Using stucco for sculpture

[bluedogshuz]

I am wondering if anyone has created outdoor sculpture using stucco (cement with premixed sand). I am wondering if I could make plywood armatures, cover with wire mesh and then apply stucco. I am wondering if the plywood would need to be sealed, if the piece would hold up etc. It is avery appealing idea to me since a bag of stucco is $4. wire is $11. etc. Seems like some nice abstract geometrics could be created and the texturing well... infinite possibilities. Since they do this on houses ( I'm doing it right now) I would think if the stucco was sealed it would be pretty permanent, am I right?

[sculptor]

wood---plywood,etc expands and contracts with atmospheric moisture and temperature.....stucco doesn't(or atleast, not nearly as much)----so if applied directly, the wood will crack the stucco

that being said, I've done stucco bass and meso reliefs---I used stucco mesh wire screening over styrofoam(closed cell) over cement board then applied stucco with colorant and let it cure...later I did some touchups with thinned artist oil paints and a tiny brush and old rags

last I checked, one had survived chicago winters for 15+ years---another was torn down with the building

it is an easily worked medium and last well-----if you add colorant, save some in case you need to touchup any cracks-----texture is where the fun part enters----

for outdoor stucco add some portland cement to the mix---I pop the extra bucks for white portland.

good luck and have some fun

rod
sculptor (http://sculpture.alturl.com)

[bluedogshuz]

Rod,
If the scratch coalt is on wire mesh wouldn't that add a sufficent barrier to reduce cracking? I plan to seal the pieces with metal paint and sealer on that. Its encouraging that you have one in Chi town that survived! I don't have THAT problem in FLA just lots of moisture. Duly noted on the wood.