Plaster Casting

Process Notes:

Mixing plaster - pour plaster into water in bucket until it holds a “volcano” about 1/2″ - 1″ above water surface.  Mix with hands to make into consistent mixture.  Take care not to agitate mix to avoid entraining air bubbles in mixture.  Tap, swirl or shake mix in bucket to remove bubbles as much as possible, without creating new ones.  ”Milking the dove” fingering out bubbles.  

Different positives should be used for making paper mache masks and for sculpting to create positives to cast a negative for neoprene mask making.

If you have some overflow molds on hand, all mixed plaster can be used up if there is more than needed for major casting.  Good for stocking up on gewgaws.

Casting a screw in the chin of face positive can be helpful for anchoring work on leather masks

Products:

Plaster for Casting:
“long last white Hydrocal” [JS] 

Clay for sculpting:
“Roma Plastilina” - Hardnesses:  1-4  oil based clay  [JS]