Face Molds

In order to make a mask I will need to first make a mold of my face. I thought about using plaster-of-paris, but when I read the back it said that it burns skin and may cause cancer, I changed my mind. What is something cheap and inexpensive that I can buy almost anywhere (like Wal-Mart, etc.) that can mold to my face? Thanks in advance.

 

Well, it really depends on how accurate a mold you want. A simple and cheap way is to use normal plaster, reinforced with bandages. There´s also plaster bandages available.

If you want a really accurate casting, you need alginate and plaster bandages. I do hope you only need your face cast and not your whole head, as that is something I would advice against as a make-up artist. Casting just the face is quite safe, but never attempt a full head cast without a professional to be safe.

Just remember to protect your eyebrows and eyelashes with vaseline, and use vaseline or lotion with aloe vera on your face.

Allthough face casting is a simple and safe process, it is possible that you might feel claustrophobic once the casting material is on your face, so don´t do it alone.

What type of project are you doing?

 

Thanks. What is alginate and where can I find it?

I'm making an Emperor Palpatine mask for C3.

 

I cant remember what alginate actually is, mut is the stuff dentist puts in your mouth when casting your teeth. Its flexible, fast drying and takes really great detail. I use it in make-up effects almost weekly. However, alginate dries in a few days after which the casting is unusable, so making the actual positive must be done directly after taking it off your face.

Here you can find a face-casting kit:

http://www.artmolds.com/product_details.cfm?product_id=25&page=0&cat_name=Intermediate%20Kits

Best of luck!

 

i use alginite all the time at my dad's work, your gonna need alot for your face, but hey it smells like mint.

 

For the record, alginate is made from sea weed.

Alginate is by far the best option for this. Plaster is definitely NOT a good idea.

There is one other option that no one ever mentions on this board. It's called Moulage. It's a low-temp melt material that can be brushed on your face. It's very prone to air bubbles, but for what you're doing, those can be sanded away from the final positive casting.

Just put straws in your nose so you can breathe, have someone else brush it on, and have a third person make sure nothing happens to the straws.

Also, with both alginate and moulage, you'll need a plaster mother mold over the whole thing so it'll keep its shape for the casting.

Have fun!

 

http://www.themonsterlab.com/monstercloset/lifecast/text.html This is the tutorial you need! It breaks it down into very easy parts with GREAT pictures. I do this stuff all the time and plaster is not the way to go. Even if you get a fairly decent mold, the undercuts around your nasel labial folds and around the sides of your cheeks will lock and your time is wasted! Alginate is cheap enough and you can get it almost anywhere. If you don't have a store near you, try www.fxwarehouseinc.com or http://www.monstermakers.com/index.html . Both are reasonable in price and shipping. They also sell complete kits for facecasting, sculpting, molding, and casting in foam. Great on-line Q&A's too!

GOOD LUCK and don't hesitate to ask questions. It's better to ask a thousand questions than goof up when you have $$ involved! LOL!

 

How would I go about molding the pieces that will be the emperor's face after a mold is cast?
I tried to use Liquid Latex, but only destroyed a pair of pants and my favorite shirt!

 

I don't want to beat a dead horse, but I have to say Monster lab has a great tutorial on this one as well! http://www.themonsterlab.com/anthony-prosthetic.html shows you how to sculpt your original mask in Roma Clay (an oil-based clay found in art supply stores) or WED clay (water-based, but will dry out before molding if you're not careful). It then shows the prep before the mold, the molding in Ultracal (a dental stone harder than plaster of paris which can be baked in an oven for the rubber to cure), the de-molding, and finally the casting in a very comfortable foam rubber. This is the way to learn! You will do great, I'm sure! Just remember the steps and don't get too ahead of yourself.

1.) Make the lifecast
2.) Sculpt Palpy in Roma clay using sculpting tools
3.) prep for Ultracal molding
4.) Mold in Ultracal
5.) demold original and clean molds with a mild detergent
6.) Get your foam ready and mix (THIS is the TRICKY part!) You'll need a gram scale...You may also brush in liquid latex and once removed from the mold, back with cotton balls and attach to your face with 355 medical adhesive or a strong spirit gum. BE SURE YOU HAVE THE REMOVER or you'll scare kids for at least a week!
7.) paint using mask paint or acrylic mixed 50/50 with liquid latex (thin with amonia and water.
8.) Hunch over, grab your cane and cloak, and start zapping Jedi!

That's the steps in a thumbnail. Check out the link and don't go too fast. You don't want to get too far in and mess up. There are ways to do it fast and there are ways to do it right. It just depends on the final effect you are going for. Check out a book by Lee Baygen called Techniques of Three Dimensional Makeup. http://www.fxwarehouseinc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SDSC&Product_Code=RB58&Category_Code=BOOKS . This book has everything you need to know about the process if you are interested in playing with hollywood make-up effects.

Email or IM if you have any other questions or concerns...AND GOOD LUCK!

 

One thing to remember is that, even though casting foam latex appliances seems simple in theory, in reality it is not. Making the molds good enough is in itself quite a process and mixing the foam is not very simple. If you try foam latex, try to look up two-component foam or preferably cold foam, which doesn´t need to be baked.

I went thru a LOT of molds and runs of latex when I started to practise some 15+ years ago. Even though I got the hand of it then, I noticed years later that the appliances kept improving. It takes a lot of work, but is really worth it-if you´re passionate about make-up anyway.

 

What kind of glue would I use to glue it on my face?

 

Pros-aide is best. Spirit gum or liquid latex will work too.

Did you do any research on this at all?

 

Yeah I couldn't find anything about glue though. Where would I get Pros-aide from?

 

Check you local Yellow pages for make-up supply. If you have nothing in your area, I ALWAYS use www.fxwarehouseinc.com . They also have great online help if you have any questions. They also have their index broken down by process, so it should be easy for even a novice to get info. Good luck!