Chapter 4a: Basic Lifecast Design & Planning:
Good Luck Is When Opportunity Meets Preparation.

Your Reach Should Not Exceed Your Grasp. There are several different ways to approach even a basic project. This chapter describes some ideas and tricks. Beginners must not try anything too dramatic because its better to succeed at something simple than fail by trying to do something beyond your skill.

Wait for your second or third project to try the more complex sculptures.

Both confidence and frustration are cumulative. Take small steps.

Fingernails & Other Very Thin Areas:

Thin Areas such as long fingernails will be copied in the mold perfectly but, will be too weak in almost any final casting media except metal and some plastics. Even a primitive rock, like granite or a sedimentary stone, like marble would be easily broken if shaped as thin as a human fingernail.

To make these areas thicker and stronger fill the inside curves (shown in blue) with clay or wax, clay or some type of putty before making the mold. Make these areas flat across the arch and blend the putty into the tip of the finger so they are inconspicuous.

Fingernails

The lower photograph an example of this technique used in a wedding momento.

Done carefully the thickened fingernails will not be noticeable. Lifecasts such as these are frequently used by manicure and nail painting salons as displays.

Holding Objects & Mixed Media Lifecasts:

Held Objects ad another unique and surprising aspect to the art of LifeCasting™. Creating mixed media sculptures with even more of an individual's personality.

1. The object is held by your model as you measure the water and goes into the fluid ArtForm™ with the model's hand. The mold will set around both their hand and the object as shown in the first illustration.
2. When the mold has set the suction is released (Chapter 3) and only the hand is removed.
• The object stays in the mold.
3. The ArtCast™ cement is mixed and poured in the second illustration as usual.• It is important to be especially careful of air traps when holding objects are used.• The cement can only go into the areas where the hand was since the object is still in the mold.

The result in this photograph is a LifeCast™ which perfectly fits around the object just as the model held it!

Holding Objects

In this particular instance the boy happened to have a bandage on his arm as well and we left it in place to be duplicated along with everything else - a typical reminder of a 'rough and tumble' boyhood.

This example also has a cast base which is explained next.

NOTE:If the object to be held is valuable, such as if it had an professional player's signature on it, be sure to wrap it securely in cellophane before using it in a LifeCast™!
• This should also be done for any non-waterproof held object or the mold may stick to and damage it beyond repair.

Sculpture Pedestals & Lifecast Bases:

Pedestals and bases provide the same function for sculpture that frames do for paintings. They support the artifact and can enhance its appeal by offsetting it from its surroundings.

With our BODY PARTS™ kits a base can be made right along with the sculpture by simply leaving about 2 inches empty at the top of the package matrix when you measure the water for the ArtForm™ (see Chapter 2).

Sculpture

After removing the hands from the mold, this area is filled with ArtCast™ cement which forms your base.

NOTE:If your actual design is large enough to nearly fill the kit's matrix as is this example, you may be using very little water in your mix. Compensate by only blending the ArtForm™ for 1 to 1.5 minutes or by using extra cold water so that it doesn't set too fast.

The Book End Variation:

Book Ends are another clever approach to a basic project which requires both a cast base and a holding object but, with a slight twist.

In this illustration a measuring cup is used as the matrix which makes determining amounts needed very easy. See the Alternative Methods section for more information about this.

Book End

The held object is a flat piece of plastic or stiff paperboard wrapped in plastic which helps the model stay in a specific position and divides the base in half. When the LifeCast™ is unveiled it splits into 2 separate parts which hold up the books.

NOTE: Keep in mind that books can be pretty heavy. Bookends therefore must also be substantial to keep them upright. The base for your lifecast in this design is where most of the support must come from.

• When pouring the ArtCast™ make sure the base area is thick enough, an inch or two so they can restrain the books. If mounting it to a base, use something which will not slide.

EXAMPLE: This is a very popular design for use with children, especially among religious groups. A single StudioPak™ will do from 15 to 30 of these depending on the size/age of the children involved. They each use very little material and are done in paper cups which fit the shape perfectly.

Chapter 4b: Basic Lifecast Design & Planning:
Final Touch Ups Before Finishing.

Touch Up and Repairs to broken or flawed LifeCasts™ must be done according to the media they are cast in. Similar techniques are used for mounting or combining a Lifecast™ with other materials for mixed media work.

This section restricts itself to work done with our BODY PARTS™ Kits specifically or to LifeCasting™ in plasters or statuary cements such as our ArtCast™. For information about other mediums see Alternative & Advanced Techniques.

Air Bubble Touch Up:

As discussed in Chapter 3, there are 2 types of air bubbles;

1. Mold Bubbles are all the little bumps that show up on the final casting when proper mold proceedures are ignored. They are usually very easy to 'pop' off right after unveiling, while the cement is still somewhat soft or after it has fully cured and dried.

Air Bubble Touch Up:

Some must be carved off however, and that is best done only after drying. Use any tools that work (ie; nail files, emery boards, sculpture tools, sandpaper, etc.) to scrape away the exess cement. Try to make it blend into the surrounding area. Then use a pin or needle to carefully scribe a few lines over the smooth area by extending the surrounding skin details.

