I have a sculpture from N. Tuan that I want to sell but I don t know how to find out how much it s worth. Any ideas?

If you choose to use ceramic clay you will need to get it fired in order that it holds up over time. Most any type of ceramic clay would work. To make a mask using ceramic clay first work from a solid piece of clay that you shape to the size and form that you want.

Work on a piece of plywood or other board,with a plastic bag tightly covering the board between the clay and the wood. The plastic will prevent the wood from drawing moisture from the clay which may cause it to crack while drying out and will help prevent the clay from sticking to the board. It will be easier to remove the plastic from the clay than the wood.. The size of the board should be larger than the size of the clay.

Sculpt out the face that you want by modeling the clay by hand or carving using tools such as spoons butter knives,old pocket knives,sticks whatever works for you. When that is achieved allow the clay to dry out to the point of being stiff but not completely dried out. Using a ceramic tool called a loop or a metal spoon carefully carve out the back of the piece of clay to hollow out the mask.

If the clay isn't too dried out, removing the clay shouldn't be too difficult. If you find that the clay is too hard moisten the clay wrap it in a plastic bag and allow it to absorb some of the water to soften it up again. Pay close attention to the thickness of the clay as you dig it out.

In order to fire it safely the clay will have to be allowed to completely dry out or it will crack during the firing. Moisture turns to steam, steam expands and will want to get out of the clay. One way to tell it the moisture is completely gone is to hold the clay object to your cheek.

If it's cold or cool it still has moisture in it. Google,"How to make a clay mask" and see if anything comes up. Good luck.

Sounds like fun.

Check it out https://tr.im/bf1bb Along with stone, mud and animal parts, wood was one of the first materials worked by early humans. Microwear analysis of the Mousterian stone tools used by the Neanderthals show that many were used to work wood. The development of civilization was closely tied to the development of increasingly greater degrees of skill in working these materials.

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