Casting Max's Head!

On to casting Max's head! 

I will be casting the head in Fast Cast resin. This is a 2 Part liquid which comes as Part A + B. A ratio of 1:1 (volume or weight) is used and then mixed together. Once started mixing the resin has a very quick set time (2 minute work, 10 minute de mould) which cures in to a tough polyurethane plastic, which is also very light weight, which is perfect to keep the weight of the head to a minimum.

  The mould was taped up to ensure the sides would not shift. 

To make the head even lighter I used the process of limiting the amount of fast cast I put in to the mould and then rolling the mold to ensure the fast cast covers all the inner surface. Once cured I would then have a cast 'shell' of the head, where the inner of the head is hollow.

After pouring and 10 minutes of rolling the head was ready to de mould.

Notice that I have kept the sculpey pour spout. Once the fast cast was poured in, I inserted the sculpey in to the mould spout, this was to ensure when I was rolling the mould that fast cast didn't spill back out!

As you can see, by cutting the mould with a zig zag and then straightening the cut once closer to the sculpt, it has left me with a straight seam line which will be easier to clean up. But this will not be seen as the hair will go over it.

Casting the Neck

To cast the neck I didn't just want 'a neck' I wanted the chest as well. Therefore My armature chest piece will be cast within the mould. 

So before casting I needed to plug up all the K+S points, because if I didn't silicone would cure within them as cleaning the silicone out then would have been a nightmare! 

I plugged the K+S with plasticine therefore when I pull the cast out I can cut the silicone where the K+S hole is and remove the plasticine.

Final neck cast

To find where the K+S holes were I used a tool that I made which is just a ordinary sewing pin, pushed in to miliput to create a handle. With the tool I poked in to the silicone until I found the hole with the plasticine. I then took a scalpel, cut a square where the K+S was and then removed the plasticine :) A benefit of stabbing silicone with a thin needle is I can locate the hole but If i miss were the K+S is, the hole then create with the needle will not be visible.