Face Cast – Lying Down or Sitting Up?

Making a life cast requires meticulous attention to a range of details. Whether the model is posing in a horizontal or vertical position can also make a world of difference to the face mold and life cast.

Life casting is a beautiful art of replicating the human body in its three-dimensional form. The entire body or any specific parts can be represented in a life cast. While people do commission life casts of their hands, feet, breasts, pregnant belly, torso and so on, the face cast remains quintessentially popular.

Alginate is usually the material of choice for making a body mold. The material is safe for the skin, dries quickly and can capture the fine indentations of the body.

The actual process of making a life cast begins with counseling and prepping the model for the session. The life casting artist will clarify possible discomfort, safety precautions and other details with the model. He or she will secure the model’s hair and apply a fine coat of petroleum jelly so that the alginate does not tangle in the body hair.

It often happens that the model may prefer lying down during the process. The artist too may agree thinking that it will keep the model at ease and allow for easy application without any movement.

However, they should keep in mind that lying down in a prone position will pull the skin down and can cause the face to distort slightly. The change may not be visible to the eye but will show up in the body mold. Moreover, the additional weight of the alginate mix and plaster bandages that are applied subsequently also have to be considered. This can make the face cast look flawed or even disfigured.

Therefore, it is always better to have the model sitting upright for the face cast. The pose also has to be planned and tested carefully. Even holding the face at an angle can make the life cast look deformed.

In sum, life casting is a challenging art that requires careful planning and precision of various parameters.

Artists can source the alginates, plaster and other materials from the EnvironMolds website, https://www.artmolds.com.



Sealing Mold Box Is Essential

Some mold makers skip sealing the mold box thinking that even if the mold making material tends to leak from the edges, they can always clean the mess later. But can you really afford to do so? Find out why….

One of the first steps for making a mold is making a mold box. This is a structure that is used to contain the model. For making a small rubber or resin casting, a cup, bowl or bottle can easily serve as the mold box. However, it is essential that the ‘box’ should be able to contain the entire model. That’s not all – it should also allow sufficient space around and over the edges of the model so that the mold making material can form a thick rim around the model.

Mold makers often use different materials to make the mold box – think cardboard, plastic, acrylic sheets, wood, metal or even lego blocks to form the containment field. Ready-to-use mold boxes are also available in art stores and these can be adjusted to suit the dimensions of the model.



Irrespective of the type of mold box, it is essential to seal and caulk the mold box properly. Else, consider this - leaving a mold box with a leak to cure overnight is likely to result in a half-complete mold in the morning!

So, isn’t it better to create a waterproof seal around the edges of the mold box? Applying glue or clay around the exterior perimeter and up the corners of the box will seal the edges and keep the runniest of mold making materials from leaking out of the mold box. Plasticina clay is considered best for this purpose.

Another important step is to apply a release agent inside the mold box and glue the base of the model to the bottom of the box. This will ensure that the model does not shift while the mold making material is poured into the box. Demolding will be easy as well.

All materials like clays, polyurethanes and rubbers along with supplies can be easily sourced from EnvironMolds at https://www.artmolds.com