Craig Clark on fri 27 aug 04
looooonnnnnnngggggggg
Lyn, I started out using the palster gauze bandages for a the "Mars
Millenium Project" that I did with with a group of high school students.
We pressed soft clay slabs into the the negatives and ended up with
these wonderfully haunting facsimiles of our faces. We did not get much
detail though. That is the drawback of using plaster bandages. The
positive is that they are, comparatevly speaking, inexpensive, easy to
work with and quick.
I have since embarked on doing a series of body castings. Started
this after separating three ribs acting like a nutcase being pulled
behind a friends speedboat.......my wife had no simpathy despite the
pain and said that I was acting like I had a twenty year old body and
was adamant in saying I did not.
Initially the series was intended to be a bunch of butt castings that
I would then incorporate into "bottom pots." I used lots of vaseline and
plaster. Learned several tricks. Ended up doing a half frontal torso of
myself, with a bit of assistance, before learning the true meaning of
PAIN as my assistant (who was standing over me) and I literally had to
RIP the mold off of me. This was due to the fact that I Thought I had
properly applied the vaseline and I THOught I had shaved properly.
Little did I know that I had forgotten all about the hair in my belly
button, the body hair I couldn't see, some of the hair that I missed on
my scrotum, and ALL of the hair behind my scrotum between my legs
(plaster wasn't sposed to go there). I also ended up with a "brazian wax
job" on the upper end of the front of my thighs. NOt to mention the fact
that my penis had become encased in the plaster.......thank God for
shrinkage!!LOL Thought I was gonna have to break everything out with a
rock hammer as things started to really heat up and my predicament
became increasingly clear. The reslutant piece is called "Ouch" I am now
acutely aquainted with the agony that women around the world endure when
they are waxed. Never Again.
I am sharing this to impress the importance of knowing what you are
doing if you go the plaster route. It will stick to and remove any and
all exposed hair that has not been completely coated with vaseline and
layed flat against the skin. It is important that all men shave very
well before casting. Be very careful about getting any plaster in scalp
or pubic hair. It really, really hurts when it is all pulled out at
once. It will also form a very strong mechanical lock around any type of
bone that it encases and you will have to break it to get it off of your
model.
All kidding aside, this could be quite dangerous. In other words pay
close attention and be very carful if you go the route of plaster.There
is also the associated problem of heat coming from the use of plaster to
make the negative for your masks. This is not really a problem with the
plaster bandages though.
I have not used the moulage that has been mentioned but understand
that it works very well. The only drawback that I can think of with it
is that it must be kept in a hot liquid state which may be problematic
at times.
I am better than half way though a project in which I'm casting a
friend throughout her pregnancy. I am using alginate. We started at week
number 4, will continue monthly (she is 30 weeks now) until she gives
birth and then do a castying each month for the year after her birth.
Should be a nice series dealing with life and cycles when it is finished.
I have learned about the alginate on the go. It is GREAT stuff! The
drawback is that it ain't cheap. A slow set alginate of a decent quality
runs about $9/lb. If you are only doing face castings the cost isn't to
much, but it really starts to add up if and when you decide to start
doing torsos or portions thereof. You will need to back up the algi with
a plaster bandage mother mold that you make from plaster bandage strips
and apply over the setting alginate. This happens pretty quickly. Even
the slow set stuff sets up in 8 minutes or less and that includes mixing
time. You really have to get after it when you work. An assistant is
helpful but not required.
You will then need to make a positve (I use either hydrocal or
hydrostne). The alginate drys out a shrink pretty quickly so you'll need
to keep it damp and in a wrapped bag until you are ready to make the
postive, which should be done ASAP. After the positive is made the
alginate is pretty much history. Unlike the moelage you can't melt it
down and recycle it. It is some type of seaweed concoction that is
mostly water. It is also benign, from what I have read and have been
told. After makeing the positive you can then set about the task of your
negative. I use no. 1 pottery plaster for this. Then you can rock and
roll with the clay. I raku my finished forms.
Two of the major advantages of using alginate is that it picks up
incredible detail and it does not stick to hair. You may end up with a
mechanical type of lock that will tear and ruin the mold if you aren't
carful but it will not stick. In fact, it wants to peel away from the
model after it starts to set which may be problematic as you are trying
to lay on the mother mold. I believe that someone else already
recommended Pink House Studios. They are my suppliers and are quite
knowledgable and forthcoming with information.
Hope this helps
Call me with any questions that you have
Craig Dunn Clark
619 East 11 1/2 st
Houston, Texas 77008
(713)861-2083
mudman@hal-pc.org
William Melstrom on sun 29 aug 04
looooonnnnnnngggggggg
Dude! Too much information!
(Ha-ha, kidding)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Clark"
...This was due to the fact that I Thought I had
> properly applied the vaseline and I THOught I had shaved properly.
> Little did I know that I had forgotten all about the hair in my belly
> button, the body hair I couldn't see, some of the hair that I missed on
> my scrotum, and ALL of the hair behind my scrotum between my legs
> (plaster wasn't sposed to go there). I also ended up with a "brazian wax
> job" on the upper end of the front of my thighs. NOt to mention the fact
> that my penis had become encased in the plaster.......thank God for
> shrinkage!!...
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