Progress 3

Minor changes to the surface was continued to be made in the workshop session, continuing on with the wooden wedge hammer and curved stake mould. The edges were brought in so that the skin fit the shape as close as possible.

Once the form of the object was complete, the English wheel was used to smooth out the lumps on the surface of the skin, whilst being mindful that the shape of the skin remained the same. In order not to compromise the skin's shape, the wheel was loosened so no stretching would occur and only the surface smoothened.

Finally the planishing hammer was used to further even out surface and make the last minor changes to the skins form. In using the planishing hammer the finished surface of the skin has ripple like patterns, while the English wheel gives a smooth continuous finish. I quite liked the ripple like finish to the skin and decided to retain this.

Brasso and mineral turpentine was used to polish the skin, to give a mirror like finish. Rubbing the surface with Brasso then cleaning with turps had to be repeated several times in order to gain the mirror finish.