Jason Decaires Taylor, A.L.I

June / July 2013 Issue 1

Materials and Techniques for Life Casting, Life Casting, Mold Making and Casting, Ceramics and Stone Carving PremierePremiere IssueIssue FeaturingFeaturing thethe ArtArt ofof LifeLife CastingCasting

Amazing Under Water Life Castings Eco-Sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, A.L.I.

If It Looks Like a Duck . . . How To Cast a Complete Arm Without Distortion Getting Started In Sand Casting Everything You Need To Know To Set Up a Hobby Foundry Monster Movie Mask Making Its New, Its Hot and Sooo Easy

Features 5 PAUL MCCARTHY AT HAUSER & WIRTH McCarthy’s ‘Life Cast’ on view through July 26th in NYC BY C. FLEISHMAN P 5 P 13 7 AMAZING UNDER WATER LIFE CASTINGS Jason deCaires Taylor is an internationally acclaimed eco‐sculptor who creates underwater living sculptures. BY ROBERT FOREST

13 GETTING STARTED IN SAND CASTING Everything You Need To Set Up a Hobby Foundry BY PAUL ENCOYAND

18 IF IT LOOKS LIKE A DUCK . . . Or How to cast a complete arm in the round without distortion . BY DAVE PARVIN

23 MONSTER MOVIE MASK MAKING P 7 P 18 Its new, its hot an sooo easy BY ANTHONY GIORDANO

Departments CONTRIBUTORS PAUL ENCOYAND is the founder and CEO of Budget Casting Supply, locat‐ 4 EDITORIAL ed in Sonora, California. Budget Casting Supply is an industry leader in aluminum, brass and copper forgings 5 SOLUTIONS CENTER and foundry supplies .

Publisher Ed McCormick ROBERT FOREST is a writer and sculp‐ tor with over 30 years experience in 6 ALI NEWS Editor the art industry. Frank J. Fedel, MS, CES

Staﬀ Contributors ED MCCORMICK, CEO of Environ‐ MATERIALS EXPLORER Arlene Strom Molds and manufacturer and supplier 12 Dave Parvin of life casting and mold making and Robert Forest casting materials.

Distribution 17 TECHNIQUES www.magcloud.com DAVE PARVIN is a Denver area sculp‐ tor who may be reached at parvinstu‐ Advertising [email protected] but who much [email protected] prefers to talk than type (720) 971‐ 22 STUDIO TIPS 0824. PHOTO CREDITS THIS ISSUE

26 ADVERTISERS Cover, iStock Photo; P 5. Hauser & Wirth, P. 7‐11 artmoldsjournal.com Jason deCaires Taylor; ; p. 12‐16 iStock Photo; P. 17, E. McCormick; P. 18‐21, D. Parvin; P. 22‐25, E. [email protected] McCormick June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 3

EDITORIAL The Q & A

n reflecting on my past 25 years of taking your year old who was telephone calls and answering your mold making killed in an acci‐ and casting questions I think about how fortunate I dent. Thankfully I am to be considered somewhat of an industry ex‐ was able to refer pert.I It is something I really enjoy as I meet so many the family to a great people in doing so. Actually, up until last year I lifecasting sculp‐ never though about it. That is, until I was doing an In‐ tor in their area ternet search recently and found that some of my arti‐ who helped with cles on alginate impression materials and mold making the task. were being used as refer‐ ences in an academic research papers as far The call usually starts with, away as Eastern Europe. The call usually “I have a quick question.” starts with, “I have a quick question.” But But more often than not, the usually the answer is not answer is not so brief. Ed McCormick so quick. Sometimes the Foundry Bronze Life Casting by Roy Butler question is so obscure that I have a difficult time understanding what the caller Of course the majority of the questions are the basic is actually after. At those times I find I have to be detec‐ kind: how to make a mold or a casting, what materials to tive‐like to probe for information. It is helpful to know use and how to mix and apply them. what the questioner wants to wind up with, or hold in The Q & A sessions are really a fair trade, as over the their hand, at the conclusion of the process. That way I years I have learned as much from my callers as I have can work backwards to determine the most efficient taught. There is no just one “right way” in the mold making and cost effective material for casting and mold making. and casting business. Those that have been doing it for a There are times when I am called rude as a result of while have developed their own studio tricks, shortcuts and trying to drill down to get to the nub of a problem. special techniques that they have shared with me. I have Sometimes, a caller will hang up because they think I been only too glad to pass them on so that others may ben‐ have not grasped their problem well enough to resolve efit from them. So give me a call and ask your “quick” ques‐ it. Those, of course, are the most disappointing calls. tion, as I look forward to helping you. Fair warning though, The questions are so varied that I never get tired of the answer may not be as brief.  listening to them. One person inquired as to how to keep their false teeth in place using alginate after Sea Bond discontinued their product line. Others concern home made prosthetic devices. Over the years a num‐ ber of calls have been about helping to create death Edmund J. McCormick ,Publisher/Editor masks. One touching call in particular was about a 10‐ If you have any comments about this editorial or anything else that appears in ARTMOLDS JOURNAL, email me at [email protected]. I can be reached at 1‐908‐273‐5401

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 4

SOLUTIONS CORNER The Handy Hand Sander Here is a cheap trick that oﬀers valuable results

Vibration, though IKES! Those darn air bubbles are at it again. certainly not as effective Y They ruin the look of an otherwise perfectly as vacuuming or pressur‐ good casting. Worse, they appear inside your mold rub‐ izing, can none the less ber providing weak spots in the walls, with resulting significantly reduce most air bubbles. After all, vibration mold dimples. But what to do if your studio is on a is used to eliminate bubbles in the largest of concrete budget and you can’t afford a vacuum chamber and pours so it can be very effective in table top pours of compressor or pressure pot? your molding and casting materials. You got to vibrate my friend, just vibrate those bub‐ To be more specific I am not referring to any such bles away. devices that one might admit to having stored in their All liquids contain air. When the liquid is at rest (not night table. What I am referring to is a very common being stirred), thin liquids give up air more easily than tool — the hand sander. Duct tape the sander to the thick ones as the air can rise more easily to the top. table leg on which your mold or casting sits, and turn it Most casting rubbers are more viscous, tending to keep on for about ten minutes for your mold rubbers, and air trapped inside forming those unwanted air bubbles. perhaps two to three minutes for your quick‐setting casting resins. Then watch the bubbles rise to the top as you reduce the coefficient of friction in the liquid. 

