Begin by planning your design with sketches on paper, estimating the size and shape of the sculpture. The reinforcing rods will serve as a structure over which a skin of hardware cloth is secured. The cement mixture is then applied to the mesh to form the outside surface of the sculpture.
Fashion the supporting structure from the reinforcing rods. Cut the rods to length and bend them to follow the surface planes of your sculpture using the needle-nosed pliers. Secure the rods together by wrapping the tie wire in a loop around the rods, and twisting the loose ends of the wire together with the needle-nosed pliers to tighten the tie.
Use the metal shears to cut sections of the hardware cloth to fit across the gaps between the rods of the support structure. Use the tie wire to fasten the hardware cloth to the rods by bending a loop of wire around the rod, and threading the ends of the wire through the cloth. Twist the ends of the wire together with the needle-nosed pliers to tighten the tie. Tie the cloth down at intervals of three inches along the rods.
Measure a starting batch of the cement mixture with the following proportions, which is an amount that can be applied by one person before the cement begins to set:
6 cups Portland cement
2 cups masonry sand
1 cup liquid bonding additive
2 cups water
Put on the rubber gloves and dust mask. Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bucket. Pour the water into second bucket, and then slowly add the cement mixture while continuously stirring.
Apply the cement in batches with the trowel and spatula, plastering over the hardware cloth to form a smooth, continuous surface. Keep the cement on the sculpture wet by spraying with the water-mist bottle between batches. The layer of cement should be from 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Use the trowel to apply the main portion of the cement and then use the rubber spatula to smooth out the surface. Small details and decorations on the surface can be made while the surface is still soft and workable. The batches of cement will bond together at the edges and on overlapping portions for only
about four days, so the sculpture should be completely plastered with in that time. Wrap the sculpture in plastic sheets to keep it moist when not working on it.
Finish the surface of the sculpture while the cement mixture is still within the four-day curing stage. Use coarse sandpaper to remove larger irregularities on the surface. Use the medium-grade sandpaper for the final smoothing of the surface.