New Crafts: Creative Plasterwork: 25 Beautiful Projects Shown Step by Step - Hardcover

Few craft materials are cheaper to buy or easier to work with than plaster, and by mastering and using a few simple techniques you can turn this humble material into gloriously inspiring objects and artefacts. No expensive equipment is required - plaster dries naturally and does not need kiln-firing - so all you need to get started is a bag of plaster, a few simple materials and some basic shaping tools. The book shows how to make articles such as shells, fruit, animals, masks, wall plaques and bows; practical objects such as containers, candleholders, frames and bookends; and how to restore damaged frames. There is also advice on finishing techniques - from painting and gilding to weathering, distressing and varnishing. The book presents the craft of plastering in a beautifully inspirational form.

Stephanie Harvey trained as a china restorer and then, recognizing the wider applications of plasterwork, started to embellish mirror frames and other items with exotic casts. She regularly sells her work, and runs courses teaching the techniques she has developed.