VISIONS Sculptor Paul McCarthy at Hauser & Wirth McCarthy’s ‘Life Cast’ on view through July 26th in NYC

ew York, NY… Hauser & Wirth will devote its entire spring program in New York City to Paul McCarthy, one of America’s most challenging and influential arNtists, via three interrelated exhibitions and an outdoor sculpture presentation. McCarthy has garnered international acclaim for – and provoked lively critical debate with – a constantly evolving oeuvre characterized by wildly dark humor. ‘Paul McCarthy: Life Cast’ (on view through 26 July) showcases ‘Horizontal’ (2013) is a haunting depiction of the artist in uncanny highly developed themes and narratives coursing through and con‐ full‐scale replica, naked and necting different areas of McCarthy’s vast and complex practice. Here prone. Sculptor and life those themes are revealed through platinum silicone life casts – bra‐ casting artist Paul vura replicas of the artist and Elyse Poppers, one of the key perform‐ McCarthy. ers in his most recent projects ‘Rebel Dabble Babble’ and ‘WS’. Kazuhiro Tsuji, a prominent Hollywood special effects artist, su‐ pervised the mold making and casting of McCarthy’s body. Tsuji’s incredible work includes a larger than life realistic bust of legendary makeup artist Dick Smith. 

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 5

ASSOCIATION NEWS ALI Guild Tops 1200 Members

T he Association of Lifecasters International (ALI) announced that its membership roster topped 1200 mem‐ bers. ALI is an artists’ guild of professional and amateur lifecasting artists and sculp‐ tors, lifecasting enthusiasts and life‐ casting material suppliers. The goal of the Association of Lifecasters International is to promote the art of life‐casting world‐ wide and to provide a standard and level of professionalism within the field on which the art community can rely. ALI membership consists of both artists and sculptors as well as those who appreciate the art form and want to learn more about it. ALI counts among its membership some of the finest life‐ casting artists from around the world. But it also be‐ lieves that its growth de‐ pends on edu‐ cating new artists about this medium and as such, boasts many members of various levels of artistic achievement from stu‐ dents to masters. Membership in ALI is free and open to all those who have an interest in the art form. Those who wish to join ALI should fill out its membership application on the ALI website and affirm to abide by the guild’s code of ethics. 

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 6 The Underwater World of Jason deCaires Taylor By Robert Forrest

Jason deCaires Taylor is an internationally acclaimed eco‐sculptor who creates under‐ water living sculptures, offering viewers mysterious, ephemeral encounters and fleeting glim‐ mers of another world where art develops from the effects of nature on the efforts of man.

on lifecasting works. He offers viewers ever before since the discov‐ mysterious, ephemeral encounters ery of the 8000 terracotta and fleeting glimmers of another warriors of Qin Shi Huang, in world where art and life develop from Xi’an,N China has there been such a specta‐ the effects of nature on the efforts of cle. If enormity in art, such as the statues man. His site‐specific, permanent in‐ of Abu Simbel temples in Egypt would be stallations are designed to act as artifi‐ one of the criteria of great, then the re‐ cial reefs. By attracting corals, they sulting works of Jason deCaires Taylor increase marine biomass and aggre‐ have certainly given him the unarguable gate fish species. In doing so they di‐ title of the pharaoh of life casting Life vert tourists away from fragile natural casting is the art of taking molds directly reefs and thus provide space for natu‐ from the human body and casting them ral rejuvenation. Subject to the ab‐ life sized in a variety of media. Taylor has stract changes of the underwater envi‐ gone beyond the pale with his sculptures ronment, his works symbolize a strik‐ of human figures, 450 figures submerged ing symbiosis between man and na‐ in nearly 30 feet of water off the coast of ture, balancing messages of hope and Cancun, Mexico. loss. Jason deCaires Taylor is the interna‐ Since 2006 Taylor has created tionally acclaimed eco‐sculptor who cre‐ and founded two large scale underwa‐ Eco‐Sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, ates underwater living sculptures focused ter Museums, one on the island of A.L.I., on site in Cancun, Mexico.

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 7 cific forms of marine life. “Over the past few dec‐ ades we have lost over 40% of our natural coral reefs and scien‐ tists predict a demise of 80% by 2050. Only about 10 – 15% of the seabed has a solid enough sub‐ stratum to allow reefs to form naturally,” says Taylor. In order to increase the num‐ ber of reefs in these areas, artifi‐ cial reefs have recently been cre‐ ated from materials that are du‐ rable, secure and environmental‐ ly sensitive. These artificial reefs

The Silent Evolution Spans over 420 sq. Jason’s project, Silent Evolution, the MUSA Collection, Cancun, Mexico. meters, weighing over Grenada in the West Indies, which has subsequently been documented as a “Wonder of the World” by 200 tons, and National Geographic and a monumental collection of over 486 pieces (450 figures) in Mexico called includes 450 MUSA (Museo Subaquático de Arte), now listed by lifecasts. Forbes as one of the world’s most unique travel destinations. Taylor's sculptures—a synthesis of art and sci‐ attract corals, sponges and hy‐ ence—are made with carefully researched environ‐ droids; increase overall reef bio‐ mentally‐friendly materials which actively promote mass and aggregate fish species coral growth, with inert, ph‐neutral properties de‐ which in turn, can support an signed to last hundreds of years. Working with Ma‐ entire marine ecosystem. Howev‐ rine biologists, Taylor employs the latest research in er one of the greatest benefits of creating habitat spaces designed to encourage spe‐ artificial reefs, however is that they have relieved the pressure Left: The birth of a coral reef on a Taylor life on natural reefs which have been casting foundation and casting. over‐fished, over‐visited and

Below: The live model seen next her concrete damaged by natural events. casting and the live coral growing on her statue as Some of Taylor’s sculptures it sits in the warm Mexican waters. are propagated with live coral cuttings rescued from areas of the reef system damaged by storms and human activity. This technique, a well‐established procedure in reef conservation, rescues damaged coral fragments by providing a suitable new sub‐ strate. All sculpture are made from inert pH neutral environ‐ mentally friendly marine cement. All of Taylor’s work sites are located in clear shallow waters to aﬀord easy viewing by divers, snorkelers and those in glass‐ bottomed boats. Taylor's interventions insti‐

