Latex rubber is being used just about everywhere. This natural ingredient derived mainly from rubber trees is used for making balloons, chewing gums, gloves, band-aids, catheters, condoms, swimming caps, sporting goods, mattresses and skin tight clothing, to name a few. Now even synthetic versions of latex are being developed and used mostly in the tires and components industry.
Latex rubber plays a special role inthe art world. Liquid latex is made by combining latex with water and a bit of ammonia and enjoys great usage in mask making and special effects makeup (like natural looking wrinkles, scars and gashes).
Latex has a natural ability to shrink around any object and can therefore capture the finest details with great ease. This proves especially useful in reproducing anything by way of casts and molds. It works as a wonderful adhesive too.
Other things that work in favor of liquid latex is that it is durable, long lasting and one of the least expensive mold making materials. Therefore it is very commonly used for making latex molds for casting plaster, polyester resin or urethane parts. Thin skin latex products like masks and other props can be very effectively and easily made with liquid latex. The masks capture a realistic look and latex paints can be used to make them all the more believable.
In sum, latex rubber is a very versatile and useful product for artists and well as other industries!
A beautiful antique table occupies pride of place in my
drawing room. But one of its rear legs had developed cracks and finally gave
way with age. While this definitely did not look good, I was loathe to discard
the lovely table that always brings back so many of my childhood memories.
Finding a replacement leg was obviously not possible and get
a custom replacement made on order did not seem worth the high price.
After much lament, I decided to put my polyurethanesmold making and casting skills to use and make a
duplicate leg on my own. I began by carefully screwing out the other rear leg
and then made a rubber mold of the same. This took some cautious preparation
and I was always wary of not damaging the original leg in any manner. And I
have to admit that the leg mold did capture the entire carving and engraving
patterns down to the finest details.
My next task was to make a polyurethanes cast from the mold and the leg turned out to be an
exact copy of the one that had given way. The shape, texture and patterns were
precise but I wanted a wooden piece to match the look and color of the table.
An artist friend then introduced me to cold casting powders
that can replicate the look of wood and we worked together to get the right
finishing to match the other legs of the table.
And viola! Now no one
can even say that a leg has been replaced from the lovely table!
The ArtMolds website features a comprehensive collection of
different kinds of mold making, casting and life casting products along with
various art supplies, tools and equipment.
But those artists who would like to keep the ArtMolds
offerings more handy (when offline), the company also provides a printed
catalog to complement its online offerings. There is a ‘Request our Catalog’
tab on the right hand side of the website and all you have to do is provide
your email address to receive a copy.
This physical catalog contains all the products that are on
the website – right from various mold making and casting supplies to art
supplies and studio accessories. Those who are interested in the instructional
offerings can check out the list of books and videos that feature various
titles like how to make a mold,
hands and feet casting, fine figure finishing and so on.
Along with product list, the catalog provides short studio
tricks and trips that are very useful for artists. It even features a ‘Use and
Application’ chart about the various product categories and also recommends
best applications of different products.
But it is still better to keep checking back on the website
as it will provide you with more detailed information about the products, like
its description, method of preparation and application, examples of use,
reviews, safety precautions and the like.
Moreover, the catalog
offerings are also constantly expanding as EnvironMolds keeps adding many new
and useful items to its already extensive collection.
The ArtMolds website is renowned for providing access to an exhaustive range of mold making, casting and life casting products, supplies and equipment along with useful books, videos and workshops on everything to do with clay modeling, mold making and life casting.
To further expand its utility, the website has recently revamped its look and added a useful Teachers Section as well. This is especially useful for Visual Arts teachers and consists of the following sections:
The Lesson Plans section comprises of national standards based lesson plans that facilitate cross-curriculum learning by enabling teachers to combine art with other subjects like history, science, technology and social studies. It includes fun projects on encapsulation and preservation, paleontology, wizardry, Punk’d art and much more.
There is a Students Kits section that provides school kits containing all the materials for a lesson plan and can easily suffice for up to 25 students.
