Page 85 - Casting of Angels- Dave Parvin

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Supporting the Model in Life

Casting, Part II

David E. Parvin, A.L.I.

interesting photos to show friends Photo #5 shows a Raku fired
and relatives is one of the perks the torso life casting of a young dancer.
model gets from being cast. In order We were trying to make her look as
to keep the model comfortable while if she were doing an arabesque. It
the completed mold is curing enough would have been impossible for
for removal, it is a good idea to anyone much less a twelve year old
remove the hand from the loop and to actually hold the position standing
bend the arm at the elbow for a few up long enough to do the casting. But
moments to restore circulation. lying down was a cinch.
(Photo #2) The torso casting in photograph
If you are creative at all, you #6 could have been made with the
will probably eventually come up model standing but I chose to have
with a composition that requires that the model lie down because it made
the model (s) be lying down; or at the casting easier to do. Normally,
least makes it easier to do. I’ll give the breasts of a supine female body
you a couple of examples. Photo #3 would be distorted and not look as if
is of nine year old twins. In the first she had been standing. However,
attempt, I had them stand and lean because, in this case, the right arm
against the padded board as presses against and covers the
explained in last month’s article. breasts, the torso looks pretty much
Photo 1 Unfortunately, because of their age, the same as if she had been standing.
they were unable to hold the position This simplified applying the alginate
In lasts month’s Sculpture and I repositioned them lying down on the body as a whole and
Journal, I explained the advantages and successfully made the casting. especially around the arms.
of positioning a model on an almost But I have done older pairs who were
vertical padded board for support able to stand up, e.g. photo #4. (See
when making a life casting either “When Two Head are Better than
face or torso. In this article, I will One, SJ, June 2004 by DP.)
expand on the subject and cover
some other methods.
One of the things I mentioned in
passing last month was that if a
model’s arm (or arms) is raised while
she is being cast, the arm or will
almost certainly go to sleep. The
model may insist that she (or he) can Photo 3
hold her arm in place without some
support; but do not believe her, she
can’t. While it will only take about
twenty to twenty-five minutes for an
experienced casting team to make
and remove the alginate mold, the
model will loose feeling in and
control of her arm and almost
certainly distort the mold.
Fortunately, providing support is
simple. In photo #1, notice that the
model’s left arm is supported by a
rope looped around her wrist. I
realize that sometimes life casting Photo 2 Photo 4
starts looking like bondage and a few
1