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 8 gate organic growth and The Bankers transformation. Taylor MUSA Collection states, "It's environmental 2012 evolution, art intervention Depth 4m as growth, or a balancing of Manchones relationships." Taylor's Reef, Mexico. most ambitious work to date — The Silent Evolution (2010), forms a permanent monu‐ mental artiﬁcial reef in Mexico. Occupying an area of over 420 square meters and with a total weight of over 200 tons, it consists of 450 life‐size casts of individuals taken from a broad cross section of

The Bankers 4 meters underwater in Inertia MUSA Cancun, are a series of Collection suited male figures with 2011 Depth 4m their heads immersed in Punta Nizuc, the sand. Mexico. humanity and has been designed to aggrandize the sea floor. Slowly but surely these sculp‐ tures are evolving; a fur of algae on a girl's cheek, a starfish on a nun's face, The Silent Evolution reveals the imperceptible changes of na‐ ture on human artifice. Eventually this underwater society will be to‐ tally assimilated by marine life, transformed to another state—a challenging met‐ Vicissitudes aphor for the future of Grenada Collec‐ our own species. tion 2007 In The Anthropocene Depth 5m (2011), a life size replica Moliniere, of the classic Volkswagen Grenada. Beetle encloses a "Lobster City," designed to attract crustaceans. Inercia (2011) depicts a man on a couch watching televi‐ sion, ignorant of our environmental crisis; yet the television provides a habitat space for juvenile fish. Man on Fire (2009) and The Gardener of Hope (2009) have both been prop‐ agated with corals rescued after tropical storms or damaged by hu‐ man activity. Anthropocene and

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 9 Inertcia both "explore the significant impact humans have had on our planet's ecosys‐ tems and the subsequent effect to future generations," balancing a potent message with a regenerative purpose. “Taking art off of the white walls of a gallery offers the viewer a sense of discov‐ ery, a sense of participation and the oppor‐ tunity to detach imagination from the con‐ fines of the terrestrial world, according to Jason. The experience of being underwater is vastly different from that of being on land. There are physical and optical considera‐ tions that must be taken into account. Ob‐ jects appear twenty five percent larger un‐ derwater, and as a consequence they also Above: Jason is seeding a appear closer. Colors alter as light is ab‐ sorbed and reflected at different rates, with lifecasting figure with the depth of the water affecting this fur‐ marine plants. ther. The light source in water is from the surface, which produces kaleidoscopic effects governed by water movement, cur‐ Right: A year later after rents and turbulence. Water is a malleable medium in which to travel, enabling the revisiting the site, the life viewer to become active in their engage‐ casting has nurtured their ment with the work. growth as they are thriving. The large number of angles and per‐ spectives from which the sculptures can be viewed increase dramatically the unique experience of encountering the works. Taylor's strategy of conserving reefs opposes the "land as commodity" mentality of Capitalism. His creation of underwater sculpture parks attracts tourists away from natural reefs, allowing them to recover, and taps into tourism revenue, showing how activists might be able to use the system's rapacious tendencies against itself. His ex‐

Corals have begun to over take and build upon another life cast Life casts swimming with the fishes. figure. June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 10 Vicissitudes: Depth 5m, Grenada, West Indies. A group of concrete life castings are being carefully guided in place by crane. ceptional works are designed "to promote the regeneration of marine life and to use sculpture as a means of conveying hope and awareness of the plight of our oceans" before it is too late. Jason teases us with talk of an even larger project that he is planning in the near future, but he has indicated it must wait until it is officially announced. The art world and the world of life casting is holding its breath — as what can he possibility do to outdo ‘grandeur’ of what he has already given us? 

Jason does a ﬁnal check dive of his 400 piece life casting installa‐ tion.

Jason deCaires Taylor graduated from the London Institute of Arts in 1998 with a BA with Honors in Sculpture and went on to become a fully qualiﬁed diving instructor and underwater natu‐ ralist. He is an active member of the Association of Lifecasters The ﬁnal section of the life castings are now in place. International, (ALI).

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 11

MATERIALS EXPLORER Sheila Cotton

What Do Pecans and Old Tires Have In Common?

allows ease of dispersion when mixed e must give Ameri‐ with other ingredients. Another key prop‐ Pecan Flour In a Nutshell can ingenuity credit. erty is the low ash content, which results A great studio application for pecan in a non‐abrasive fiber. Those once vast piles shell flour is to create simulated or ofW discarded and worthless tires have Coarsely ground they are used as bonded wood. The formula is very sim‐ been given new life. mulch, in the grill to add smoked pecan ple. Combine: Shredded, they are flavor and even 1 Part Flour to 2 Parts Resin now sold as play‐ as an earth‐ ground mulch, an friendly biofuel Use a drop our two of black resin dye before you combine ingredients, then added ingredient for for the wood mix and pour. After setting you will road surfacing for stove. Ground need to polish with “0000” steel wool to into a flour they smoother driving, remove the resin and expose the wood are used in septic system drain finish. fields, and even fracking, and as gravel replace‐ beauty product ment— among oth‐ additive as ex‐ like moisture). This can be accomplish er uses. But the real purpose of this article amples. In the molding and casting indus‐ by laying out the pecan shell flour on is not about old tires. It is to describe how try ground pecan shell flour (ground to a cookie sheet and placing it a low o another commodity that was simply 325 mesh screen fineness) is used to cre‐ temperature oven (150 F) for about tossed into landfills has been developed ated simulated wood by creative entrepreneurs into an extraor‐ when combined with dinarily useful product, particularly for use a bonding element in our industry. such as polyester or Think of pecan pie and your mouth polyurethane resin. waters for that popular cloying sweet A ratio of one third Southern style pastry. Then think about pecan shell flour by the pecan shells for a moment that nes‐ weight to two‐thirds tled and protected the pecans. They too resin is a typical for‐ were once treated like old tires, simply mula for bonded hauled out and dumped wherever there wood. was space. Not so anymore — pecan It is also used as shells are a hot commodity. Now they a filler or extender with casting resins, as one half hour. If you use pecan shell actually have value after they are separat‐ adding the much less expensive flour flour as a latex thickener though this ed from the pecan. helps extend the casting budget by using isn’t necessary, as liquid latex is also The shells are ground into many prod‐ less of the more expensive resins. It can water based. ucts ranging from a coarse grind to a very be also be used as a thickener in liquid What was once tossed aside is now fine particulate made up of individual latex so that latex can be applied to verti‐ very useful in the studio thanks to an cells. It is the uniqueness in the basic cell cal surfaces without running. entrepreneur’s bright idea to reclaim design that makes the product beneficial. One downside of pecan shell powder a waste product. It is no longer free Most fibers are long and thin; however, is that it is hydroscopic, which means that as there is labor and overhead in‐ pecan shells are made up of rounded oval is it retains moisture. So to use it with volved in grinding the shells into flour, but it is still a very economical shaped cells called sclereids. This type of resin it must be thoroughly dried to pre‐ additive to consider. q particle shape is very free flowing and vent the resin from foaming (resins don’t

