Problems experienced when making moulds

During the mold making process I experienced many problems. The beginning part creating the positive silicone mold went well and I didn't experience anything problematic there. When making the negative I experienced a lot of things that made me gain more knowledge about the mold making process. I made the negative mold multiple times as I found that it didn't set in my positive mold. There could be many factors that contributed to this:

- The petrolease may not have been dry properly. Ensure that this is completley matte before applying your accetone and baldez mix.

- The acetone and baldez mix may not have been dry properly before adding the silicone mixture. The inner mould could have been swamped with acetone and baldez which strips away at the silicone. If this is not dry it will not create the correct base which allows the silicone to dry. 

- The silicone mixture itself may be contaminted. This is why is is so important to constantly change gloves so that nothing can become contaminated. My box where I kept all the products was contaminated by parts of silicone which meant my cups and wooden sticks were also contaminated. It takes a small part of either silicones to begin activation. A grain of anything can ruin this. Therefore lids should be kept on everything at all times, gloves need to be changed constantly. The work surface should be changed and cleaned after each negative mold is made.

- The silicone mixture may not have been dry. It can take a long time for the mold to set in the positive mold. Therefore you need to be patient and allow some time for this to fully set. Make sure it is on a flat surface to allow even drying out. 

- The mold may not work if it is removed from the positive mold too soon, which is what happened to me multiple times.

Mould Design Inspiration

My inspiration for the design of my mould comes from yin yang and the idea that opposites attract. The yin yang is about balance and that together they create a whole. For my chosen design I have broken up the symbol to create an imbalance on the face, the opposite of what the yin yang represents. Creating an imbalance on the face will alter the profile creating an opposition of what is the norm. 

Yin Yang. Viewed 26/11/14

Creating a Mould

Creating a mould.

In order to sculpt and preparing your mould you will need:

- Sulphar free clay

- Non Porous surface

- Hairdryer

- Sculpting Tools

- Glue Gun

- Plastic Cup

- Gloves

- Silicone A+B

- Silicone Deadner C

- Fixer Spray

- Petrolease

- Prosaide

- Baldez 

- Make sure you are wearing gloves.

- Cut a small section of sulphur free clay and place on to a non-porous surface. For this I used a small cut out of plastic. If the clay is tough to cut away, heat first with a hairdryer.

- Mould the clay into a chosen shape using sculpting tools.

- Make sure the edges are completely smooth.

- If creating a lump, use right angle motions to smooth the clay into a manageable shape.

- When you have finished sculpting your mould, spray with fixer spray. Allow to dry.

- Then spray with Petrolease and allow to dry.

- Take a measuring cup and cut in half.

- With a glue gun, glue around the top of the cup where the ridge is and stick around the clay mould. Glue around the cup to make sure it is completely secure.

- When using a glue gun make sure the gun is standing up in the right position. Make sure it is hot and therefore be careful as to not burn yourself whilst using it.

- Once the glue is dry you can begin making the silicone mixture.

- Take two measuring cups and two wooden sticks labelled A and B.

- In the A beaker, add 50ml of silicone A.

- In the B beaker, add 50ml of silicone B.

- Make sure to not cross contaminate the liquids as they will activate.

- Ensure you are wearing gloves at all times and have protected any surfaces. Any spillages should be cleaned up straight away.

- Mix the A liquid into the B beaker until bubbles are formed.

- Pour the mixed substance into the cut cup where your mould is. Cover the clay completely.

- Allow to dry. You will know when the substance is dry by touch.

- To remove the mould from the container, cut away the cup until the piece becomes free and can be carefully pulled out.

- Be careful at this point because it is very easy to cut yourself on the plastic cup holding the mould.

- Clean the silicone mould with IPA brush cleaner. Ensure that the entire surface has been wiped clean.

- Then spray with Petrolease all over the mould.

- Allow to dry.

- Make sure you are in a well-ventilated room.

