Enter Gnome Man's Land
The Secrets of Gnome-Making Revealed!
Hi, it’s me, Steve, the Just Say Gnome! gnome sculptor. So let’s see… the secret of making garden gnomes … hmmm…. Well from what I’ve heard about it there’s probably just three real ways to make gnomes. There’s the way that I do it – with cement – which I’ll explain later. Then there’s the way to make hollow gnomes out of ceramic clay and bake them in a hot kiln – which is a whole other kind of complex process – which I’ll explain a little bit. And then there’s the third way – the old-fashioned way to make gnomes - that I have to say is probably the way to get the most realistic looking garden gnomes – but it is rather difficult and many people might say somewhat unethical.
Old-School Gnome-Making:
Basically this third gnome-making method involves hiding out in an old forest at nighttime and luring a real gnome – either with snacks or fake gnome mating calls – and then to catch him (or her)!. Then you wait till the next morning and (according to legends anyway) when the Sun comes out the gnome gets turned to stone and Voila! you’ve made your very own garden gnome! Congratulations! But again that method’s considered kind of unethical – and I think it may even be illegal in some states.
Anyway the method that I’ll be explaining in depth here is the one that I use and it doesn’t usually involve live gnomes. But before we get to that I want to explain the basics of the other way that garden gnomes are commonly made – with ceramic clay. I have to admit that I haven’t used this method very much at all and thus don’t really know what I’m talking about. But at least I can give you a basic idea and explain how its different from the gnome making that we currently do here at Just Say Gnome!. –just please bear in mind that at least some of what I’m saying about the following gnome-making method is probably wrong.
Basically this third gnome-making method involves hiding out in an old forest at nighttime and luring a real gnome – either with snacks or fake gnome mating calls – and then to catch him (or her)!. Then you wait till the next morning and (according to legends anyway) when the Sun comes out the gnome gets turned to stone and Voila! you’ve made your very own garden gnome! Congratulations! But again that method’s considered kind of unethical – and I think it may even be illegal in some states.
Anyway the method that I’ll be explaining in depth here is the one that I use and it doesn’t usually involve live gnomes. But before we get to that I want to explain the basics of the other way that garden gnomes are commonly made – with ceramic clay. I have to admit that I haven’t used this method very much at all and thus don’t really know what I’m talking about. But at least I can give you a basic idea and explain how its different from the gnome making that we currently do here at Just Say Gnome!. –just please bear in mind that at least some of what I’m saying about the following gnome-making method is probably wrong.
A Basic Idea of Hollow Ceramic Gnome-Making
Ceramic gnomes are almost always made hollow and the layer of clay that they’re made from usually only ends up being a couple centimeters to a quarter-inch or less in thickness. The ceramic clay is poured into the mold in the form of a liquid or ‘slip’; but in contrast the gnome mold itself is made out of a solid and rigid substance – generally Plaster of Paris I believe. A plaster mold is used because it can absorb water from the liquid ‘slip’ clay. Soon after the liquid slip is poured in its poured back out again but because much of its moisture has been absorbed by the plaster mold a thin ‘dry’ layer is left in the mold.
This process of pouring in and then dumping out the slip clay is repeated at least a few times until a sufficiently think layer has been built up all around the mold. Then I guess they let it sit for a while longer too – until the clay is still a bit dryer and stronger. – And then – whenever the time is right – the mold is removed from the new gnome! But that gnome still isn’t really done, because he or she is still kind of moist and not fully solid and strong – but has to be baked to completion in a ‘kiln’ a high temperature oven type thing that greatly strengthens the new gnome and makes him or her ready for shipping, painting, or direct placement in a garden!
The downside of a solid plaster molds like the ones used in this process is that the gnome can’t really have very many details or ‘undercuts’ (areas of a gnome sculpture that ‘cut’ in behind the main surface of the gnome’s body – like is the case with many folds in a shirt or the area between a gnomes chin or beard and their neck. Also instead of the mold being made of just two or even just one piece as can be done with rubber molds – like I use – the gnome mold may have to be made of several separate pieces – depending on how complex the gnome’s details or posture are.
But again I don’t really know what I’m talking about when it comes to making gnomes this way so you might want to check with your local college, art school, or ceramic shop if you really want to know how this alternative gnome-making system works.
For more information on classic ceramic gnome-making you can click [ here ]
This process of pouring in and then dumping out the slip clay is repeated at least a few times until a sufficiently think layer has been built up all around the mold. Then I guess they let it sit for a while longer too – until the clay is still a bit dryer and stronger. – And then – whenever the time is right – the mold is removed from the new gnome! But that gnome still isn’t really done, because he or she is still kind of moist and not fully solid and strong – but has to be baked to completion in a ‘kiln’ a high temperature oven type thing that greatly strengthens the new gnome and makes him or her ready for shipping, painting, or direct placement in a garden!
The downside of a solid plaster molds like the ones used in this process is that the gnome can’t really have very many details or ‘undercuts’ (areas of a gnome sculpture that ‘cut’ in behind the main surface of the gnome’s body – like is the case with many folds in a shirt or the area between a gnomes chin or beard and their neck. Also instead of the mold being made of just two or even just one piece as can be done with rubber molds – like I use – the gnome mold may have to be made of several separate pieces – depending on how complex the gnome’s details or posture are.
But again I don’t really know what I’m talking about when it comes to making gnomes this way so you might want to check with your local college, art school, or ceramic shop if you really want to know how this alternative gnome-making system works.
For more information on classic ceramic gnome-making you can click [ here ]
How We Make Gnomes at Just Say Gnome!
Starting at the Beginning – The Idea and Sculpting the Original
Okay, taking it from the beginning – there’s the idea – wherever it came from – for a new Gnome. Sometimes I (Steve still) will sketch out a basic idea of what the gnome should probably look like – but sometimes its best to just start sculpting.
Forming the ‘Armature’ Framework
But by ‘start sculpting’ I mean start by building a basic framework or ‘armature’ for the shape of the gnome to be built around. I usually use a fairly thing kind of wire – thick enough so that it will hold its form under light pressure and thin enough that it isn’t too touch to bend. Making basic shapes for the gnome’s body and arms, legs, and head/hat but folding and then looping a couple thicknesses of wire around themselves I finish this stage by tying up the loose ends of wire so that no sharp ends are sticking out. Sometimes at this stage I also incorporate solid objects like empty sewing-thread-spools into the wire – wherever I know I want the gnome’s body to be thicker.
But by ‘start sculpting’ I mean start by building a basic framework or ‘armature’ for the shape of the gnome to be built around. I usually use a fairly thing kind of wire – thick enough so that it will hold its form under light pressure and thin enough that it isn’t too touch to bend. Making basic shapes for the gnome’s body and arms, legs, and head/hat but folding and then looping a couple thicknesses of wire around themselves I finish this stage by tying up the loose ends of wire so that no sharp ends are sticking out. Sometimes at this stage I also incorporate solid objects like empty sewing-thread-spools into the wire – wherever I know I want the gnome’s body to be thicker.