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 12 Getting Started in Sand Casting By Paul Encoyand

and casting is a process used to sponsible for fully understanding the S make many metal copies from a process, hazards, and proper safety master part. Almost any metal can be cast, procedures and equipment necessary. but zinc, aluminum, brass, bronze and iron This article makes no effort to fully ex‐ are the most commonly used materials. plain the safety hazards present. The Sand casting is an ancient art that is still only way to be safe is to fully under‐ widely used today. It is entirely practical to stand the process. This requires study. make cast parts in your own hobby found‐ You should read not just one, but ry. All you need is a work space, preferably several books on the topic to get the big outside and clear of anything combustible. picture and important details. Much The process starts by making a master important information is available from part. The master part is called a “pattern.” manufacturers and vendors concerning A pattern is typically made of wood, but individual products. Most important is can be made of almost any durable materi‐ to have an experienced person at your al. The pattern is placed in a 2 part box, side during your first few pours. Consult called a “flask,” and is covered on all sides with this person before changing any by a special sand. The flask is split in two part of the process, or trying new ones. so it can be opened and the pattern re‐ moved from the sand. After the pattern is In General removed, a cavity is left in the sand that  Wear safety clothing: At a mini‐ can be filled with molten metal, producing mum leather shoes, leather apron a copy of the original pattern. and gloves. After the molten metal cools the “lost wax,” or “investment” casting. Wear safety equipment: At a mini‐ part is “shaken out” of the sand, cleaned  This process uses wax as the pattern. of clinging sand, and finished as needed. mum, full metal mesh face mask, The wax is covered with a liquid ceram‐ With a small furnace and a few flasks you with safety glasses under the mask. ic shell called investment and dried. can pour a fair number of parts in a day. A Respirators may be necessary in The wax is melted out and the hol‐ lot depends on how big your parts are, the some cases, depending on chemi‐ low shell is filled with molten metal. capacity of your furnace, and your ability cals used and ventilation present in Although investment casting shares to ram up the sand molds. the work place. much of the same equipment and ma‐  Molten metal will cause an explo‐ What you can make terial, the process is different from sand casting. sion if allowed to come into contact Sand casting is a process that makes a with even the slightest trace of wide range of metal items. Huge items like Safety water. Never use damp equipment locomotive parts and ship engines are or pour in a wet environment. Nev‐ Understand one thing very clearly: made by sand casting. Medium to small er put water on a fire caused by You can be seriously burned, maimed, size items such as machine parts, brass molten metal. Use only dry sand to or killed by metal casting. Melting met‐ plaques, belt buckles, model engines, fur‐ cover burning materials that may al involves extremely high tempera‐ niture hardware and artwork can all be contain molten metal. tures, potentially explosive gasses as sand cast. Reasonably fine shapes and de‐ fuels, hazardous chemicals and fumes, tails can be reproduced.  Concrete will explode if molten and potentially explosive mixtures of Items with extremely fine detail or metal comes into contact with it. molten metal and water. If you want to small size such as jewelry are typically There is water bound up in the cast metal, you and only you are re‐ made by another casting process called chemical structure of cement that

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 13 will flash to steam. This can to be removed from the propel pieces at extreme veloci‐ sand without pulling the ties. sand out with the  Have a clean, orderly work pattern. place. Plan your every move. Sometimes another Have a backup plan in case you metal part that has bro‐ can’t complete the pour as ken can be used as a planned. pattern to make a re‐  Have a place to put down hot placement part. Newer items in an emergency or after high production tech‐ use. Have a bed of sand availa‐ niques use Styrofoam patterns that are vapor‐ ble to place hot items on, or to place a damaged crucible on. ized in the mold during casting. Patterns can be  Have a plan on what to do with copies of a part. An unused molten metal. Don’t original item can be leave molten metal in a crucible copied by making a sili‐ to solidify. cone rubber molding of  Keep onlookers at a safe dis‐ the part. This rubber tance and out of your way. mold can be used to Don’t let yourself become dis‐ make wax copies, plas‐ tracted by them. Remove them ter copies or even low from the area if you are dis‐ melting temperature tracted or feel that the process metal copies. These is not right or hazardous. Focus copies in turn are used on what you are doing. as patterns for the final part production. Where to start Typically the part The best place to start is with a needs to be symmet‐ simple design, cast in aluminum. Get rical about the parting experience with aluminum before line, so that the pattern Foundry man steadying the shank attached the crucible pouring m trying higher temperature metals. can be pulled from the My first part was a simple cross style sand without disturbing the sand im‐ “flask” to contain the sand. You can play sword for my kids. Then I made pression. Undercuts and cores can be make your own flask from wood. It’s a hand wheel for my homemade done, but it takes a bit of experience. just a 2 part box that comes apart in milling machine, followed by a cou‐ Sand: Generally speaking, Petro‐ the middle. The top part is called the ple of base pedestals and a bed bond Premix foundry sand is an excel‐ “cope,” and the bottom part is the casting for it. These were all simple lent sand for hobby and art casting of “drag.”.Both halves are identical in size. patterns to make and easy to pull most metals. This is an oil‐bonded The top part has pins on the ends to from the sand. At most they re‐ sand and is easy for the inexperienced align it with mating sockets on the quired a typical 2 part mold (cope foundry operator to use. It is safer drag. The flask should be big enough to and drag), and some were done in than water clay (green) bonded sands hold 2 to 3 inches of sand beyond your just a one part “open face” sand because it doesn't have the moisture pattern on all sides. You will also need bed. that can cause steam problems room for a opening shaft (the “sprue”) (explosions). thru which to pour the molten metal What you will need The surface finish on your part and have it run thru a channel (the can be very good. It's not uncommon “gate”) into the cavity left by your Patterns: The idea here is to to have a fingerprint left in the sand pattern. The sprue is usually about 1 ½ make a pattern, typically of wood, show up on the finished part. The fin‐ inches in diameter. I use a piece of and to ram it into pliable sand. The ish in general will be a matte, with fine wooden clothes hanger rod for this pattern should have a smooth finish texturing from the sand. You should purpose. that can be pulled out without dis‐ get enough sand to completely encase The flask can be made from ½ to ¾ turbing the sand. Sharp corners your pattern with at least 2 inches of inch thick boards. The height will de‐ should be avoided. Exterior corners sand on all sides. The sand lasts a long pend on what you want to cast, but should be rounded, and interior time, and can be used many times. mine are 4 inches tall. I have several corners should be filleted. The Just scrape off the burned sand cling‐ flasks of varying lengths and widths. A pattern needs “draft.” Draft is a ta‐ ing to the part and discard it. bigger flask just uses more sand, so err per on the pattern side that allows it Flasks: Sand casting requires a on the large side if you are not sure.