- Next create a protective surface over the mould by mixing 10ml of baldez with 20ml of acetone. And 40ml of IPA brush cleaner. Mix altogether and use a brush to paint the mixture onto the silicone mould.

- Make sure the whole mould is covered. Place on to a level surface to even out the mixture. Use a stick to scrape away any excess.

- When dry the mixture will go matte. Make sure there are no holes in the silicone mould.

- Cover again with another layer of mixture, you can add up to 6 layers. Allow the piece to dry.

- Next mix together A,B and C to create the final piece.

- So using 3 measuring cups and 3 sticks labelled a,b,c measure out 40ml of A and B silicone. And then 80ml of C silicone. Mix the a and b measures together and then pour into C. Mix together.

- Next add powdered colour to colour your mould. Add a pinch into the silicone mix and mix together thoroughly.

- Pour slowly onto the silicone mould.

- Wipe over with a wooden stick to remove any excess. Pour more mixture in to make sure the depth of the mould is covered.

- Smooth away the edges with a baby bud.

- Allow to dry for 20 minutes.

- Powder over the top of the mould with baby powder to stop the silicone from sticking.

- Test to make sure the mould is dry by touching it, it will be dry when a fingerprint is not left.

- Work at the edges of the mould with a pin. Start lifting the edges up.

- Using a brush use translucent powder to help release the mould from the cast. Keep adding powder as you release more of the mould.

- Once the piece has been released stick to a piece of card that has been cut in a square with the centre free. Stick to the card by using prosaide.

- Apply dermashield to your clients face to protect their skin from the mould and products used.

- Prosaide the chosen part of the face and stick the mould to the skin.

- Start taking the excess edges away using acetone. This will release the mould from the card.

- Using a baby bud blend the edges into the skin by using acetone. Make sure the client has their eyes closed at all times.

- Once the mould is lying flat to the skin, use the new student colouring palette to create the skin colour.

- The palette is activated by using IPA brush cleaner.

- Flick the colour onto the mould using a fanned brush.

- Make sure your client has a cape on and has their eyes closed at all times as the brush cleaner is alcohol based.

- The skin has many tones of colour therefore multiple colours will need to be added.

- Once you have started to build up colour you can add foundation to blend into the skin.

- Powder to seal once happy with the mould.

Body Modification Design Two

The second design incorporates almonds to add to the shape worked on in design one. The almonds are added to the cupids bow up to the nose and also in the lower halves of the shapes created. Tuplast is once again used to build up the look. The skin tone will this time be white. For this design, the following materials will need to be used:

- Dermashield

- Illamasqua Satin Primer

- Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation RF 100

- Illamasqua Translucent Powder

- Almonds

- Kryolan Tuplast

- Duo Glue

- Kryolan Supracolour Palette in Gold.

Cleanse, tone and moisturise the skin. 

Apply dermashield to protect the skin from tuplast and duo glue. 

Apply the satin primer to create the base.

Use Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation in RF 100

Seal with translucent powder.

Using the back of a spoon, draw the outline using tuplast. Build this up until sticks out of the skin. Dry with a cool hairdryer.

Use Kryolan Supracolour in Gold on the tuplast and through the lip from the cupids bow to the base of the lip. 

Next apply the almonds in the lower halves of the shapes created.

 Use Duo Glue to stick these to the skin. Cover in foundation when applied. 

Body Modification Design One

Design One consists of Tuplast shapes on the forehead which are then painted gold. These will be built up so that they stand out more, creating texture and the sense of the skin rising up. For this design the materials needed are:

- Dermashield to protect the skin 

- Illamasqua Cream Foundation in CF 135

- Kryolan Dermacolour Camouflage Concealer  

- Illamasqua Translucent Powder

- Kryolan Supracolour in Gold

- Kryolan Tuplast

Cleanse, tone and moisturise the skin. 

Apply Dermashield to protect the skin from the tuplast.

Apply the foundation base and conceal any blemishes.

Seal with Illamasqua Translucent powder.

