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cracking terracotta replicas of jian warriors

updated tue 2 dec 03

 

Doric T. Jemison-Ball ll on sat 29 nov 03


My brother and sister-in-law have two 3/4 replicas of the Chinese Jian =
warriors. These are terracotta hollow statues with removable heads. One, =
[General] is standing; the other [Lancer] is kneeling. Both are outdors =
in Pleasanton, CA where temperatures fall below freezing sometimes in =
late fall and winter.The General is developing noticable cracks in the =
head and body. The terracotta is not sealed in any way.

Other than the obvious first step of putting them inside during the =
winter to protect them from getting wet and then freezing, does anybody =
have any good suggestions on:
1. Whether or not it is a good idea to try and seal them and if so, with =
what?
2. What is the best way to repair the cracks?
3. Is there any alternative to bringing them inside during the winter?
4. Any ideas on why one is cracking significantly but the other doesn't =
appear to be?

Doric T. Jemison-Ball ll
BBS-LA
14622 Ventura Blvd. #727
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
=20
In Southern California
=20
818-262-6572 CELL/Voice/Message
=20
In Northern California
=20
707-884-5067 Voice
707-884-5417 FAX
=20
buffalo@bbs-la.com
www.bbs-la.com

Edouard Bastarache Inc. on sun 30 nov 03


All generals have cracks in the head (Hehehehehe)



"Ils sont fous ces quebecois"
Edouard Bastarache
Irreductible Quebecois
Indomitable Quebeker
Sorel-Tracy
Quebec
edouardb@sorel-tracy.qc.ca
http://sorel-tracy.qc.ca/~edouardb/
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/smart2000/index.htm
http://www.digitalfire.com/education/toxicity/

----- Original Message -----
From: "Doric T. Jemison-Ball ll"
To:
Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2003 2:53 AM
Subject: CRACKING TERRACOTTA REPLICAS OF JIAN WARRIORS


My brother and sister-in-law have two 3/4 replicas of the Chinese Jian
warriors. These are terracotta hollow statues with removable heads. One,
[General] is standing; the other [Lancer] is kneeling. Both are outdors in
Pleasanton, CA where temperatures fall below freezing sometimes in late fall
and winter.The General is developing noticable cracks in the head and body.
The terracotta is not sealed in any way.

Other than the obvious first step of putting them inside during the winter
to protect them from getting wet and then freezing, does anybody have any
good suggestions on:
1. Whether or not it is a good idea to try and seal them and if so, with
what?
2. What is the best way to repair the cracks?
3. Is there any alternative to bringing them inside during the winter?
4. Any ideas on why one is cracking significantly but the other doesn't
appear to be?

Doric T. Jemison-Ball ll
BBS-LA
14622 Ventura Blvd. #727
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

In Southern California

818-262-6572 CELL/Voice/Message

In Northern California

707-884-5067 Voice
707-884-5417 FAX

buffalo@bbs-la.com
www.bbs-la.com

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Snail Scott on sun 30 nov 03


At 11:53 PM 11/29/03 -0800, you wrote:
>...terracotta hollow statues... developing noticable cracks...


I have had (so far) good results from Water Warden, a
'not-a-sealant', which I ordered through Annie's Mud-Pie
Shop. (There are ads in the major magazines, I belive.)
As claimed, it did not alter the appearance of my
terra cotta at all, and the waterproofing effects are
stated to prevent freeze damage and last five years
without recoating.

My previous standby was Thompson's Water-seal, which
left a visible coating on the clay and had to be re-
applied annually, building up an unattractive layer.
The Water Warden is better, IMHO. I've seen pieces of
earthenware treated with Thompson's which lasted for
a decade in northern New Mexico. It ain't Minnesota,
but it does snow and freeze. (They might still be OK;
I just haven't seen 'em in a while.) The Water Warden
makes a much nicer surface, and if it lasts as well as
it claims, will me easier to maintain. (I haven't used
it long, so I can't vouch for that claim personally.)

It's a lot more expensive than Thompson's, but it goes
a long way. I bought the gallon jar ($85) to do a 5'
terra-cotta sculpture, and after applying the multiple
coats 'til it quit soaking in, still have 3/4 of it
left.

To patch the existing cracks, I would use wood putty
in a compatible color. Try not to get it on the
adjacent clay.

As for why one piece is cracking and not the other,
it is pretty safe to say that as large as they are,
they weren't fired in the same conditions. Even if
they were in the same kiln, the temperature probably
wasn't equal. I'd guess that one of them is a bit more
vitrified than the other.

