Customer Reviews

Sculpting With Cement: Direct Modeling in a Permanent Medium

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What this book is not is a broad spectrum book covering the gamut of cement and concrete materials like the works of Sherri Warner Hunter. Lynn Olsen works in a very specific range of media: mostly sculptures of fiber cement, cement amended with stainless steel or bronze wool or carbon fibers, reinforced inside by extensive armatures and mortar. Many of his pieces are incredibly refined and polished looking -not at all what you would expect from cement- which is what piqued my interest in the author. Although Sculpting in Cement focuses on a particular medium, there is plenty of great information. Olsen is very specific about the materials one can use in supporting the sculpture and in mix designs, their structural properties and compatabilities. He presents multiple processes for construction, including designing a supporting base, sculptural shell design, casting from a clay bust original, designs that turn freely on an axle and solid block carving. There is also an entire chapter devoted to mounting stained glass in a cement framework. Olsen's writing style is plain and unadorned; but what the book lacks in warmth or verbosity is well made up for by lots of clear step-by-step [black and white] photos and diagrams. Overall, I would say that this book is a very worthwhile addition to the library of any sculpture studio.