How To Avoid Air Traps:

Air Traps:

These occur when a body part bends up from a lower point in the mold and are much more serious than air bubbles.

As cement is poured it cannot 'push' the air out of the mold to fill these high points (blue areas in left illustration). This results in 'missing' parts from the sculpture.

To Avoid Air Traps:

Keep fingers fairly straight, positioning so that the tips are near the lowest point in the mold.

If not too high they can also be filled with the correct Gravity Cast technique.

Air Path Example 1:

You can also eliminate air traps by creating an escape route to the surface. Here are two ways to make air paths:

1. Close the fingers so they touch each other or make tight fists so the air in the fingertips can escape back through the wrist area.

Air Path Example 2:

Another method of eliminating air traps when using two or more models:

2. Holding hands as shown so the fingertips of one hand will touch the back of the other. The air from those upturned fingertips can escape through the wrist of the second hand.