Dannon Rhudy on mon 17 jan 00
At 09:28 PM 01/16/2000 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I would like to make plaster masks of my teenage children and terribly
>embarrass them by displaying them in my home. I have never tried this
>before are their any methods that are better than others, and plasters
>that are more suited to this, or any hints that would help me do this
>without to much stress to my kids..................
I'm not clear whether you want the MASKS to be plaster, or you want
to make a plaster MOLD of their faces, and use it as a press mold for
some other material(s) to make the actual mask.
There are a lot of ways to cast their faces. Among the easiest would
be to get some dental gel (expensive, but makes VERY detailed molds).
These come in a can as a dry powder,you can no doubt get it from your
dentist.
After making, you would need some exterior support if you were going to
use them to mold something as heavy as plaster. If you want to use the
plaster to make the MOLD, then: have the subject lie flat on a table
or the floor (face up). Cover the face carefully with a release agent-
I use petroleum jelly. Use a piece of gauze to cover each eyelid/lashes
(otherwise, even with the release agent, it is all too easy to get
eyelashes stuck in
the plaster). Use a scarf around the hairline to keep hair out of the
plaster. Mix a very thick batch of plaster - about the consistency of
wet mud. (Not the usual plaster mix). Now, carefully slather the plaster
on, building up thickness after the first coat. DO NOT cover the nostril
area - leave it open so the subject can breathe. (Some insert a straw
in the mouth to breathe through, but I do not recommend it - people
panic when their eyes, nose & mouth are covered up, and it distorts
the mouth.) You can adjust the nose portion after the mask is removed.
I usually make a mold of perhaps 1 1/2" thickness. Incidentally, make
sure they understand to keep their lips firmly closed.
The plaster will set up quickly, you can expect to be able to remove
the mask within about 15 minutes or a bit more. BE SURE that you
do not have any undercuts, don't go past/under the jawline, etc. If you
do, the plaster will be very difficult to remove. You want to be able
to lift it off STRAIGHT UP.
Being covered in plaster is a very odd sensation, and as the plaster
sets, the chemical reaction that permits the set-up releases heat. Subjects
should be forewarned of this. In fact, I always mix a small batch of
plaster and cast the top of the hand, first, so that they'll know what to
expect when it is their FACE. (Same rules, incidentally, regarding
undercuts -don't cast the whole hand, please please please - only to
the half-way mark).
After the plaster has dried - takes a day or two or longer- you can press
clay into the mold, remove it, adjust the end of the nose and the eye
area. These can be fired, or, having made your adjustments, and while
the clay is still wet (soft leather is good) you can now make ANOTHER
plaster mold that will have the eyes & nose the way you want them. To
do this, make a box that is two or three inches wider and longer and
higher than your clay mask. This can be done with wood or very sturdy
cardboard, or even with clay that has been allowed to get leather hard.
Mix a new batch of plaster (regular, pourable consistency this time)
and carefully pour over your image, making sure that you have a good
two inches or so of plaster above the highest point of your image. Let
it set up, turn it over so that the clay is exposed, and when the clay has
dried enough, remove it from the plaster. After the plaster has
hardened for a day or so, clean out any residual clay, and you have
a more or less permanent mold. This can be used for press-molding
with clay, or paper pulp - both will make good masks. The paper
will shrink less.
It is not a difficult process, I have one or two students every term who
make these, but it requires thought and planning, and a calm approach.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
potter@koyote.com
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