Mold making and Casting products through EnvironMolds, LLC

A variety of mold making and life casting kits are featured on the EnvironMolds website. This serves as a quick and easy introduction to these specialized arts. The options are varied and interesting.

EnvironMolds offers an extensive range of mold making, casting and lifecasting kits that are especially handy for beginners. The kits contain all the required materials, supplies and tools for a one-time project.

For instance, the Latex EZ Casting kit has everything needed to create molds of a Trilobite fossil and a life-sized snail followed by a casting. Accordingly, it contains Kreemtex Liquid Premium Mold Making Rubber, CastRite Art Stone, Chavaunt clay, fossils, mixing cups, mixing sticks, brushes, cotton swab and fine cheesecloth. The materials are of studio quality; the quantity and size are suitable for the project on hand. It also comes with an illustrated instruction guide that demonstrates each and every step with full clarity and detail. The directions are easy to follow and the process becomes interesting and enjoyable.

The life casting kits are a complete delight as well. In fact, the company website http://www.artmolds.com features the largest collection of life casting kits available anywhere. There are various kit options for casting a baby's hand and foot, adult hands, faces, torso and even the full body. They are helpfully marked as beginner, experienced and advanced levels.

For instance, the Pro Hand EZ Cast Kit is perfectly suitable for serious life casters who want to turn this artistic hobby into a part-time business. This bestseller has actually been tested and approved by 60 members of the reputed Home Arts Magazine Club. Yet, even novices can use the kit to create museum-quality sculptures. It is also used by professionals to create hand castings for profit at various venues.

The beauty of the kits is that the user does not have to assemble all the nitty-gritty materials for making a mold, cast or life cast. The quantities are appropriate, thus eliminating guesswork while purchasing individual projects. Moreover, the user will also get an idea about what and how much to buy when working on similar projects in the future.

Alginate is the material of choice for making body molds for life casts. It is easy to use, easy to mix, skin safe and eco-friendly too. You will surely find something suitable given the broad range of options.

Alginate is the most commonly used material for making body molds. It is a natural substance derived from seaweed and is safe for the skin. It is easy to use as well.

Mixing is a straightforward process – take alginate and water in the specified proportions and they will mix easily to form a gel-like substance. A rapid mixing for 15 to 20 seconds will yield a smooth and creamy consistency that is ready to use. Small quantities can be mixed with hand but larger batches require a turbo mixer or speed drill.

The mix ratio is usually 1 part alginate to 3 parts water. However, the ratio changes depending on the formulation and some brands allow a much greater coverage with a mix ratio of 1 part alginate to 7 parts water.

However, care is required over the type of water used in the mix. Always use soft water (opt for distilled water if unsure) for mixing alginate as hard water will make the mix lumpy and ineffectual.

Once applied on the body, alginate will capture excellent forensic detail. The fine body hair, lines, wrinkles and even fingerprints are accurately copied in the mold and can be reproduced in the life cast.

What’s more, alginates are eco-friendly as well. Some of the formulas actually enrich the soil. Therefore, used alginate molds can be easily discarded without worrying about the effect on the environment.

That’s not all either. Alginate comes in a wide variety with silica free formulations available as well. The type of set can vary from regular to soft (for babies) and options of set time are also available ranging from 2 to 3 minutes, 4 to 5 minutes and even 5 to 7 minutes. There is fiber-infused alginate as well that offers improved tear strength and delayed shrinkage.

Life casting artists can easily source the various types of alginates from the EnvironMolds website, https://www.artmolds.com.

EnvironMolds opens the doors to a wide range of plasticine and ceramic clays to suit varied uses. The options range from Roma Plastilina and Del Milano to pottery clay and include ballistic clay too.

Clay is an important art material that is used by mold makers, sculptors, potters and other artists in many ways. Plasticine clay is especially popular for its non-drying and reusable properties. It displays good flexibility and adhesive properties and is regularly used for mold making, mask making, sculpting, special effects and clay animation.

The EnvironMolds website (www.artmolds.com) offers a complete range of molding clay to suit varied uses and budgets. The premium grade Roma Plastilina clay is available in varying degrees of hardness – soft, medium and hard - to suit different applications. Del Milano is a budget option, yet on par with Roma Plastilina in terms of quality. This is a non-sulfurated variant that comes in handy for silicone and urethane rubber mold makers as it will not inhibit the setting of these materials.

