Getting Plastered???

One of the materials that I have been experimenting with is plaster embedded on gauze fabric. I was able to get several outdated boxes of this medium from the orthopaedic surgeon that my sister works for. I thought that it might be a nice complement to the paper mache' work I have been doing.

Thus far, I have mixed reviews about it's potential as a viable medium. The advantages of using this medium include: it hardens very quickly (usually sets within 4-5 minutes after being shaped), it becomes easily activated when placed into very warm water, it can easily be cut into usable pieces for smaller detail work, you can cover a relatively large surface area quickly, rolls are available in a variety of widths, and you can achieve various textures depending upon the way you manipulate the plaster.

The disadvantages include: it appears to be expensive (although, I have not done any in depth research), it takes multiple layers to "build-up" the thickness to assure structural integrity, it is messy, it gets your armature very wet (so you must consider if your materials will deteriorate if it absorbs too much), the wet roll sticks on itself and is difficult to wrap in close quarters, and the archival properties are unknown.

If you have used this medium or know someone who does, I would really appreciate your feedback and/or the necessary contact information to reach your resource. For now, I plan to find ways to put my supply to good use. I may provide future updates as I obtain more information, feedback, and/or experience with this product.