Full Head Cast

Class Notes

Life & Body Casting at AFX Studios (no date) Available at: http://www.afxstudios.com/lifecasting/ (Accessed: 11 May 2015)

dantiri (2012) Alginate Full head lifecast (PGC). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzdZe9sRMmE (Accessed: 11 May 2015)

Silicone works very similarly to alginate. It is a 2 part mixture that is a thick paste. Silicone has the advantage of not sticking to hair unless it is very curly hair. It also has a slightly slower setting time then the majority of alginates. Another major advantage of using silicone over alginate is that alginate can only be used once where as a silicone face cast can be moulded into multiple times and will last for years.

The material that can be used to mould the positive from the casts differ as well. As alginate is a water based material it has limitations, it can only really have plaster and clay positives made and even then the clay positives are likely to have imperfections as they clay is heated to be poured into the cast. Silicone negatives can have a much wider variety of materials cast in to it even ones that heat up as they cure (more so then plaster).

Tear strength is different between the two materials as well with silicone being much stronger then alginate. Silicone will not shrink where alginate will.

Alginate has the advantage of being a lot more cost effective.

A silicone cast is done in almost the exact same way as an alginate cast. The difference being that as the silicone cast can be used multiple times it needs to be secure within the plaster, this is achieved by having silicone keys (much like with the silicone stage when making a fibreglass head when you have taken the life cast with alginate).

Pop the bag around your model
Keep calm, don't panic the person in the chair.
Vaseline against the grain of the eyebrows right down to the root.
Using Nivea as it doesn't leave air bubbles like Vaseline would.
Remember all hair chest eyebrows.
Any type of barrier cream can be used.
Don't let it cover up too much texture.
The plaster bandage at the back needs to go half way so that it doesn't lock onto the models head.
Start off with double thickness or bandage.
Dip into the water. And keep it flat.
Hold on to one end so that it stays straight.
Fold again so that it is 6 thick.
Round to the back of the ears.
Massage it in as tight as possible to the head.
If your model has long hair wrap it up make a hole in the bald cap.
Strengthening ropes to build integral strength at the back.
Don't settle for cheap plaster bandage as it may take forever to dry.
Make it symmetrical as it can warp
Don't wash your hands in the sink as plaster blocks it up.
The edge is straight and neat behind the ears.
The bald cap is covered in Nivea as a release agent.
Tap it if it has a high pitch click it is dry.
It needs to be properly dry.
Use barrier cream before the aliginate
Use more aliginate than you need.
Whisk it really well
Start at Jordan's head. Back of the ear.
Go into the ear but not forced.
Go into the eye and scrape it to one side
Keep asking if your model is ok
Do the nose last
Pick off the bits at the front
As it dries it shrinks
Trim off the rough bits with a blunt knife
Nivea cream around the edge
One ear you put the plaster bandage around the ear. And one over it so that it is easier to release.
Push the plaster bandage into every crease.
Be constantly aware of your models breathing.
Ask the men to shave if they can.
Plaster bandage up to the septum.
Put registration marks on it too. Use snazaroo. To make registration lines.
When taking off turn the lights off and make sure your model closes his eyes.
Mix up some thick aliginate. Lay the aliginate into the nostrils.
Place the cast in bowl.
Scrim strengthens the shoulders.

Full Head Cast

Class Notes

Pop the bag around your model

Keep calm, don't panic the person in the chair.

Vaseline against the grain of the eyebrows right down to the root.

Using Nivea as it doesn't leave air bubbles like Vaseline would.

Remember all hair chest eyebrows.

Any type of barrier cream can be used.

Don't let it cover up too much texture.

The plaster bandage at the back needs to go half way so that it doesn't lock onto the models head.

Start off with double thickness or bandage.

Dip into the water. And keep it flat.

Hold on to one end so that it stays straight.

Fold again so that it is 6 thick.

Round to the back of the ears.

Massage it in as tight as possible to the head.

If your model has long hair wrap it up make a hole in the bald cap.

Strengthening ropes to build integral strength at the back.

Don't settle for cheap plaster bandage as it may take forever to dry.

Make it symmetrical as it can warp

Don't wash your hands in the sink as plaster blocks it up.

The edge is straight and neat behind the ears.

The bald cap is covered in Nivea as a release agent.

Tap it if it has a high pitch click it is dry.

It needs to be properly dry.

Use barrier cream before the aliginate

Use more aliginate than you need.

Whisk it really well

Start at Jordan's head. Back of the ear.

Go into the ear but not forced.

Go into the eye and scrape it to one side

Keep asking if your model is ok

Do the nose last

Pick off the bits at the front

As it dries it shrinks

Trim off the rough bits with a blunt knife

Nivea cream around the edge

One ear you put the plaster bandage around the ear. And one over it so that it is easier to release.

Push the plaster bandage into every crease.

Be constantly aware of your models breathing.

Ask the men to shave if they can.

Plaster bandage up to the septum.

Put registration marks on it too. Use snazaroo. To make registration lines.

When taking off turn the lights off and make sure your model closes his eyes.

Mix up some thick aliginate. Lay the aliginate into the nostrils.

Place the cast in bowl.

Scrim strengthens the shoulders.