SPECIALIST PRACTICE

Brush Shellac onto the plaster core.  The layers saturate the plaster and as they dry, it seals it. - if using fiberglass straight onto surface - because there is no detail.

No need to shellac the front because we will be using silicone and creating the clay wall - as the clay does not curve nicely - add slices into the clay. Trim wedges of clay to fill the gaps. Gorton goes around the ear, with ear on front side.





Rough wall. clay all around the base to strengthen. Paper towel pinned in place and spritzed with water.












Cover clay with plaster banadage - this is to add strength so that you can work on the wall without it falling





Strips across of plaster bandage - not too much bandage as it will be hard to remove.The neater and the smoother the wall - the better the join of the mould








use slightly damp sponge to clean the clay - need a sharp 90 degree angle









Little keys using a rubber on end of a pencil - sprayed with wax first.





Bigger keys closer to the edge - find a good tool/object which will make neat keys by digging out clay with it. Smaller keys close to the core.PVA brushed on after shellac - 2 coats - all over the life cast and the flange. Allow 1st layer to dry and then add another. also add to the wooden base. Next use a spray wax. 2 layers - allow to dry inbetween layers. brush with talc - make more matt to ensure the gel coat does not slide off.


Smooth the gel coat into all the corners - even surfacesmall keys - use cotton bud to make sure there is no airbubble.

Have strips of matting - lay down 4 or 5 at once, wet them with the resin and quickly put on surface of mould.

Dont wet down too many strips at once. the resin breaks down the glass - makes it malleable but too much resin will weaken and make it messy mould.

overlap the clay by 10 - 15 mm - otherwise the outside edge of moulds are often too weak.




if there is an airbubble beneath matt - and it cures, it will be a weak area.

First layer of matting is crucial. using end of a brush to poke the matting again into the small keys to get rid of any air bubbles.Flange first. Laminate it down. cover with another layer of matting. Only once the flange has two good layers, start work on the core.

Gorton then works with larger sheet, press down in the middle and then press down into the edges. as it softens it will stretch and conform to shape. Another big sheet to cover shoulders. Always overlap. 2 layers on back of head, third layer on the flange.

Perfect point where the knife will cut through the matting which ahs overlapped - saves using vibersaw.

Fiberglass has set, pull off the plaster bandage on front and gently start peeling back the clay. Remove what you can by hand and then use a metal tool to remove excess.