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Olivier Duhamel
Joined:
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25-Feb-2009
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Started On : 01-Jun-2009 at 07:48:22 AM, #Views : 5903
Topic Subject : Re: Re: full wrap around torso casting |
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Hello Dave,
Thank you so much for your long contribution…
Since my posting I have read Dan’s response and many of your PDF articles posted here on lifecasting.org and I have a much better idea on how to proceed.
Finding fast setting plaster will be problematic but I have good experience in accelerating setting time with dry plaster powder (I have an old belt sander I keep for the purpose of quickly capturing large amounts of fresh powder in the collection bag. )
I am in New Zealand… Talking will be difficult.
The commission I have accepted is for a full wrap around torso from the neck below the chin down to lower belly as far down as decency would allow, no arms included. It is still a fairly large area to cover . She will be standing, propping herself on a table on one hand for a twist in her body, accentuating the roundness of the haunches and creating skin folds She assures me that she can keep the pose comfortably for half an hour. I still fully intend to have the help two assistants.
There is no urgency; the customer can wait a few weeks or more… I may wait until you publish your article…
My intention is to capture the skin texture with as much details as possible. One discreet seam line is acceptable…I’d like to avoid having to clean and rework two…I was planning to make the whole mother mould in one go, cut one side open (since the mould has 4 openings, it is actually 2 cuts: rib cage up to under arm and shoulder to neck,) and “hinge†the mother mould on the opposite side of the torso as per Dan recommendation, by having the plaster gauze laid side by side along a vertical “hinge†line and not overlapping it. I suspect the same thing can be done with cheesecloth instead of gauze. The idea is that to free my model I only have to open the mould just enough to make the mould slide down her body until she can walk out of it… I figure there is enough flexibility in the alginate for this to work…
I have some good experience in achieving near perfect skin texture and no distortion using alginate and plaster gauze for half shell castings but have never done full wrap around. I did not think it was possible, it kept me awake at night, I devised a plan while half asleep and I have now accepted the commission. Alea jacta est.
I use a Japanese alginate called Aroma II which is easy to mix, no bubbles, no lumps and gives me a good five minutes if mixed with cold water . It seems to be fairly strong but I cannot compare with anything else.
As for casting plaster in the finished mould, I was planning to set it standing upside down, the larger opening facing up, to avoid seeing it fold on itself,(very likely with this weak “hingeâ€), perhaps inside a large plastic rubbish bin, packed with old clothe so that I can easily rotate it. I would paint on several batches until I have about a one inch thickness everywhere and then crack open a beer…
Thanks again for sharing your expertise with us…
Olivier
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