A specially dedicated Teacher Discounts section offers an attractive 15% discount on the website prices. Teachers can even call EnvironMolds to seek assistance with their project ideas or lesson plans.
An interesting section on Project Ideas is in the works and will be active very soon. It will provide interesting ideas for clay modeling, casting and life casting that can be done by students in the classroom itself.
I have always admired the EnvironMolds website for both its ease of access as well as the humungous catalogue of art supplies. Indeed, the website provides you everything from mold making supplies, casting supplies and life casting kits to studio accessories, tools and equipment to varied books and videos on life casting.
Say you happen to be looking for polyurethanes; you will find a variety of offerings of both polyurethane rubbers and polyurethane resins on the EnvironMolds website. The products on offer include both the in-house brand ArtMolds as well as other leading brands in the market like Mehron, Chavant, Sculpture House and Skulduggery to name a few. ArtMolds offers a range of user safe, environment friendly and biodegradable products, so you need not worry about harming yourself, your model or the environment around you.
Again, when it comes to polyurethanes, you will gain access to information about the benefits of using mold making polyurethane rubber, the properties of polyurethane molds and other such details. Similarly, the casting polyurethane resin section provides information about the different varieties of resins available and their specific properties.
You just have to click on any of the items in the product list displayed at the bottom and it will give you further details about the specific product, its uses and directions for use. Product pictures and reviews are also included for additional assistance. You get access to the price of the product and can directly add it to your cart before browsing other items as you wish.
I was placing my regular order of mold making and casting products and supplies on the EnvironMolds website. It was only after my credit card had been charged that I realized that I had mistakenly ordered 4 gallons of EnvironMolds liquid latex casting rubber.
As I mostly make life casts and am not interested in making masks or props, the huge quantity of liquid latex rubber was a total waste for me. So I immediately contacted the EnvironMolds’ customer service department with the trepidation that I had carelessly frittered away my money.
But the EnvironMolds personnel were quite agreeable to my mistake and agreed to facilitate an
I was assured that if at any time in the future I am not completely satisfied with the quality of any products purchased from EnvironMolds, I will always be entitled to a full replacement or refund, save the shipping costs.
exchange. They asked me to return the product along with either the original packing slip or a copy of the invoice and also a note detailing the reason for the return. I would be entitled to an exchange or credit after deducting a 20% restocking charge for the order error. I had to bear the cost of shipping and return shipping as well. But I was relieved that I was not stuck with the huge expense and exchanged it for my usual supplies like alginate, plaster bandages and release agents.
EnvironMolds is renowned around the world as a prominent manufacturer and supplier of top quality mold making and casting materials. In fact, the brand ArtMolds has become synonymous with studio quality products that are both user and environment safe and give excellent results as well.
But not many people may be aware that the man behind EnvironMolds, Ed McCormick is a celebrated life casting artist himself. And such is his dedication and enthusiasm for this art that he strives to spread it to everyone around him. Therefore, he does not confine EnvironMolds to just selling mold making and casting materials but also conducts educational workshops on a regular basis.
Ed McCormick himself helms many of these workshops and does not even hesitate to reveal his secret tricks and tips than help you in your own studio. Every participant comes away from the workshop with loads of practical knowledge. No book or even video can ever compete with this kind of immersive and educative hands-on experience!
These workshops are available on a variety of subjects like mold making, clay modeling, faux food making, finishing, life casting and so on. Many workshops are even conducted on weekends to add to your convenience. If you do not find a convenient timing or your subject of interest like say, how to make molds, you can always contact EnvironMolds and they will do their best to accommodate your requirements and provide a workshop to suit your needs.
EnvironMolds manufactures top quality and user safe materials for all kinds of mold making and casting requirements. Apart from the in-house brand ArtMolds, EnvironMolds also stocks other top like DAL of Barcelona, Mehron, Chavant, Sculpture House and Skullduggery.
