Page 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Introduction
Infants
LifeMask™ 1 2
FastMask™ 1 2
Non-Human
Arts & Crafts
Large Work 1 2
Miscellany

Chapter 5: Advanced Techniques
Precision Lifecasting & Other Approaches

Facial Anatomy & The FastMask™:
AA life cast face 5A little understanding of facial anatomy is required to see where the problems with air pools will occur. These are illustrated in blue to the right.
The nasolabial furrow (where your nostrils join your cheek), the philtrum (that little dent on most people's upper lip), the mentolabial furrow (between your lower lip and chin), the infrapalpebral furrow (where the eye socket meets the nose) are the main concave areas. Uncontrolled, these areas will form large blobs which must then be carved to shape.
AA life cast face 6The eye sockets are the deepest and most difficult to avoid. In addition to the model's efforts (below), I find it is usually necessary to spread the mold fluid into those areas as the model submerges. Also, if the design calls for the model's mouth to be open, make sure they carefully suck some of the mold inside. An open mouth can be the biggest air pool of all.
As soon as the model is in the fluid they must quickly move their face back & forth to try to dislodge the air pools. There may be enough time for you to gently spread the liquid directly into these areas with your hands. Also the model may be able to come up for a gulp of air if required. Much depends on your relationship with the model and their confidence in you.
The most crucial aspect of this method is getting a good coating directly on the skin. If your model is relaxed and knows what to expect, they will have less problem holding their breath and, more importantly, maintaining the facial expression you want. You don't want them (usually) to come out looking like a blow fish!
Also remember that to carve the eyes open later, the muscles around them must not be tightly clamped shut. The 'gestalt' must be appropriate to the expression. This will take some practice on the part of you and your model
AA life cast face 7Once the mold has set the model can simply exhale. This releases the suction which, with a little facial wiggling gets them out easily. The casting, whether done solid or by slush cast (see Chapter 3) is pretty straight forward as long as you make sure to again, get a good coating into all the surface details.
The one area where extra care is needed occurs when the expression has an open mouth. In a mold, the inside of the mouth will generally look like a shapeless blob. As this illustration shows, where the mold enters the mouth, between the lips and teeth, will be thinner than the inside area. When removed from the model along with the rest of the mold, it may flop around.
If you pour the casting solid, this lump will usually float into its correct position with a little help from the sculptor. In a slush cast though, you must hold or otherwise support it as you spread the casting media in to the details of the teeth, tongue, lips. etc.
Copyright © 1987 through 2003 by MSWinn. Thank you for visiting www.lifecast.net!
ToP
1/18/03

LifeCast™ & MSW Creative Works Legal Information:

Contents of this web site (lifecast.net) and all life cast materials and other art and sculpture products or lifecast kit packaging, art techniques and sculpture instructions copyright © 1986-2002 by Mark S. Winn. All rights reserved. The terms BODY PARTS™, LifeCast™, ChildCast™, StudioPack™, ArtForm™, ArtCast™, Earthium™, Earthium(f/x)™, ShrinKast™, PolyART™, WaterTrap™, BlendBag™, Successful Creativity Guarantee™, LifeMask™, FastMask™ as well as the phrase "Make YourSelf Immortal!™" and any other art materials product or craft item denoted by a small 'TM' (such as in LifeCast™) are trademarks. The phrases life cast and life casting or the words lifecast and lifecasting are generic.
Our LifeCast™ products or other sculpture, mold making and art materials products are are entirely safe within the context of arts & crafts when used as directed. Other arts & crafts materials shown here each carry their own warnings and degrees of safety. They are available for use as creative mediums AT YOUR OWN RISK and since we cannot control the actual use of these art products, we disclaim any responsibility for damage or injury caused by incorrect or experimental life cast, sculpture, life mask, erotic art or other mold making or creative applications.
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