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 14 the added advantage melt all metals, even cast iron! The of being a much down side is that it is somewhat slow more durable materi‐ and messy to use. al than clay or clay‐ Electric furnaces have the ad‐ bonded graphite. It is vantage of being easy to operate, just less apt to fracture turn on the switch. Also they are com‐ and spill a load of pletely quite, unlike some gas fired molten metal. Silicon units. Additionally they don't emit carbide crucibles will byproducts of the fuel burning, alt‐ erode over time if hough you still can get gasses from used with iron, fluxes, degassers, and contamination therefore clay or clay in the metal stock which are danger‐ bonded graphite ous, so you still need to use good ven‐ crucibles are recom‐ tilation. On the down side, the upper mended for cast iron temperature of an inexpensive electric and steel use. For furnace limits to melting lead, zinc and zinc, aluminum, brass aluminum. There are high tempera‐ and bronze, silicon ture electric elements available but carbide crucibles are the cost can be in the hundreds of rugged and will pro‐ dollars for a single element. Also you vide a great many must be careful not to contact ex‐ melts. posed heating elements when lifting Crucibles are sold out the crucible due to the danger of by a size number. electrocution. Be sure to disconnect The number repre‐ the power to the unit by unplugging sents the maximum the furnace completely. Just turning capacity of the cruci‐ off the temperature controller doesn't ble in pounds of alu‐ guarantee that the power is not pre‐ minum. Thus a num‐ sent on the elements and wiring. ber 4 will hold a max‐ Another drawback to electric olten metal. Basic sand casting foundry tools are explained below. imum of 4 pounds of units is that the life time of the molten aluminum. heating elements is limited. Different Crucibles: A crucible is needed to The same crucible will hold 3 times things can adversely impact the ele‐ withstand the extreme temperatures that much brass, so a number 4 will ments life, including quick heating / encountered in melting metals. The hold 12 pounds of brass. Get a small‐ cooling, reactive gasses in the furnace, crucible material must have a much er (easier to handle) size to begin and mechanical damage. I have some‐ higher melting point than that of the with, and get a silicon carbide one where around 20 heats on my original metal being melted and it must have (stronger) if your budget permits. elements, but your mileage may vary. good strength even when white hot. It Tongs and Shanks: Tongs are used to Gas furnaces are more versatile in is possible to use a homemade steel lift the crucible from the furnace. A that the range of temperatures availa‐ crucible to melt metals such as zinc shank is used to hold and pour the ble. Propane or natural gas can be and aluminum because these metals crucible. Smaller sized crucibles can used to melt most alloys up to and melt at a temperature below that of be both lifted and poured with tongs. including iron (not steel). The fuel is a steel. The problem with carbon steel You can make your own tongs or buy bit more expensive than the same as a crucible is the scaling (flaking) of commercial ones. David Gingery’s amount of electrical energy needed, the steel crucible surface. This scale books show how to make your own. but the difference is probably minor. can contaminate the melt. In either case the tongs must fit The gas units have the advantage of There are two common types of properly to hold the crucible snugly being fairly reliable and maintenance material that crucibles are made from. without crushing it. free. On the downside, for gas furnac‐ The first is called clay graphite, and Furnaces: Furnaces for hobby use es are safety and noise issues. Gas the other is silicon carbide. Clay graph‐ can be charcoal, gas fired or electric. furnaces provide the danger of explo‐ ite crucibles are a less expensive op‐ If you are starting off and want a real‐ sions if the blower quits or the unit tion, but they are not as strong as sili‐ ly low cost furnace, check out a char‐ flames out and then reignites after con carbide however and are not rec‐ coal fired furnace. David Gingery has flooding the chamber. Also, lighting ommended for inexperienced users. written an excellent book “The Char‐ the units can be a hazard. Gas leaks Clay graphite crucibles can be used in coal Foundry” that will show you how and gas storage are also a considera‐ induction, gas fired and electric re‐ to make one (see reading material tion. Commercial furnaces have sys‐ sistance furnaces. Silicon carbide has section). The charcoal furnace can tems for safety, but home built units

