It is all about manipulating the plasticity of materials. All plasters and cements may be manipulated, but modern materials are typical designed to set very quickly, to suit industrial processes - thats were the money is. Old materials were not this way. If you had to stay on a job until 8 o'clock at night to trowel polish a surface - well - thats just the was it was. If you came back the next morning - too late, too sad.

Are you a carver or a modeller - that is the question - do you like to build up or take away. I know everybody uses both techniques - but what is faster for you?