finishing techniques for your life cast sculpture
Ch3: Page 1 2 3

Chapter 3: Intermediate BODY PARTS™ Projects
Projects For The Adventurous Beginner

• Click any single artifact in the image
for its description.
• Click a tab at the top for all projects
of that difficulty level.
References to "kit" in this section are to
BODY PARTS: Original LifeCast™ Kit.
*Successful Creativity Guarantee™ applies only to the sculpture, not to any applied finishes.
Bracket life castReptile life castHeld crystal life castHeld box life castFoot lamp life castBronzed life castEar & Nose lifecastHeld hands life castTrinket life cast 2Hand vase life cast3 hands life castFlower life castBaseball life castTrinket life castTrinket life cast 3Hand shake life castFoot vase life cast3 Child life castBaby's foot lifecastApparagus life castLong nails life castExit life cast
A more complex type of holding object, this plastic box has a lid which we wanted to remain removable for knickknacks. We carefully positioned her fingers around the box so that none of them overlapped the top edge and so that no air traps (The Basics of LifeCasting™) were formed. Held this way, a smooth object that is either straight up and down or smaller at the bottom than the top will slide out of the sculpture.
The LifeCast™ was made and allowed to harden in the mold for an entire day because we wanted a very strong cast when it came time to remove the box. Remember, its being wet that makes the cement hard, not drying out (Alternative & Advanced Techniques).
life cast exitUp to a point, the longer its wet the stronger it gets. After unveiling and drying, the plastic box was gently slid out and the piece was painted to simulate actual stone. Then the box bottom was returned to its place and glued with a "super type" glue (one with cyanoacrylate) to support the delicate fingers since the lid was designed to be removed and replaced repeatedly.
This charming LifeCast™ of a brother and sister holding hands was made without a base so we could mount it to a carved, wooden one that reads "brother and sister".
Illustrations of this piece are used elsewhere to demonstrate the precautions needed to prevent air traps (The Basics of LifeCasting™). You must make sure one child's fingers touch the back of the other's hand.
life cast hldhndsWith young children the only way to stress this is to have them practice a few times so they understand that its important (we made a game of it). Arranged this way, the air from her fingertips could escape through his wrist.
For a more elegant, extended thumb on this woman's graceful hand we removed the can's top and bottom then bend it into an oval shape. The bottom was then sealed with duct tape.
Her long fingernails in a cement casting would be very easy to break. Even an actual stone such as marble would be easily chipped if shaped as thin as a fingernail. So, we first thickened them by filling the inside curves with modeling clay before making the mold (The Basics of LifeCasting™).
life cast ldyhndThis one was used as a window display for a manicurist and finished with flesh-tone paint and durable, acrylic sealant which would not be dissolved by nail polish remover. That way the fingernail artist could change the design of the display as she chose.
Copyright © 1987 through 2007 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.
NOT FOR USE BY CHILDREN: These arts & crafts materials may be used with children of any age but should never be used by an unsupervised child. A "child" is defined by law as anyone under the age of 18 years. Our art, lifecast or sculpture product prohibitions against unsupervised use by children therefore applies to all persons under that age. "Supervised" by definition means at all times, through each step of any use of our life cast or other art materials. Such supervision must be by an adult over the age of 18 years while using the BODY PARTS™ LifeCast™ kits or other life cast, sculpture and art materials.
Our life cast, sculpture and other art materials should never be used by anyone who cannot read, understand and apply the language in which the lifecast, sculpture or art materials' instructions appear. The terms of said language are exclusively defined in any standard, widely accepted and comprehensive dictionary of that language and are meant to be construed in no other manner.
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