It boasts of a vast catalog of artists’ materials that range from alginate, moulage, clay, wax, plaster, gypsum and ceramic supplies to polyurethane rubber, silicone rubber, liquid latex rubber, thermoset mold rubber and cold casting powders. These products are suitable for making both one and two part molds, casts and life casts as well.
And you need not worry while making two part molds or even applying a life casting product on a live model as EnvironMolds takes utmost care to manufacture user safe materials at all times. So they will be safe for you as well as for your model – be it a vase, a figurine or even a living person! But you will definitely need to adhere to the requisite precautions as prescribed.
Furthermore, many of ArtMolds products are environment friendly and biodegradable as well. So there is no need to worry that the waste product left from your mold making and casting endeavors will harm the ecosystem around you in any manner!
When it comes to the price factor, there is again no cause for worry as quality comes at the most affordable cost here!
Both professional and amateur artists across the world regularly flock to the ArtMolds EnvironMolds website (www.artmolds.com) for all their mold making and casting needs. The fine quality products, supplies and tools produced and supplied by ArtMolds EnvironMolds range from alginate, clay, polyurethane rubber, silicone rubber and latex rubber to brushes, gloves, mixers, vibrating tables, paints, makeup supplies, mounts and name plates. And theseThese quality items always occupy pride of place in the art studios of numerous mold makers, casting artists, life casting artists, sculptors, ceramicists and even special effects technicians.
But for those artists who have just recently heard about EnvironMolds or are hesitant to try out a new supplier, EnvironMolds offers a tempting 10% discount to further sweeten the deal. Indeed, there is a flat 10% discount for all new customers.
So, as a new customer you can order anything – be it plaster, polyurethane resin, silicone rubber, cold casting powder, fibers, fillers, release agents, containers, life casting kits, books, videos, vacuum chamber or engraved name plates – and avail a direct 10% off on your first order.
All that you need to do is provide the coupon code available on the website and your shopping cart value will instantly be reduced by 10%. And in the rare case that there is any problem, you can always call EnvironMolds and they will ensure that the discount is applied on your order!
I always find the website of EnvironMolds, LLC (artmolds.com) very easy to use. I can easily find the products I am looking for and can also gain useful information like how to make two part molds or even how to cast a face.
So as usual I was accessing the company website in my browser and was simply amazed to find that EnvironMolds has completely revamped its website. The look and feel has become quite trendy and attractive as opposed to the slightly dated appearance earlier. And unbelievably, the user-friendliness has gone up by several notches too!
What I liked best is the ‘Shop by your Interest’ section. Here I can easily select the art application that interests me – from candle making, mask making, doll re-birthing, sculpting or life casting to antique restoration, garden art, paleontology, fossil preservation or ballistic supplies – and the website will immediately show me all kinds of products and supplies that I will need for that job.
For a more general use, you can also shop by departments like mold making supplies, casting supplies, art supplies, studio accessories and instructions. For instance, if you are looking for information on how to make two part molds, you can browse the instructions tab and choose from books, videos or even workshops that pertain to your subject.
Ordering an EnvironMolds product catalog is also easy as a special tab has been dedicated for it. A valuable Teachers’ Section is also in the works. Other helpful links further up the website’s functionality.
So, just visit the EnvironMolds website and you will be floored by both its appearance and the products on offer!
EnvironMolds proudly proclaims that it can help you ‘reproduce almost anything’! And the enormous repertoire of EnvironMolds’ art supplies more than amply backs up this tall claim. Indeed, the comprehensive product and equipment lineup encompass everything needed for any kind of art application – be it candle making, soap making, fake food making, culinary mold making, mask making, doll making, sculpting, cold metal casting, garage art and statuary making or life casting and body casting.
Additionally, the wide variety of supplies also lend themselves well for other advanced applications like special effects, antique restoration, ballistic testing, taxidermy, prosthetics, paleontology and fossil preservation.
