Casting workshop

During this workshop we were instructed on waste mold casts, Two piece molds and long lasting molds and piece molds. Two piece molds I had used before on a small portrait and two standing figures. However during the lesson I learnt many things that I wish I had known previously. One golden detail I think will become extremely helpful was using a lemon in the plaster to slow down the drying process, this will allow me to use the mixture for longer and work on larger sculptures easier.

I had never had to chisel into the mold before and thought it would be a daunting task when attempted, regardless I think is it a successful way of reaching the cast with minimal damage.

Soft soap was another aspect I had never used before, soaking the negative mold in water for a few hours opens up the pores and the soap is watered down in hot water to paint over the surface preventing the cast sticking to the surface. Shellac can also be used to the same effect, even for materials such as fiber glass.

We used builders scrim/hessum to strengthen the cast, best for larger casts.

I think the rubber mold was most helpful, it comes with high cost so I will consider it only when creating multiple copies. Silicone is perfect for this and when mixed with fixatonic it can be applied to standing sculptures. This sounds extremely helpful for delicate or tall figures.

The last mold we explored was Piece mold, similar to a puzzle the molding plaster is divided into sections allowing for painless removal thus no affect on the cast. I would be willing to experiment with this one as an alternative to silicone.

With this knowledge I have more confidence going though with sculptural art as I have a clearer heading for the outcome.