Using the back of a spoon, draw around the shape with tuplast. Use a cool hairdryer to set. 

Continue to create the desired shape and build up each shape of tuplast until it sticks out.

Once completely dry, apply Kryolan Supracolour in gold across the shape created and through the cupids bow and centre of the lip. 

The Application of Bald Caps

To apply a bald cap you will need: 

- Bald Cap

- Hair Gel

- Pintail Comb 

- Scissors 

- Spirit Gum 

- Spirit Gum Remover 

- Hairbrush

- Sponge

- Cape your client to protect their clothes. 

- Brush the hair thoroughly to free of any knots. 

- Make sure to not use any pins in the hair as this will be seen through the bald cap. 

- Spray the hair thoroughly with water asking the model to close their eyes. 

- Use a lot of gel covering all of the hair. Rub the gel through your hands to work through the hair. Thick hair will require a lot of gel. 

- If any gel gets on the forehead, remove, as the spirit gum will not stick to this. 

- Make sure the roots are well gelled and wet otherwise the cap wont stick.

- Half the hair down the centre.

- Wrap the hair around the head making sure it is smooth and bump free. Take the left section and wrap around to the right. Take the right section and wrap around to the left. Smooth down with more gel. 

- Make sure the model is sat straight on and looking forward.

- Get your model to help with the application of the cap. Get the model to hold two finger up each side of the head to help with pulling the cap down straight. 

- Do not just cut out the ears. Feel where they are with your own fingers underneath the cap. Make a small cut and place back down, Repeat until you have cut away enough to pull the ear through.

- Do not cut the cap in a straight line. It is easier to blend away with a wriggled cut line. 

- Peel the front of the cap back making sure that there are no hairs on the forehead.

- Place spirit gum on the edge line of the folded back cap. Pull the cap back down and stick to the forehead. 

- Using a wet sponge, roll around the recently glued cap to press in. 

- Cut away the cap around the edges and back and repeat the gluing process by pulling the cap up, gluing the edge, sticking back down and pressing in with a wet sponge. 

- Do not pull the material when cutting as you may over stretch it and cut too far. Also never cut the cap before putting on. 

Changing the shape of the face using Wax

To change the shape of the face using wax you will need: 

- Cinewax

- Sculpting Tools

- Kryolan Sealer

- Baby Buds

- Hair Dryer

- Dermashield

- Cape 

- Kryolan Ultra Foundation Palette

-Kryolan Supracolour Palette

- Vichy Setting Powder

- Cleanse and tone the skin. Do not moisturise. Moisturiser will make the wax fall off the skin. Use a barrier cream if the clients skin is greasy. 

- Blend the wax on the back of the hand to warm up with a sculpting knife.

- Take the wax off the hand. Mould with the fingers if need be and place on to the face.

- Remember to ask the model if they are comfortable. Remind them to keep their eyes closed at all times.

- Blend the edges of the wax with the edge of the sculpting knife.

- If the wax starts picking up with the sculpting knife, add a very small amount of moisturiser to a baby bud and blend the wax back in. 

- Using a baby bud, seal the wax. Make sure the model keeps their eyes closed as the sealer is spirit based. Make sure the wax is fully coated in sealer and dry using a cool hairdryer. Test the hairdryer on yourself first. If the wax isn't completely covered in sealer the wax will come off.

- Dry until the wax is tacky. 

- Dab a puff with water before the wax is dry to create the texture of skin. 

- Colour the wax with supracolour or a foundation colour depending on the desired result. Stipple the colour on, do not rub. If creating skin tone, remember the tone of the skin is various colours not just one particular colour. 

- Powder well to seal the wax. 

- Make sure that the edges of the wax are well blended. 

- Use right angle motions if a you wish to create a lump.

- Colour the edges to pull them out as the camera can make the wax look quite flat. 

As you can see at the bottom of the wax, it has started to come away from the skin. Furthermore the edges would need to be blended more to create a smoother edge. The colour needs to be more subtle also.