WAXWORKS‘Art That Comes To Life’
...sons when she died in 1884. In spite of her European popularity, there was no permanent wax museum in the United States until 1949. It was at this time that George L. Potter opened Potter’s Wax Museum in St. Augustine, Florida. Others followed until today there are more than forty in the United States that attract several million visitors each year. Understanding the history and popularity of wax sculpturing adds some breadth to our discussion, but the most important question still needs to be answered. What is it about these waxworks that is able to attract so many visitors to view them? Outside of your own visit, the best way to answer that question is to describe in detail the methods that a wax sculptor uses to create their figure and what the result is. The Figure Both European and American wax museums specialize in human figures of historical and popular interest. These wax figures are often depicted in settings that recreate historical highlights. As a theme of art, the figure has demonstrated tremendous adaptability throughout history to express a wide variety of human feelings within each of us. How the figure will be interpreted by the present artist or later by the future artist is a part if its fascination. In many cases the figure is someone that the person appreciating the waxwork may have heard of or even seen before. These could be historical figures such as Queen Elizabeth, Napoleon or Adolf Hitler; American movie stars such as Elizabeth Taylor or John Wayne; or sports heroes such as Michael Jordon and John Mckenroe. One thing is for sure, the sculptor’s source material is inexhaustible. Once a subject is selected, the first step in creating a wax figure is carefully researching the subject matter. If possible, a sculptor will spend time with the subject making detailed sketches, taking photographs, and performing measurements. If the sculptor does not have the benefit of a live subject, they will study written documentation, existing photographs, and formerly created portraits of the figure. The end result of this information gathering phase will be a comprehensive understanding of the person’s facial and bodily characteristics. The Sculptor’s Material - Wax The sculptor needs a material that will allow him to form any shape or style any curve that might exist within the infinite subject area of the human anatomy. He also needs a material strong enough to retain its shape and provide some enduring benefit. The natural solution to this artistic dilemma is Beeswax. Beeswax contains properties which render it a most convenient medium for preparing figures and modeling. At ordinary temperatures, it can be cut and shaped with relative ease. It melts to a thin fluid at low heat, mixes with coloring agents, and takes surface tints well. Wax can be described as strong, adhesive, and lightweight. Depending on the application, wax can be either hardened or softened. It can be softened by adding oily materials such a cocoa butter or Vaseline or can be hardened by adding resin or harder types of wax. The traditional process for creating a waxwork involves both the uses of wax and plaster. They have the ability to extend each other’s usefulness in many ways. One important advantage is the ability to form special shapes by taking plaster casts of a wax sculpture. The Head The most important part of a wax figure is the head. If the head is masterly recreated, the impact on the observer will be immediate and lasting. The first step for a waxwork sculptor is to model the head in clay and form a plaster mold. Because it will be removed after hardening, the mold is made in several sections. Washed, dried, and fitted back together, the mold is ready to receive the molten wax. Most sculptors continue to use the above mentioned beeswax which although very expensive, gives the appearance of human skin. Some alternatives to bees wax are newer vinyl resins that have plasticisers added. When a half-inch or more layer of wax next to the plaster mold has cooled and hardened, the remaining wax is poured out. The sculpture now has a hollow wax head that duplicates the clay mold he made earlier. At this stage, a wax head is yellowish pink in color, without hair, eyes, or teeth. Human hair is exactly matched as best as possible in color and texture to that of the subject. It is implanted with a needle strand ...