Flat Moulds

For Image 1 and Image 2 flat moulds were created on face casts of both models. Two different methods were used to create the flat moulds: one mould was made in silicone (figure 1) and the other was made in plaster (figure 2). This was due to the need to save the remaining amount of the silicone product for creating the pieces. Making flat moulds in plaster is a lot more cost efficient according to Thomas net (Na) “these moulds are also inexpensive, fast to create, reusable.” but the downside is it is difficult to produce good pieces from. silicone is usually considered the better material according to Waykenrm (2018) “it is also chosen widely for mould making due to its fine reproduction of details, physical strength, versatility”. Silicone is a lot better because it captures more details which is better for finer pieces of work. During the first attempt of running the pieces in the plaster mould the silicone wouldn’t release from the mould, and instead got stuck and ripped (Figure 3) This was due to there not being enough Vaseline on top of the mould to help with the removal, but the second trial of running the pieces worked a lot better by avoiding this problem. With running the silicone moulds the cap plastic was also too thick, which can become a problem when trying to blend the pieces onto the skin as the edges will be hard to blend. The next round of silicone running will use thin cap plastic so that the pieces will allow a smoother finish when applied to the models. In the industry both methods of flat moulding are used depending on the size of the project and also the budget, so it is useful to understand both processes and be familiar with the materials available.

References

Na,Na. All about plaster casting. Available from: https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/custom-manufacturing-fabricating/all-about-plaster-mold-casting [Accessed February 2021]

C, (2018).Aspects of silicone rubber mould: you would know. Available from: https://www.waykenrm.com/silicone-rubber-mould.html [Accessed 28th February 2021]

Figures

Figure 1 : Silicone flat mould (Gaylor,2020)

Figure 2 : Plaster flat mould (Gaylor,2021)