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MOULD MAKING TECHNIQUES

FLAT MOULDS

Stuart Bray tutorial. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1U7XFSiCh8

This Stuart Bray flat mould tutorial is quick and is a useful visual reminder of the flat piece process. 

I had not used a cotton bud to clean up around the edge previously, which is something I will do next time I create a flat piece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Available from: http://www.brickintheyard.com/documents/HowtouseFlatMoulds-Downloadinfo.pdf

These are the positive and negatives of using silicone over gelatin or vice verca. 

I have found that the biggest benefit of gelatine is that is cheap however I feel the silicone edges are much better. 

Available from: http://www.learnmakeupeffects.com/flatmoulds/

These sillicone flat pieces are great examples of a seamless edge and flawless colour match. I am particuarly interested in the eyebag on the right as I will be applying an eyebag on to my model for my living portrait.

Release agents - materials that allow you to separate cast objects from moulds

Two types of release agents - Barrier and reactive

Barrier -  prevents adhesion by producing a film or a barrier between the form and the mould.

Reactive - work by process of chemical reaction. It is a chemically reactive process, there is generally little to no residue or unreacted product left on the forming surface provides for a cleaner process.

 

MATERIALS USED IN MOLDS

- SIlicone Rubber 
- Fibre glass
- Urethane rubber 
- Urethane plastic resin 

TYPES OF MOLD

- Matrix molds
- Flood molds
- Box molds
- Block molds
- Brush up molds
- Injection molds

- Plate molds
- Pour molds

- Pressure molds
- Vacuum molds

FOAM LATEX

  •  Silicone mimics skin appearance however unlike foam latex, it does not breathe and the perfomer wearing the silicone appliance may perspire profusely. 

  • Foam latex is lightweight and more comfortable

 

Things to consider when using foam latex

 

  • Foam latex is arguably the most difficult material to work with. It can be light, strong and breathable but there are many 'hoops' to jump through to achieve these characteristics.
     

  • Foam latex is opaque unlike silicone and gelatin which can be coloured instrinsically to be semitransparent or translucent (like real human skin). Foam latex is naturally opaque

  • To create translueceny, the foam appliance must be painted numerous transparent layers of pigment (usually with an airbrush)

  • Foam latex requires heat cure in an oven - not a standard oven as it gives off toxic fumes during the heat cure.

  • It shrinks - the thicker the foam, the more it shrinks. Not to be confused with volume of foam - lower volume foam (heavier) will shrink more than high volume foam (lighter) because it has more air and a lesser proportion of foam latex components. Water loss causes shrinkage.

 

GELATIN

  • Gelatin is more translucent and moves better than some materials. It has a very realistic texture and doesnt take much make up to cover it 

  • It is an inexpensive material

  • Gelatin is considered a hypoallergenic - allergy free use on most people

 

Things to consider

 

  • Gelatin breaks down with heat and perspiration, therefore it can melt and dissolve

BONDO TRANSFERS

Bondo is a material made by mixing Pros - Aide and Cab-O-Sil - it's other name is Cabo patch. 

 

  • You can use Bondo to fill holes in prosthetics caused by defects during casting process, you can also use it to blend off thick edges during application.

  • Bondo can also be used to make transfers. Bondo transfers are easy to use as well as easy to make.

  • Bondo can be created in various different ways. Todd Debreceni advises the following:

    - To mix the Cab-o-Sil and Pro-saide on a low speed for 8-9 hours. Do not         use high speed as this will create air bubbles. Allowing it to mix this way            allows the water to evaporate without solidifying the adhesive.

  • Matthew Mungle suggests:

   - two coats of soft sealer in the silicone mold

   - Prosaide Bondo placed into mold with small spatula. Flat and smoothed          and dried

   - One coat of soft sealer over dried Bondo

 

Bondo can then be directly applied from the silicone mold onto the skin.

PLATSIL GEL 10 & PLATSIL GEL 00


These are platinum silicones - plat refers to platnimum and sil refers to silicone. The number refers to the softness of the silicone often referred to as 'shore hardness'. This is explained below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you.

Available from: http://www.smooth-on.com/pdf/durometer_with_logo.pdf

FLOCKING

 

This is a short fibre made from Rayon or Nylon which is used to instrinsically colour silicone, along with pigment. The purpose of flock is to break up the surface colour of the pigmented silicone and give it more depth and realism.

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