The industrial grade Chavant clay is also sulfur-free and is available in brown and gray-green colors. The unique feature of this clay is that it can even be melted and poured like other casting materials! Once it returns to room temperature, it will set by regaining the initial firmness.

In addition to this, regular pottery clay – from Dresden and Artware – is available too. These are suitable for ceramic works and prove to be quite adaptable. These clays set to a smooth, brilliant white finish while Stoneware clay is a moist option that turns bone hard when allowed to dry.

Apart from this, there is another variant of molding clay called ballistic clay. Surprisingly, this clay is considered to be of similar density and elasticity as live animal muscle tissue. Therefore, it is used by government agencies to test body armor and even in forensics. In fact, the Roma Plastilina No. 1 ballistic clay is specified by government agencies for ballistics testing.

Therefore, all kinds of clay modeling options can easily be sourced from EnvironMolds, that too at the best prices.

The EnvironMolds website features an interesting array of art supplies that are distinctive, top quality and handy as well. It includes eyes, body parts, paints, makeup, name plates, mounts, etc.

EnvironMolds specializes in providing easy access to everything to do with mold making, casting and life casting materials. It’s not just about materials, tools and equipment needed for creating these intricate artworks. The website, Artmolds.com also features an Art Supplies tab that encompasses a wide variety of unique and useful art supplies to support these arts.

This includes eyes and body parts, makeup supplies, paints and dyes, craft kits, marble and wooden bases and name plates engraved. Let’s take a look at some of the offerings:

•    The eyes and body parts feature realistic looking glass and acrylic eyes for life casts and sculptures. This includes flat backed, semi-round and fully round eyes along with hand blown ones (with or without veins). Larger-than-life plaster study casts of body parts are available for studio reference and the Styrofoam mannequin head can be used for mask making.

•    The paints and dyes section opens up specialized paints and pigments that are compatible with latex, silicones and polyurethanes. Skin-safe body paints are also available in a variety of colors.

•    The makeup supplies offer extensive options in high quality makeup products - face and body paints, eye makeup, brushes, applicators, bald caps, etc. - that are perfect for theatre as well as personal use.

•    The bases in wood and marble are just the thing for mounting a sculpture and give a finished look to the artwork. These are available in different shapes, sizes and colors to suit the sculpture.

•    A brass name plate engraved with the title of the artwork and the name of the artist lends the perfect finishing touch. The life cast or sculpture will get a professional look akin to the galleries! There are options in sizes, type of corners and lines of text.

•    The craft kits have an interesting lineup of options ranging from making pot castings, leaf castings, fossil castings to even life casts of the hand or feet.

MoldGel Alginate SILFREE is considered the healthiest, safest and most environment friendly alginate formula in the market. It is silica free which makes it suitable for use on baby skin too.

Alginate is a simple dental impression material that lends itself well for making body molds. It is a natural material derived from seaweed and considered completely safe for the skin. The powder is mixed with water (in the defined proportions) and applied directly on the body to capture impressions for making life casts.

However, the alginate powder does contain some amount of crystalline silica which is considered a carcinogen. Even though the silica content is on the marginal side, EnvironMolds has developed a special silica free and dust free formula called MoldGel Alginate SILFREE.

This is made with food grade ingredients and is both environment and user friendly. To add to this, it is the only alginate that is fluoride free and lead free as well.

The powder mixes easily to give a smooth, creamy consistency which helps reduce mold voids due to air bubbles. It also yields greater coverage because of the mix ratio of 1 part powder to 7 parts water, (compared to 1:3 ratios for regular formulae). In fact, this has emerged as the highest yielding formula as it gives greatest value ounce-for-ounce.

Apart from the economical factor, the silica free Alginates provide excellent forensic detail down to the fingerprints. The delayed and gradual set time (4 to 5 minutes in MoldGel Alginate Silfree regular formula and 7 to 8 minutes in SloSet) allows a considerably longer window for working with the alginate mix. It further boasts of delayed shrinkage too and the casting time limit is extended up to 24 hours!

Finally, as MoldGel Alginate SILFREE is gentle on the skin and yields a softer set, it is ideal for casting hands and feet of babies and small children.

The formula is available in 1lb, 10lb, 20lb and 50lb packs on the EnvironMolds website, Artmolds.com. Other variants like Hollywood Impressions SILFREE and LifeMold Silica Free Alginate are also available.