-Snail

Stephani Stephenson on sun 30 nov 03


Doric T. Jemison-Ball ll wrote:"
1. Whether or not it is a good idea to try and seal them and if so, with
what? 2. What is the best way to repair the cracks? 3. Is there any
alternative to bringing them inside during the winter? 4. Any ideas on
why one is cracking significantly but the other doesn't appear to be?"

Doric,
on modern clay tile, glazed and unglazed, and outdoor terra cotta , a
high quality penetrating sealant such as "511" is used to seal , but not
change the appearance , of the work. These new sealants are fabulous.

Are these modern reproductions or are they antiquities? I cannot speak
to sealing, restoring or repairing antiquities.

Fired earthenware clay can still develop cracks in this Southern
California climate, even if it never freezes. I have noticed that sea
breezes, fog, smog and moisture in the form of dew, drizzle and
condensation can significantly alter a piece in a fairly short period of
time, especially with the added salts and chemical components in water,
(liquid or airborne.)
often these cracks will show up as a network of surface cracks.

Resistance to the elements depends on the clay, and the temperature it
was fired to, and how well vitrified that clay is at that temp.
.
There is a great magazine called "Traditional Building" The latest issue
covers renovations and restoration of church buildings and architectural
components such as statuary and ornamental terra cotta . Many suppliers
of products and services are listed in the magazine. Also I have found
useful books on repairing and restoring in the library. Repairing and
restoring are skills employing a variety of materials. The materials and
techniques used depend on the goals, the extent of the
problem..whether cracks are structural, surface, etc.... Sometimes
repairs are necessary, sometimes, handled wrong, they make the problem
even more obvious.


Stephani Stephenson
steph@alchemiestudio.com

Janet Kaiser on mon 1 dec 03


Here in wet Wales, we would chose a dry spell in the autumn, then
wrap them in plastic to prevent water penetration and put them up
on stands to keep them off the ground. A lot of the water rises
up into terracotta from the ground through capillary action and
as you say, it is the water in the body freezing, which expands
and causes the cracking. They will be perfectly OK in freezing
conditions, so long as they are kept DRY. In Bavaria, where there
is a lot of statuary exposed to extreme temperatures, what cannot
be taken indoors, they pack straw around and then tie a tarpaulin
over. The city and state authorities have wooden and obviously
custom-made structures to fix into place. Makes them look like
they are created up and ready to ship out! Ugly? Not really...
People just know that is the way it has to be for the winter! A
"temporary arrangement" as it were.

Others will probably disagree, but any surface treatment at this
stage may make the problem worse... It may have been an option
when they were new, but now you will be trapping moisture IN, no
matter when you undertake the work. That is one technical reason
for not trying that as a possible solution. Any surface treatment
will also affect a change in the appearance of your soldiers --
an aesthetic reason for not experimenting!

Repair...? Well, that is going to be tricky. I would not like to
offer any advice without seeing the work or knowing its value,
etc. Sometimes it is better to just leave pieces which have
cracked and concentrate preventing further deterioration, than to
have a go at restoration but get it badly wrong.

Why one cracked and the other not? Perhaps it is their
position... Possibly one is more "protected" by a wall or bush or
gets more sunshine during the day? Or maybe the one is collecting
more moisture than the other, being more exposed to rain, wind,
etc. or standing in a wet garden or on more porous or water
logged substrate? Could also be the clay... One is harder than
the other, or more porous, or not fired to the same temperature.
Design could also be a factor... Hard to tell really. Maybe just
the luck of the draw?!

Sincerely

Janet Kaiser

*** IN REPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAIL:

>My brother and sister-in-law have two 3/4 replicas of the
Chinese Jian
>warriors. These are terracotta hollow statues with removable
heads. One,
>[General] is standing; the other [Lancer] is kneeling. Both are
outdors in
>Pleasanton, CA where temperatures fall below freezing sometimes
in late
>fall and winter.The General is developing noticable cracks in
the head and
>body. The terracotta is not sealed in any way.
>
>Other than the obvious first step of putting them inside during
the winter
>to protect them from getting wet and then freezing, does anybody
have any
>good suggestions on:
>1. Whether or not it is a good idea to try and seal them and if
so, with
>what?
>2. What is the best way to repair the cracks?
>3. Is there any alternative to bringing them inside during the
winter?
>4. Any ideas on why one is cracking significantly but the other
doesn't
>appear to be?
*** THE MAIL FROM Doric T. Jemison-Ball ll ENDS HERE ***
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