plaster applied all over the lower face and jaw,
with straws in the nose
finished mould on a clay slab,
ready to be filed with glass wax and left to set
In preparation for my ‘whole head’ casting I shadowed another student as he cast his lower face and jaw in plaster, for moulding into a Glass Wax template
This was a fascinating process as it showed me all the labour that would be required to casting the entire face. It also alleviated any doubts or concerns regarding my own endeavours as I can envisage the final outcome. It also showed me the possible outcomes for using other materials apart from the ones I have already chosen to use within my casting. I have only nominally experimented with plaster, and never with Glass Wax and so watch this student really showed me more possible outcomes for the direction of my practise.
Lifecasting: Horcelie
Using the Red Head I applied Casting Gel over it and left to it set. This will act as a ‘Bald Cap’ that will allow for a smoother mould, and better transit from the face to the hair and round of the back of the head.
Once dry this can be peeled off and put on the sitters head, before being cut accordingly, trimming excess and sealing with more casting gel which allows the material to stick to the skin of the sitter.
Because of the size of the Red Head it created a very fitted cap for the head which I only had to trim minimally. Using casting gel I fitted the cap into place. This is imperative not only when casting the entire head, but allows for as much detail (from the first ‘Print Coat’ of Casting Gel) when transitioning from the head to the hair line and beyond.
From this point, Vaseline or any type of lubricant needs to be applies over key areas of the face to ensure the cast removes as little hair and skin as possible. I placed Vaseline over the eyebrows, eyelashes and hairline of the sitter, creating a semi-thick layer before the initial casting process.
back of the bald cap
finished bald cap – sealed with Gel-10
Stage 1:
Straws are put in the nose as an aid to breathing (and ear plus in the ears), and we have covered the sitter in appropriate clothing as the (thin) print coat will be very runny.
We decided to start back to front, casting the back of the head first. This involved a thin print coat over the back of the head (and around the ears), allowing to dry slightly before adding a secondary thicker coat (made thicker with Polyfiber Powder), then being held into place with 1-2 layers of Mod Rock
Print Coat:
The print coat is a very important layers in terms of casting.
This is the initial layer that will take the overall impression of the sitter facial nuances, which, if executed correctly allow for several high definition prints using a singular mould.
This s made of pure Casting Gel (Parts A and B) with some Thixotropic (which I did to use), mixed well before being poured over the face of the sitter. With this coat it is important to get a good overall coat of the entirety of the face, making sure to get all the smaller crack and creases of the face and the ears. I then allowed this to drip down the next in order to get a more complete depict of the sitter
Stage 2:
The second stage involves a thicker coat that not only hold the Print Coat in place, but acts as a outer layers for the Mod Rock casting to hold on to. This has been thickened with Polyfiber and its applied in the same way as the initial layer, making sure to create an even base over the Print Coat and not to disturb the Print Layer or the straws and ear plugs. This coat more so than the print layer needs to provide the best coverage over the face and neck in terms of the final casting. I allow this to try before applying Mod Rock layers over the top.
Stage 3:
The final stage simply involves creating a Plaster Bandage of the previous layers of Casting Gel in order to hold the Gel in place. This is an important process in terms repeat casting.
This outer layer was left to harden for about 15-25 minutes before being removes. In this instance we chose to remove the Mod Rock alongside the Gel Mould which would make reassembly easier for subsequent castings.
Disassembly:
This process was harder than I expected, Although the Mod Rock casting was east taken part, the Gel casting inside was very flimsy and became unstuck from the Mod rock casing in many instances. This means that the following day I had to recast come areas using Gel 10 which was very effective in creating a firm mould.
back of the head – 2-part casing
(close-up) neck moulding
final facial impression in front-part of mould
Re-assembly:
