Making a front torso cast can seem intimidating at first. However, it is the easiest life casting that can be tackled by beginner life casting artists as well. Let’s find out what lies in store….
A front torso casting can seem like a tall order because of the bigger dimensions involved. However, this is one of the easiest life castings as the body surface from neck to mid-section will be broad and mostly even, with hardly any undercuts. In fact, novice life casting artists often prefer to begin with torso casting before moving on to more complicated life casts like face and full body.
Yet, care is required when working on a living, breathing person. The model should be carefully briefed about what lies in store and warned about the issues like staying stationary, application of mold material, mold getting entangled in the body hair, waiting for the mold to set and so on.
The key to making a good torso cast lies in the posing. The model has to pose in a standing position, preferably propped up against a board or the wall for support. The pose can be a slightly leaning one to reveal the muscle tone, arms spread-eagled or on the sides of the waist. Women usually prefer to pose with hands on their breasts or encircling the belly in case of a pregnancy casting.
Once the model has been prepped, the body mold making process begins with applying petroleum jelly or other release agent all over the torso. Then apply a couple of layers of the alginate mix to form a thick and even coat. This alginate is skin safe and will not harm the model or the artist. It sets quickly and will capture all the fine details as well.
Once the alginate mold has set, it is covered with plaster bandages. The bandages are soaked in water and squeezed before applying on the alginate mold in a crisscross fashion. This will form a shell mold that supports the alginate and helps it retain the shape.
Allow the plaster mold to dry properly. Once it has set, the body mold can be easily demolded by loosening the edges with the fingertips. It will lift away easily and can then be cast with plaster or other choice of casting material. The casting should be done quickly as the alginate is likely to shrink on exposure to air.
In sum, it is pretty easy to make a front torso life casting. It will take time and patience, but the artist will get better with practice. For further ease, EnvironMolds offers the comprehensive Front Torso Casting Kit. This contains the appropriate quantities of alginate, plaster powder and plaster bandages along with mold release, gloves, sandpaper and a handy instruction booklet as well.
The website, https://www.artmolds.com also throws up a helpful ‘How To Create A Front Torso Casting’ book. This how-to manual provides necessary instructions about the materials, preparations and techniques as well as tips for preparing the model, demolding and finishing the life cast. A model release form is also included.
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