Some of the shapes I have recently carved in plaster may not be successful when weave is applied over the surface, any fine details in the carving will be lost and not transfer into bronze.
I think moving forward the shapes of the plaster need to be simple and smooth. If they feature any voids or holes the weave should be able to pass through without blocking the space completely. If it passes through and fills the gap would this create more interest when cast? or would this cause a problem for the foundry?
The finished plaster blocks that will go through to the casting stage need to be fitted with a metal rod, this is to make sure the block is held mid air and thus not crushing the wax weaving that will be applied later. Will a metal bar sticking out of the plaster block be a hinderance to my carving?
Fitting the metal rods inside the plaster blocks prior to carving may be tricky as they need to be inserted into the plaster whilst it is wet and not yet set. Possibly the rod should be inserted prior to vibration, but I need to think how the rod can be secured whilst being vibrated as this may create more problems.
Next step - make 5-6 blocks of fine casting plater, carve them and then weave onto them using cord to see how the weave works being applied to a solid. Potential problems could be; not be able to work the weaving on both sides, getting the weave tight enough that it does not sag away from the block and trying to retain the overall shape.