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 15 often omit these expensive options. ture, and skim again just prior to pouring. Further Reading Another problem is that gas fired Get the small size if you are starting out For sand casting I would recommend units tend to range in noise from casting aluminum and intend to try anoth‐ two books. The first is the "Bible" by C.W. moderately loud to Saturn 5 imper‐ er metal later. Ammen titled "The Complete Handbook of sonations. The burning gas and com‐ Degassers: Using a degasser depends Sand Casting". This book is very complete bustion air expands in volume and a lot on what you are going to do with the in all aspects of small foundry operation. creates jet engine sorts of sounds metal, and the initial condition of the met‐ The second is a more basic book by Wil‐ and impressive flame columns rising al source. Degasser helps to eliminate gas liam A. Cannon titled "How to Cast Small from the vent hole. from the melt. If you have gas in the melt Metal and Rubber Parts". This book is a It comes down to what tempera‐ it may come out of solution at the sand / good introduction to casting simple, single tures you need. I would go with an metal interface in the mold and leave sur‐ sided items such as plaques and belt buck‐ electric unit for aluminum or lower, face bubbles and defects. Another prob‐ les. David Gingery has written an excellent but a gas unit is a must for anything lem with dissolved gas is internal voids series of books on building a machine shop with a higher melting point. and porosity. Items such as artwork that from scrap, using sand casting as the basis require a fine surface finish or structural for making the necessary parts. His books machine parts will benefit from degassing. Chemicals are available from Lindsay Publications. The condition of the feed stock also plays Parting Dust: Parting dust a big part. New metal of graded quality is (release agent) is a fine powder used Online resources to prevent the sand from sticking to not as much of a problem as recycled met‐ I'd suggest that you also check out the the patterns. It is also used to pre‐ als. The big difference is the surface area HFA Forum at Home Foundry Association. vent the cope sand from sticking to of the feed stock. Scrap tends to have a There are a number of excellent links from the drag sand at the parting line of large surface area per unit volume and is there. Also there is a mailing list called the flask. Get a small box and use an more likely to pick up gas during melting. hobbicast that you can sign up (free) that old gym sock as the dusting bag. Get the small size degasser to start with. links you to a bunch of people who are Fluxes: I would recommend that Tools: A lot of foundry men will make very knowledgeable on a wide variety of you use a flux when melting your some of the basic tools such as slicks subjects. To learn more about the Gingery metal at all times. A flux will help (used for smoothing and patching dam‐ style of furnace, check out Lindsay books. separate the dross and slag impuri‐ aged sand areas) and sprue cutters (cuts a There you can find a lot of information ties from the metal and also creates funnel shaped opening in the sand thru about building furnaces. Lindsay also has a floating layer that protects the which molten metal is poured into the an extensive library of home foundry melt from oxidation and absorbing cavity) by bending up old teaspoons and books. Tell him I sent you! Check out this hydrogen and other gasses. The flatware to suit. If you are using green foundry page by Lionel Oliver. It has a lot heavier contaminants such as steel (water bonded) sand you can find a camel of good information and pictures to help bits will sink, while the oxides will hair artists brush at art supply stores that you get started.  float to the top and can be skimmed will work fine as a swab for slicking up the sand before / after pulling a pattern. I use off. I add about half the amount at Paul Encoyand is the founder and CEO sections of hardwood clothes hanger rods the beginning of the melt. Then I of Budget Casting Supply, located in skim the surface after the metal has from the closet for sprue and riser Sonora, California. He can reached at: completely melted, and add the sec‐ patterns. Just cut a funnel shape on top ond half. Allow time for the material after pulling the dowel material out of the 209‐694‐8601 /Email: to super heat to pouring tempera‐ sand. [email protected] BUDGET CASTING SUPPLY LLC Supplies for the Small Commercial and Hobby Foundry  PARTING DUST & MOLD RELEASE  ALUMINUM CASTING  FOUNDRY SAND  BRASS CASTING  CORE BINDER  IRON CASTING  REFRACTORY MATERIALS  FURNACE COMPONENTS  PATTERN LETTERS & TOOLS  SAFETY EQUIPMENT  CRUCIBLES, TONGS & FLASKS  MATERIALS 20811 Upper Hillview Drive : Sonora, CA 95370 : T. 209‐694‐8601 : Email: [email protected]

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 16

TECHNIQUES By Ed McCormick Glowing Over Spilt Milk...

AA 400400 yearyear oldold ﬁﬁnishingnishing techniquetechnique provesproves milkmilk buildsbuilds moremore thanthan strongstrong bones.bones.

here are afterward two sisters many called to commission ways to two torso castings of fiTnish plaster surfac‐ themselves. es, from paint, wax After I finished Ange‐ encaustic, and tem‐ la’s torso I followed the pura to glues, glitter Latin translated direc‐ and feathers. Some tions that cautioned are certainly more that the plaster needed fancy or artistic than be totally dry. I waited a others, but I find the week for drying and old adage “simple is then swiped a quart of better”, true more milk from the refrigera‐ often that not. tion and poured it out Several weeks into a paper cup. ago I received a call Using an inexpensive from a customer who chip brush, I simply wanted to discuss a coated the surface of variety of ways to the torso. I waited a few finish his torso minutes for the initial casting. We went Angela coat to soak in and then through the various applied a second coat. methods including a The instructions indi‐ great faux bronzing technique. But none of them seemed to cated to continue applying coats of milk (I used whole appeal to him, until I mentioned milk. He was very curious. milk—no skim back then) until the surface would take I had just remembered a method I learned from a a 400 no more. It took six coats. year old book about art and material techniques of a renais‐ When I returned the next day, Angela’s torso was sance artist in his time. It surprised me when I read about it glowing as if a light shown from inside. It had the ap‐ as it seemed very implausible. He described applying raw pearance of a piece of sculpted Carrera marble. The milk to plaster. It certainly seemed like an absurd idea I picture above certainly demonstrates the soft glow. (It thought remembering the smell of the sour milk I didn’t quit appears even far better in person though.) clean up after an accident in my car. The milk paint finishing technique is well over 400 But I was game. I would try it out on the next torso years old, yet it is as fresh and modern looking as any casting I created. That didn’t take very long either, as soon finishing technique today — only cheaper. I like that part, too. Oh , and I almost forgot—no smell either. 

JuneJune | July| July 2013 2013 ARTMOLDS ARTMOLDS JOURNAL JOURNAL | 17| 17

LIFECASTING If It Looks Like a Duck...

Or How to Cast a Complete Arm in the Round Without Distortion By David E. Parvin, A.L.I.

a block mold is its simplicity, saving time in construction. The disad- ot long after I began ex- vantage is that a block mold will perimenting with life require more of the molding materi- casting in 1987, I tried als which can be pricey. Nsomething which seemed logical, Over the years, I have been but in fact didn’t work. I had suc- able to cast decent entire arms and cessfully cast some hands and feet legs using skin molds. Because by immersing them into containers filled with alginate. Obviously, I rea- soned, I could simply get a taller container and cast a whole arm the same way. But when I peeled off the algi- Squashed nate, the plaster fingers were flattened and reminded me of duck bills. I was baffled at first but then fingers can look suspected that what was happening was that the weight of the alginate was causing it to compress, the ef- a lot like baby fect of which would be greatest at the bottom of the column where the Photo 1. Life casting an arm using a skin fingers were. mold was a ﬂop. duck bills. There are two common types of molds: block and skin, and each has advantages and disadvantages. What I am describing here is a block less alginate is used in a skin ver- mold so-called because the object to sus a block mold, it doesn’t want to be cast is simply surrounded by a compress under its own weight. “block” of some casting material But at the time I began this article I such as alginate, rubber, plaster, was discussing with a client a pos- etc. sible commission which would The construction is simple, just have required at least twenty pairs construct a wall around the object of arms, all forty of which would be and pour in the mold material and let unique. I decided to experiment to it set up encasing it in a “block”. The see if I could come up with an easy wall may also serve as a mother way to do so many castings. mold though if the molding material Since I had not done a skin is thick enough then a mother mold mold on a complete arm in some may not even be required. time, I decided to attempt one on a The “skin” in skin mold refers to volunteer’s arm to see how long it a much thinner layer or “skin” of would take (photo 1) and if there rubber or alginate which is painted were any unforeseen problems. In on in layers on the object. Over the Photo 2. My assistant Jay’s boyfriend, the photo to the left, my assistant skin is constructed a conforming Alistair is cast in the block mold method Steve is covering volunteer Jeff’s rigid mother mold which is neces- for veriﬁcation of duck beak problem. arm with two layers of alginate. sary to hold the flexible mold materi- Over that we built a two part al in shape. The main advantage of mother mold using fast setting den-

