Showing posts with label LifeRite. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LifeRite. Show all posts

Challenges of Life Casting over Regular Casting

Life casting has the same basic premise as mold making and casting – make a mold of the model before casting into it. However, the fact that a living person is involved makes all the difference here!

Mold making and casting are wonderful forms of art that have practical uses as well. They involve different materials and techniques with the end result giving a very rewarding feeling to the artist.

However, when it comes to a passion for trying something new and feeling proud of the artistic creation, nothing can beat a life casting!

Life casting takes off from mold making and casting itself. However, the challenge lies in working on the live human body! Indeed, life casting involves making a three-dimensional representation of the body part of a person. Here, its not just about getting an accurate negative mold for making a perfect casting. The artist has to make a mold of the model’s hands, feet, face or other part of the body without causing them any harm or even discomfort.
 

This brings a lot of new dimensions into the picture that have to be handled with infinite care and attention. For instance, mold makers will be careful about not damaging the master they are working on. However, just in case things go wrong, the fallout will not be as severe. Yet, can a life casting artist afford to hurt the model in any manner?

To continue in the same vein, a porous master is sealed with a sealing agent. The mold making material can be applied on it in a random fashion and can be left on it to cure for an extended time as well. The master can be washed and cleaned as desired after demolding the mold. However, there is usually no problem if it is rendered unusable in the future.

The same is obviously not the case with life casting. The model’s body cannot be sealed in any manner. The mold making material ha to be chosen with care. It should not only be safe for the skin but should also set quickly as the model cannot be expected to tolerate the application for a long time.

What about the material snagging in the facial or body hair of the model? What if it gets into the eyes, nose or ears? How long will the model be able to stay stationary and maintain the pose? And how will the residue wash off from the body once the body mold has been demolded?

The challenges are real indeed, but this brings its own thrill to the proceedings. At the end of the day, the satisfaction of creating a lifelike representation of a person remains unparalleled!

For those who are attracted by the challenging buzz of life casting, should check out EnvironMolds. This art supplier does not limit itself to merely providing all the materials, supplies and tools for body casting and life casting. Being passionate enthusiasts about this beautiful art, they are also more than willing to guide and help novices master the tricks and techniques on their way to making perfect life casts!

Making Body Molds With Silicone

Silicone rubber can be formulated to be applied on the skin for making body molds. And LifeRite is leading the pack as the most-favored skin safe silicone rubber. Let’s find out more about the same.

Silicone rubber is a high-quality and durable material that is favored by artists for making molds and casts. Art stores’ aisles feature a range of specially formulated silicones that are suitable for almost any application ranging from general mold making and casting to food molds, baking containers, mask making, special effects and even duplicating skin surfaces.

Apart from this, there is a unique silicone rubber that can be safely used on the skin for life casting! Yes, you heard that right – alginate does not have to be the main staple for making body molds as a silicone formulation can be applied directly on the body to capture the shape of the face, hands, feet and other body parts. And these silicone body molds are long-lasting for multiple castings unlike their single use alginate counterparts!

In fact, LifeRite Skin Safe Silicone Rubber is favored by life casting artists, special effects artists and even for prosthetics due its superior quality and excellent results. This is a two-component, platinum-cured, room temperature cure silicone rubber with excellent physical properties like flexibility, quick curing, forensic detail and long mold life. It can stay put even on horizontal surfaces, allowing for easy full body molds with the model in standing position.


Tips for using LifeRite


  • This silicone rubber features a mix ratio of 10 Parts A to 1 Part B by weight and is easy to mix. The base and catalyst should be mixed thoroughly to get an even lavender hue. Ensure that no catalyst remains on the base or sides of the container.
  • To slow down the working time, the base can be kept in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or even left in the freezer overnight.
  • Silicone rubber does not stick to anything but itself. Therefore, it can be directly applied on clean and dry skin. However, petroleum jelly or mold release is favored for keeping body hair from getting entangled in the silicone.
  • As latex rubber inhibits this platinum-cured silicone, wearing rubber gloves can keep the body mold from curing properly. It is advisable to use vinyl gloves instead.
  • The silicone can be applied with a soft bristle brush, spatula, palette knife or a manual or pneumatic cartridge gun system. Dearing is not required as both the base and catalyst are deaired at the manufacturing stage itself. However, applying a print coat first is preferable to eliminate any tiny air bubbles.
  • Allow the rubber to cure for 5 to 6 minutes before applying the shell mold.
  • After demolding, the body mold should be left to cure for an additional hour or so prior to the casting. Else pin-hole air bubbles may appear in the life cast.
  • Wax, plaster, clay or resin can be cast in the LifeRite mold. If making clay life casts for special effects works, the material should be sulfur-free as the presence of sulfur can again inhibit the curing.