RD 407 Mask Making Latex is considered the best liquid latex casting rubber not just for making masks, but also gloves, props, coating and other uses. It is easy to use but does require some careful handling.

Liquid latex rubber is a popular mold making material because of its tough, durable, tear resistant and economical aspects. The same is also used as a makeup and special effects product to create varying effects for film and theatre.

In addition, there is latex casting rubber variants which are less viscous than the mold making latex rubbers. These are commonly used for making hollow toys, props, puppet heads and masks. In fact, RD-407 Mask Making Latex is considered the industry standard for making latex masks, props, gloves and a skin over polyurethane foams. This is a high quality latex that is favored by professional artists for masks, body parts and other thin skin latex products.

Latex casting rubber is very easy to use when compared to other casting materials. It comes in a ready-to-use liquid form and just has to be poured into the mold. It is swished properly in the mold and allowed to sit for a couple of hours before being poured out again. The latex that remains clinging to the sides of the mold will dry gradually and can be peeled out to become the actual thin skin cast.

Apart from making masks and props, the same RD 407 latex rubber can also be used to coat fabrics for waterproofing and insulating tools. Dipping the model into the latex and allowing the coat to dry before repeating the steps will build up a suitable protective coating over the same. Alternatively, the same latex can also be used to coat foam that has been carved into the desired shape.

A latex cast can be sanded, painted and finished as required. It will be elastic and flexible but still stays durable for years to come. Even the amount of hardness and flexibility of the rubber casting can be manipulated by adding an extender and filler like RubRfil.

Care during use
 
Liquid latex rubber is a simple product that can be used easily. It has a long shelf life and can be used whenever desired.

In case a stored latex rubber turns thick, it can always be thinned by adding some distilled water to get the desired consistency. The ammonia in the latex will also tend to evaporate. In case the ammonia smell is diminished, adding some aqua ammonia from a chemical store will restore it back to normal. However, latex should never be allowed to freeze as this will render it unusable. Special handling is necessary during the freezing months of winter.

In sum, casting latex rubber is a multi-use product that is commonly used to make latex mask but has other useful applications as well. In fact, it can be used to create almost any effect as a cast or directly on the skin as well.

The casting procedure will vary depending on the technique used for making the mold. Casting a single piece mold is easier than a multi-part one, but the results will definitely be up to the mark.

The simplest process of mold making is to cover the model with an appropriate mold making material and let it set properly. Once cured and demolded, the covering will reveal a negative impression of the model complete with all the grooves, nooks and other details.

Different techniques of making molds – such as block, blanket, glove, poured, slush, etc. – can be used depending on the type of model and choice of materials. A model that is too floppy, has undercuts or does not have a flat bottom will even require the mold to be made in two or parts, called a multi-part mold.

Irrespective of the method and type of mold, once it is ready it is time to make the positive through the casting process. Here, the actual procedure for casting will vary depending on whether it is a single or multi-part mold.

Single mold casting – Casting in a single piece mold is quite easy. All that the artist has to do is mix the casting material of choice and pour it into the mold. The cast will set in some time and can be demolded before allowing it to cure completely. Care will have to be taken about applying a release agent, eliminating air bubbles and the like. However, the process still remains straightforward and the cast will be ready once it is finished and polished properly.

Multi-part mold casting – Making a mold in two or parts is definitely a complicated and time-consuming process. It follows that the casting process will not be simple either.

The process begins with aligning the different parts of the mold based on the keys. Once the mold comes together properly, it should be secured using heavy-duty bands. Backing boards will also be required in case the mold is flexible.

After securing the mold, the casting material can be mixed and poured into the mold through the sprue or air hole. Care is required again to ensure that the mold is full of the casting material and it reaches every indentation and undercut of the mold. Applying a release agent and eliminating air bubbles is obligatory yet again.

The cast is then allowed to set inside before removing the bands and pulling the mold parts apart. The cast can be removed and allowed to cure further. Cleaning, finishing and painting can be done as needed.

In sum, the techniques for casting in single and two part molds may be a bit different, but the final cast will definitely not leave anything wanting as long as the procedure is properly followed.

Once the cast is ready, it can be displayed or used as planned. Even the mold can be used to make multiple casts if it is not torn down when demolding the cast.