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 18 Photo 5. Jay is peeling oﬀ the alginate from the arm casting. Photo 7. The tube is ﬁlled with alginate. With the expression on those two high schoolers’ faces makes me suspect that the hu‐ man race isn’t dying out anytime in the immediate future.

tal plaster and cheese cloth. A method I much prefer over using plaster bandages. While it worked, Jeff had to patiently endure about thirty minutes of suffer- ing for art. Also the reason the mother mold had to be in two halves was because the alginate was not thick enough to allow Jeff to extract his hand without re- moving the mother mold and cutting a parting line in the alginate. No matter how carefully done, the parting line will show up in the casting and will have to be re- paired. It worked but I got to thinking that if I could solve the duck bill problem with block molds I might be able to speed up the process benefiting both the castees and the castors. The first thing was to construct a tube of six inch diameter clear Lucite. The length was long enough to include an arm of a six footer from the armpit to the fingertips. I cut it lengthwise on each side and attached the two halves back together with three hinges on one side and three latches on the other. The bottom was plugged with a circle cut from a 2 -inch thick piece of Styrofoam insulation. The plug could be positioned in the tube depending upon the length of the arm being cast, saving alginate. We used some duct tape to seal the slits on the sides and around the bottom plug. We calculated the volume of the tube and estimated that it would take about twenty Photo 6. The mold now has three chains in it to support the pounds of water and five pounds of alginate. alginate

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 19 Learn how to cast the entire human form Photo 3. Peering down into the alginate mold, the alginate was not damaged when the arm was removed from it. from life: faces,

It had been years since I had tried to make a col- hands and body. umn block mold so I decided to do a test to be sure that I got the duck beak fingers which I remembered. The Beginning Basics So my assistant, Jay, talked her boyfriend Alastair into being the ‘ginny pig’. We mixed two batches of ten to Advanced Tech‐ pounds of water and two and a half pounds of FiberGel by ArtMolds which is my alginate of choice. (FiberGel niques for both the by ArtMolds probably works better than any other alginate for this purpose because the fibers make it more student and the pro‐ tear resistant.) We dumped one batch into the tube, had Alastair fessional will be push his right arm into the alginate as far as he could, and then added the second batch. (Photo #2.) Be- taught at ﬁve‐day cause Alastair's arm was surrounded by a thick layer of soft alginate, he was able to remove it without tearing artists workshops. Enrollment limited. Reservations required. Next 5‐day workshop August 5th—9th.

Dave Parvin is the premiere life casting expert in Colorado, maybe in all the West.” — Art Revue Academy of Life Casting Photo 4. The Tube has been ﬁlled to the top, but settled DAVID E. PARVIN — A.L.I. C.T.C about an inch after Alistair removed his arm. In fact when I poured in the plaster the alginate had risen back up slightly.

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 20 the alginate even at his wrist. Looking into the mold, I couldn’t see any damage to the alginate. (Photo #2). However, once Alastair had removed his arm, the alginate compressed under its own weight, settling about an inch. (Photo #3) We went ahead and filled the void with plaster. As I had suspected, when we took the plaster arm and hand out of the mold (Photo #9), the fingers

Proving that chaining your block molds can prevent ‘duck beak’ syndrome.

were flattened. What was needed was a way to lock the alginate in place so that it didn’t slide down in the mold and compress. My first idea was to construct baffles inside the tube, and I may still try this. But it occurred to me that there was a simpler solution that just might work. What I did was suspend three lengths of chain in- Photo 8. If you look at the edge of the tube where the alginate side the tube from top to bottom. “Three” was a guess; meets, it is almost level with the rim. Compare this with photo just seemed like the right number. I suspected that the number 4 and you see that with the chains installed the alginate alginate would flow between the lengths of the chains did not compress down into the tube mold even with the arm and lock the alginate in place. (See photos 5 — 9.) As removed. you can see from the last photos, the alginate did not compress and the fingers were that much the better. I didn’t try this system on a leg. Although I am confi- dent it will work, I see three problems. The first is that the bottom of the mold will have to be large enough to contain the foot, making the construction of the tube more complex. The second is that because the foot will be more difficult to be extracted through the ankle void than a hand is through the wrist, it may be necessary to make a cut in the alginate from the heel up to about mid calf. The last problem is that there is such a difference in cross section between the ankle and the thigh that it will take a great deal of alginate to do a leg casting this way. So legs, I would probably use a skin mold. If I needed to make multiple copies, I could either make the skin mold of the model in skin safe platinum cured silicone rubber or I could make a plaster, in the alginate mold and make a rubber skin mold from it. The type of rubber Photo 9. Note the distortion of fingers on the hand on the left. It is in this case; latex, urethane, platinum or tin cured sili- even more noticeable when viewed in person. Distorted fingers cone, is mostly just the preference of the sculptor are the result of the weight of the alginate mold pressing down on and collapsing the cavities that the fingers occupied after the hand though each has advantages and disadvantages. Decid- is removed from the mold. This is a common occurrence when a ing on the perfect rubber for a particular application is a hand casting goes beyond the wrist and up the fore arm as the discussion for another time.  weigh of the alginate builds the more of the arm that is captured in the mold. The hand on the right was cast in the mold using the Dave Parvin is a Denver area sculptor who may be reached supporting chains and show no distortion as the chains supported at [email protected] but who much prefers to talk the alginate in the tube prevented its weight from collapsing the than type (720) 971-0824. fingers.

