Fossil Prop Fun

We finally got a new camera! Hooray for us!! I never reealized how accustomed I'd become to snapping pictures almost daily. With our new gizmo safely at home I decided I would break it in as soon as possible but I would go shutterbug loco with it. But I did want to show you this prop I've been making for one of the Doc Ed shows. It's going to be a nautilus fossil that I'll use for the Rock Star show which cover the making of the Edwards Aquifer starting 100 million years ago in the Mesozoic era. If you have limestone rock in you area pick it up and have a look at it. Sometimes you might find fossilized shells in it. That's because one of the key ingredients in the making of limestone are seashells. Pretty interesting stuff.

The prop pictured above has a styrofoam base covered with Crayola Model Magic Clay which as described on the package is" soft, squishy modeling material" which air dries and isn't messy to use. Not bad. It dries slowly, maybe taking a day or two to dry depending on how thick the clay is applied. In the case of my nautilus prop it has taken a two days to dry. Now I can proceed with more work on it without damaging anything I've already sculpted.

I've used that type of clay before for a variety of things from craft projects for my kids, puppets, and of course fossilized sea creatures. Before Pammy and became parents I don't know how aware I'd be of such materials so if your an artist and have no children do yourself a favor by taking a stroll down the children's art supply aisle sometime. You might find some useful as yet undiscovered art supply for yourself.

I'll be working on that prop over the weekend and, of course, will post more photos using our handy dandy new camera. Laterz!