And it’s not just professionals who can enjoy the huge range of products that are at their disposal. EnvironMolds even provides various instructional materials that can assist the amateur artists who wish to try their hand at any kind of art molding or casting. The website is replete with helpful tips and suggestions and every product also comes with useful guidelines attached. Then there are all-in-one kits for beginners that contain all the materials needed for creating beautiful, gallery-like pieces of art. Furthermore, EnvironMolds even compiles instructional books and videos for both the uninitiated and expert artists.
Going ahead, EnvironMolds’ catalog is not just limited to its in-house brand – ArtMolds. You will find a broad selection of other leading brands as well - Sculpture House, Mehron, Chavant, Robinair, BSN Medical, Alumlite and Skulduggery to name a few.
So, if you are interested in making a silicone mold, you will surely find a good variety of silicone rubbers along with a lot more!
EnvironMolds boldly claims to have a product for any and
every type of mold making, casting and life casting application. I found this
assertion very unbelievable because as a practicing artist I am aware of the
sheer multiplicity of items needed for making even a single life cast, or even
just a regular cast for that matter.
Therefore, I suspiciously perused the EnvironMolds
website and I have to admit that I was feeling a bit staggered by the array of
mold making and casting materials, supplies and equipment available for
purchase.
Those who are looking for mold making supplies can opt
for anything from alginates, moulage, wax or clay to polyurethane rubber,
silicone rubber, thermoset rubber or liquid latex as they choose. The casting
supplies section is equally varied with plaster, gypsum, latex, resin,
plastisol and silicone on offer. Additionally, there are plaster bandages,
fibers, fillers and even all-in-one molding, casting and also life casting
kits.
EnvironMolds also stocks all kinds of accessories, tools
and equipment like gloves, containers, spatulas, mixers, stands, vibrating
tables and vacuum chambers as well as paints, makeup supplies, brushes and what
not.
Coming to the finishing, it not just offers options in mounts
and brass name plate to provide a professional touch to your life cast but also
extends the facility to get your name plates engraved with your name and other
accompanying details.
Now I have to admit, indeed there is everything for
everyone!
I often get this lingering feeling that the most
beautiful and detailed of my life casts end up looking incomplete! I am unable
to pinpoint the reason but despite my exhaustive work on every bust and even
full body cast, there is something unfinished in their appearance. What is it
that is lacking and that which is keeping them from having an attractive and
refined persona, I keep wondering?
But it was only when I was browsing the ArtMolds website
the other day, when I finally realized what was missing! ArtMolds provides a
range of top quality mold making and casting products and equipment, and I have
been purchasing all my requirements from the company’s retailer in my city.
While checking out the casting supplies section, I
happened to chance upon the presentation options offered by the comprehensive
website. It then dawned on me that a base mounts and name plate is the final
finish that is imperative for almost any life cast.
A mount serves as a base to display the life cast and you
can choose from marble, wood or acrylic options to enhance your art work. And
don’t forget the final touch with brass name plates engraved with your name,
title of the life cast and even the date if you wish.
This elegant finish
will impart a finished look to my life cast and make it fit for hanging in a
top art gallery!
In my quest to become a top life caster, I started learning
the art of mold making and casting. In the process, I
used different kinds of mold making and casting products and equipment. Indeed
I have tried using everything from alginate and moulage to clays and waxes to
polyurethanes and silicones to latex and resins to even sand casting and cold
casting powders.
And after experimenting with different brands of products –
from the cheap ones to the budget friendly variety to the more expensive lot –
I have personally realized that using good quality mold making and casting
materials matters a lot. This is because substandard products often produce
more air bubbles and even more molding gaps and tears. Moreover, many a times,
good quality mold making materials tend to capture more details – especially
the finer details – than the lower grade varieties available.
And my experience reveals that when it comes to studio
quality mold making and casting materials, it cannot get better than ArtMolds!
Indeed, coming from the house of EnvironMolds, LLC, this brand offers a
complete line of top quality materials. Apart from the assurance of superior
quality, all the products are user safe as well as environment friendly to
boot.
Therefore from now
on, when making molds, casts and even life casts, ArtMolds’ mold making and
casting products are my insurance against material failure!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