If done carefully, the repair will be all but invisible, especially after paint or other finish is applied.

2. Cast Bubbles are trickier. These are the little holes that occur when proper casting methods are not followed. If there are too many it may be easier to scrap the piece, learn from your mistakes and do another - following the instructions more carefully this time. If there are only a few then these can be easily removed.

Look at a cast bubble carefully. You will notice that, like an iceberg, most of the hole is below the surface, only the little tip shows to the eye. If we only fixed the surface it would be easy to damage again because of the remaining gap underneath. The entire hole must be filled in with some repair medium, then smoothed over to blend with its surrounding area. Several options are workable and described here.

Using more ArtCast™:
a. Get the hole completely wet, inside and out by using a paint brush and water. This prevents the dry cement from sucking all the moisture from the wet cement you will apply. If you do not do this the new cement will not stick and your efforts will be wasted.
b. Mix a small amount of the cement with 1/3 as much water into a thick paste and fill the entire hole quickly. Try to make a small bump at the top.
c. Smooth over the surface bump with water on a paint brush to blend it into the surrounding area.
d. Dry completely and finish.

Drywall Compound (ie; Spackel®, etc.):
a. This is commonly available at any hardware store. Same proceedure as for ArtCast™ except you don't have to mix the powder.
b. Do all other steps the same and be sure to follow the manufacturer's suggestions for whichever product you select.

Using Epoxy Putty:
a. These new materials are great and they can usually be found at any well stocked hardware or home improvement store in pure white and other colors. You should not use regular epoxy resins and glues since they are too runny for this type of application.
b. Use good safety precautions since they are extremely dangerous and toxic.
c. The LifeCast™ sculpture should be completely dry, with no loose particles of cement. Simply mix the putty per manufacturer's instructions and stuff it into the hole.
•Since these materials cure extremely hard, it is best to do as much as possible to texture the surface to blend with the surroundings while the epoxy is still workable.

Chapter 4c: Basic Lifecast Design & Planning:
Repair Materials & Their Uses.

Touch Up and Repairs to broken or flawed lifecasts must be done according to the media they are cast in. Similar techniques are used for mounting or combining a LifeCast™ with other materials for mixed media work.

This section restricts itself to work done with our BODY PARTS™ Kits specifically or to life casting in plasters or statuary cements such as our ArtCast™. For information about other mediums see the Advanced Methods.

LifeCast™ Repair:

Broken sculptures, Air Traps & Mounting:

After recasting a missing portion due to an air trap (Chapter 3) it will be similar to a broken off piece. Reattaching can be done with several techniques.

• Super glues (those which contain cyanoacrylate): Good for small breaks but somewhat brittle.
1. Make sure the sculpture is completely dry and the surfaces to be attached are free of dust and loose particles.
2. Apply small amount to both surfaces, it will usually soak in, forming a gloss over the surface. Allow to dry.
3. Repeat when both halves are dry but, this time press the parts carefully together. These glues harden on contact so there is little time for repositioning.- Exception: If you use the 'gel' formulations of these glues press the parts together on the first application.

• Goop® type flexible adhesives: Much better for larger and stronger repairs but thick and more difficult to conceal.
1. Simply follow manufacturer's instructions. Use as little as possible and remove the excess which will squeeze from between the crack as you press it together.

LifeCast™ Repair:

• Hot Melt glues: Are actually thermoplastic resins (see Advanced Methods) and work best when both surfaces are porous or rough textured.
1. Hot melt glues work best where large surfaces are to be joined or when combining lightweight items.
2. Follow manufacturer's instructions. Do not use where heat will be present, such as around incandescent lighting fixtures.

* Heavy Duty repairs and mountings: For use when long or large areas are to be joined and high durability is desired. This is the same technique used in wood working (doweling) and masonry (anchors) for joining surfaces.
1. Drill or carve holes into both surfaces to accept your anchor. Try to get them to line up fairly well but, they don't have to be perfect. Holes must be deep enough for your anchor to fit into both halves when the parts are pressed together and wider than the anchor itself to allow for minor position adjustment.
2. Bond the anchor into one side of the pieces to be joined, packing the hole completely with some material such as epoxy, urethane, or cement. Make sure the other piece can fit in place but, don't bond it yet. Allow the bonded half to cure.
3. Repeat the process with the other piece, this time pressing the parts together and adjusting their positions as desired. Clamp or hold the parts together until your bonding material cures (per mfg. instructions).Anchors may be anything from pieces of hard wire (coat hangers, etc.) to wooden dowels or concrete rebar.It depends on the strength required.

Go To The Advanced Methods Section
Chapter 1: The Matrix:
Selecting and/or Creating Lifecasting Containers.

© 1987 –2009 MSWinn. All rights reserved. Thank you for visiting lifecast.net.
FAQs • Products • LifeCast™ Library • Support • Contact • Legal Information