Page 200 - Casting of Angels- Dave Parvin
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changes shape somewhat. So you Step 4: Casting the Finished
have to add back as well as take Portrait.
away. This was also done with
melted wax which was added on I decided to cast the skin parts
and then shaped as necessary. I and the area above her head in
used dental tools both for the white by using Forton MG with
carving the plaster and shaping powdered limestone which when
the wax. buffed would simulate white
For her faerie outfit, we went marble. Her dress, wings, hair,
to a craft store and purchased an Photo #8 and the molding at the top were
assortment of artificial leaves and Forton MG to which copper
flowers. We glued the leaves flat powder had been added
on the body to make it look as if producing a very credible cold
she were wearing a dress made of cast bronze. The hair was turned
leaves. A garland of flowers black and the leaves and wings
would be added around her head became green by using different
at a later stage. patina solutions. The garland of
Since the finished faerie flowers around her forehead was
portrait would be a “relief” wall a string of artificial flowers that
hanging, we attached the plaster Photo #9 was coated with Forton MG with
casting to a 24 inch round piece brass powder. A light blue wash
of 3/4 inch fiberboard that would was applied to the area above her
frame the work and provide a so as to distinguish it from the
background for constructing the flesh areas. Everything except the
wings which were made in clay. flowers was polished with soft
(Photograph #11.) The next step cloth buffing wheels with either
was to make a mold of the new white or brown buffing
Caylie in silicone rubber. compounds. The completed 3-D
portrait is shown in photograph
Step 3: Making a Mold of the #13.
Enhanced Casting. Earlier, I described life casting as
Rubber usually consists of two “3-D photography” which begs
liquids, a base and a catalyst, the question as to why we didn’t
though sometimes other just get Caylie a faerie costume
components are added for specific and take her picture, a much
applications. Once mixed simpler way to go. There are two
together, the components set up reasons. The first is that what we
into what we would recognize as Photo #10 did, in my opinion, is far more
rubber. In photograph #12, I had impressive. The second is
just painted the first of three Just as with the alginate permanence. The Forton MG
layers of liquid rubber into the mold, a supporting or “mother” material that I have mentioned
portrait. mold was necessary for the rubber was developed for architectural
to maintain its shape when
removed from the plaster. For this
purpose, I used Forton MG (3).
The same Forton MG would be
used below with metal and
limestone powders to make the
final casting. Because of the
undercuts on both sides of the
face and shoulders, the rigid
mother mold had to be
constructed in four pieces in order
to separate from the rubber layer.
Photo #11 Photo #12
