finishing techniques for your life cast sculpture
Ch4: Page 1 2

Chapter 4: Advanced BODY PARTS™ Projects
Techniques For The Experienced Lifecaster.

• 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
This complex, vase assembly required several steps. First the glass vase was sealed with tape so that it would displace water rather than fill with it. That way less mold medium is used and, of course there is less to dig out later. The can was both widened and shaped into an oval (Alternative & Advanced Techniques) to accommodate the child's hands around the vase. The mold was made with no base since the vase stuck up above her wrists and the top of the can.
We only used about half the ArtCAST™ cement to fill just her hands. After the unveiling (step 2I – 2K) we mixed the other half of the cement and applied it by hand to surround the bottom, leaving a portion of the vase exposed.
life cast hndvsThe base was abused with power tools after the cement had dried to simulate rough stone.
Note: You don't want to get drill bits, etc. covered with wet cement since it will harden on them, they will rust and get duller, faster. Wait until the LifeCast™ has fully dried before using these kinds of tools.
To make this foot lamp we first cut open one side of the can and spliced in a wedge of cardboard, tapering the cylinder shape. The can was now wider at the top than the bottom to allow for the heel/ankle bend.
We hot glued rocks on the can bottom and proceeded with the typical, split mold, foot methods (Alternative & Advanced Techniques). After drying (to protect the power tools never use them on wet cement) we drilled holes, using a masonry drill bit, up from the bottom and down from the top to intersect inside the ankle.
life cast ftlmpThis made a channel for the electric cord and an opening to mount the lighting hardware. The hole for this hardware was packed and reinforced with heat tolerant epoxy. (don't use hot melt glue or flammable adhesives since the light bulb will melt or ignite it).
After doing some touch up the sculpture was painted, the electrical wires strung through the channel we drilled and the lamp shade attached.
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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