpture, I also made a second shape as an alternative, without the inner wall. This way they can both begin drying around the same time, and I’ll see which one turns out better in the kiln. The videos here show the making of the first version, the one with the enclosed inner wall, which is probably the one I’ll end up using, but it’s good to have a couple of options now rather than having to remake something later. Photos below show the second version.

The part I documented here was a two day process- the first day involved getting the clay formed into the mold, where it sits overnight. The second part shows the removal from the mold and the additional hand-built alterations. As with some of my other videos I’ve edited several hours of work into several minutes to show a condensed version of the process.

I added a hole in the side of the shape, where I plan to later attach the star, which will be made of lighted glass. I was originally planning that the critter and the star would both go in the open space in the center, but after considering it more I decided it would look too crowded. The back of the star also needs a stable support, since the final sculpture will stand upright, so this hole will later be covered by the star that will have a suspended appearance. Also, if I want the star to be a lighted plasma sculpture, there are some technical reasons why it can’t be too small, or it will not light up brightly. So, as expected, the design of the sculpture is changing a bit as I go, and I also may do something a bit different with the placement of the nymphs, but we’ll see. Staying true to the original manuscript drawing, the “tether” or “string” that extends from the star and appears to be held in the critter’s mouth is a detail I not only want to keep, but emphasize. Since the star will be the electrical component of my sculpture, this is one instance where I don’t want to conceal its wire connection, but instead make it noticeable on purpose. This way, the exposed electrical wire will become part of the design, and I think a more elevated star will allow for a longer curve to that wire that won’t crowd the space.

The round porcelain sculpture will have to dry very slowly; this is because the porcelain shrinks slightly as it dries and any change in its moisture must happen gradually or it will crack. I will cover it with plastic for several days at least, and then after that, I’ll gradually loosen the covering every few days so that it can air dry slowly, and finally it can dry for several more days with no covering. The clay has to be completely dry before it can be fired, so for a piece this size it can be a wait of several weeks after initially sculpting it. Once porcelain is fired, it is very strong, but at this stage it is the most fragile. In the meantime I will be making some of the other parts… critter next!

Below:

The second alternative version of the sculpture, without the inner wall, and a slightly different design of the cut-out circle, also without side walls. To be determined which one will work better after they both get fired.