05:43
Faizan
Life casting is a tricky and complicated process as compared to making regular molds and casts from plaster, polyurethanes, silicone or latex rubber. This is because you have to make molds from the live human body without harming the person in any manner, and the life casting artist has to be exceptionally skilled and experienced in the task.
To begin with, you cannot use any mold making material for making a life cast. Only skin safe ones like alginate, plaster or skin-safe silicone are considered appropriate and not polyurethanes or latex. If you are considering plaster casting, opt for plaster casting; they may not capture intricate details but will be safe for your model.
Irrespective of whether you are making a life cast of a hand, foot, torso, head or full body, observing some careful precautions are necessary due to the inherent risks and challenges.
For instance, the mold powder can get entangled in the hair on top of the head or the fine body hair and even gets underneath the fingernails. If it clogs the nose, it can cause difficulty in breathing and other serious problems as well. Some models experience allergic reactions or even faint during the life casting process.
Following are some of the precautions observed by experienced life casting artists for the safety and comfort of their models:
• When making a life cast of the head, always cover the hair either with a bald cap or plastic bag.
• Apply petroleum jelly to any exposed facial or body hair of the model. It is advisable to shave off any hair that is longer than 1/4th inch.
• You need to apply an appropriate release cream on the eyebrows and eyelashes.
• Apply petroleum jelly or other release agent on the skin as well.
• As the model will have stay perfectly still in the same pose for an extended time, ensure that they are feeling comfortable. Try to keep them seated if possible. Providing adequate supports is helpful.
• If you opt for plaster casting, only use plaster bandages and not Plaster of Paris. The latter will produce heat while curing that can even burn the skin.
• It's better to apply the mold making material near the nose and mouth at the very end so that the model does not feel claustrophobic.
• Air bubbles can easily get trapped on the bridge of the nose, in the corners of the eye, under the eyelashes and at the corners of the mouth.
• You have to be particularly careful to cover the entire area around the nostrils, but without blocking the air passage. In other words you have to leave breathing holes in the right places. Never use straws to keep the airways open!
To begin with, you cannot use any mold making material for making a life cast. Only skin safe ones like alginate, plaster or skin-safe silicone are considered appropriate and not polyurethanes or latex. If you are considering plaster casting, opt for plaster casting; they may not capture intricate details but will be safe for your model.
Irrespective of whether you are making a life cast of a hand, foot, torso, head or full body, observing some careful precautions are necessary due to the inherent risks and challenges.
For instance, the mold powder can get entangled in the hair on top of the head or the fine body hair and even gets underneath the fingernails. If it clogs the nose, it can cause difficulty in breathing and other serious problems as well. Some models experience allergic reactions or even faint during the life casting process.
Following are some of the precautions observed by experienced life casting artists for the safety and comfort of their models:
• When making a life cast of the head, always cover the hair either with a bald cap or plastic bag.
• Apply petroleum jelly to any exposed facial or body hair of the model. It is advisable to shave off any hair that is longer than 1/4th inch.
• You need to apply an appropriate release cream on the eyebrows and eyelashes.
• Apply petroleum jelly or other release agent on the skin as well.
• As the model will have stay perfectly still in the same pose for an extended time, ensure that they are feeling comfortable. Try to keep them seated if possible. Providing adequate supports is helpful.
• If you opt for plaster casting, only use plaster bandages and not Plaster of Paris. The latter will produce heat while curing that can even burn the skin.
• It's better to apply the mold making material near the nose and mouth at the very end so that the model does not feel claustrophobic.
• Air bubbles can easily get trapped on the bridge of the nose, in the corners of the eye, under the eyelashes and at the corners of the mouth.
• You have to be particularly careful to cover the entire area around the nostrils, but without blocking the air passage. In other words you have to leave breathing holes in the right places. Never use straws to keep the airways open!
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