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 21

STUDIO TIPS Ed McCormick

Alginate Is Only Half the Formula — the Humiliation

ow embarrassing! That powder part. But because we have so acceptable mix, but I would estimate batch of alginate impres‐ little control over the water quality that that in 15‐20% of the cases, if tap wa‐ H ter it is hard enough it will have a nega‐ sion material we mixed and provided the powder is added to, we use only dis‐ to Roy Butler’s life casting workshop tilled water for the quality control tive impact on the mix. turned into a lumpy mess when it So to prevent a humiliation such as was mixed. I had egg all over my face mine, the one I experienced two dec‐ in those early years. Mr. Butler, a ades ago, we always recommend that well known sculptor, was none too you mix a sample before any mold pleased, either. But as a consummate making session. professional he muddled through his The mix should be smooth and class, never to use our alginate im‐ mostly lump free after about 15 sec‐ pression material, again. Who could onds of mixing. If it is lumpy, that is blame him either, as we almost single your signal to go to distilled water. handedly caused him a workshop Bottled water is a second choice, but catastrophe. some bottled waters, can contain ex‐ After his workshop, I hurried cess minerals, too. So I suggest you home to confer with our chemist as keep a gallon or two of distilled water to what the problem might have on hand just in case your tests call for been. He took an alginate sample it. from the same batch we had deliv‐ Oh, and if you use well water with‐ ered in Nashville where the work‐ out a water softener, that is a red ﬂag that you may not get a good mix. The shop was held. He carefully mixed it, Properly mixed alginate should be fairly but no lumps were detected. In fact, smooth after about 15 seconds or so of Nashville studio was supplied that way. it was just as smooth as silk, just the mixing, with only a few lumps apparent. I still remember that ‘well.’ (pun in‐ way it was formulated to be. testing. tended). Sometimes it good to laugh  Noticing my consternation, he In fact, dental schools teach their at your stupid mistakes. explained. dental students not to use tap water Alginate formulas are composed when they are mixing our alginate of a number of ingredients besides impression material. Why? Because alginate, including calcium, magnesi‐ alginate formulations are very pre‐ um and other salts. These are the cise. If water contains excess calci‐ same materials that are often dis‐ um or magnesium (the common solved it the water we drink; too ingredients in hard water) it will much and we call it “hard water.” delay set times, or in extreme cases Therein lies the problem. Algi‐ prevent setting all together. nate manufacturers, including our‐ The symptom of hard water is a selves, test all their formulas before lumpy or cottage cheese‐like mix. they leave their facilities. But all mold That knowledge was too late to making and casting materials consist help Mr. Butler. I could only apolo‐ of two or more parts (otherwise it gize for my ignorance. But from would be set before it arrived in your then on I have been cautious in our studio). instructions to our customers. In We manufacturers have great most instances tap water is When mixed alginate has the appearance of lumpy oatmeal or control over our formulation ‐‐ the soft enough to provide an cottage cheese that is the sign that your mixing water is too hard. Use distilled or bottled water to assure a smooth mix. June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 22 Mask Making . . . by Anthony Giordano It’s New, Its Hot, And Sooo Easy!

If you can push clay around, mix plaster and do some pouring then you can make professional quali‐ ty latex masks just for fun, or even as a proﬁtable hobby.

The ﬁrst step is to create a sculpture of a head in clay. If you are not a great sculptor then you can use ArtMolds’ Head Casting Kit to create a head mold.

Clay is then melted in the microwave oven and poured into the mold you created. That is allowed to cool overnight then demolded. If you wish to modify the sculp‐ ture, add more clay. When you are satisﬁed with the results you can create a plaster The original sculpture was created by An- mold to make your latex rubber mask. Once the plaster mold is made, pour in 407 thony Giordano, a prop maker for ‘Saturday Night Live.’ The mask was created using Latex slip casting rubber and when dry demold and paint. Once the mold is created ArtMolds’ 407 Latex Slip Casting Rubber. you can cast masks over and over again. The process begins with a model. In this example the model is a detailed sculpture of a pumpkin head with an attitude. But you don’t need to be a professional sculptor to created models you just need a little clay, determination and patience. ArtMolds has a Styrofoam head you can use to build up your clay sculpt.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Anthony completes his pumpkin Next parting lines are begun. A block head sculpture created in water- of clay is sliced using a wire clay cut- Anthony adds clay strips to the imagi- based clay. Water clay makes for ter. The objective is to create parting nary parting line to create two halves easier clean up after removal from strips ¼-inch thick and about 2inch- of the model. He adds the parting the mold. es wide to be added all around the strips along this line. Note the strips go imaginary center line. all the way down to the model stand. June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 23 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6

Toothpicks are used to hold the parting Pottery plaster is mixed and the first coat Additional plaster is mixed with chopped clay in place. Notice how the parting clay is painted on (face coat) making certain fiberglass or hemp for strength and ap‐ follows the line of the bend in the stem. all the tiny surface details are filled. Al‐ plied to the front half of the face coat, Creating parting lines takes practice. low this coat to tack up before applying up to the thickness of the parting line – the rest of the mold plaster. about 2 inches.

Step 7 Step 8 Step 9

The front half is turned over and inspect‐ Key groves are cut into the front half of Petroleum jelly is painted on the edges ed. Here Anthony is making repairs to the the plaster mold using a plaster rasp. and sides of the front mold half. This parting clay so it comes up to the surface Place several on each side. Just carve acts as release to prevent the back mold of the front plaster mold. them out to make a shallow bowl. When half from sticking. Paint several coats on the second half of the mold is created it both the edge as well as several inches with keys into these depressions and lock down the sides of your mold. the mold into perfect registry when the mold is opened and then reassembled for pouring.

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 24 Step 12

After drying, each half of the mold is painted with RD‐407 latex slip which is pressed into all the nooks and crannies to prevent air bubbles that can mar the surface ﬁnish.

Step 10 Step 11

The back mold is added in the same way The mold is allowed to dry overnight. It is as the front; a painted face coat followed demolded and all the clay is removed. by plaster mixed with ﬁber to a thickness Since it is water based clay it can be thor‐ of about 2 inches—Anthony smoothens oughly cleaned with warm water. the rough edges of the parting line.

Step 13 Step 14 Step 15 The halves of the mold are put together After 1 hour the rubber slip is poured After demolding the mask is cleaned up and secured with mold straps. RD‐407 back out (It can be reused again). The and is tready for paint. Use only latex‐ latex slip is poured into the mold to the mold is allowed to dry overnight then based paints to insure adhesion to the top. demolded. rubber surface. ◊

June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 25

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ArtMolds— P. 6, Outside Rear Cover Association of Lifecasters International (ALI)—P. 6 Budget Casting Supply—P. 16 David Parvin Workshops—P. 20 Sculpture House—Inside Front Cover

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ARTMOLDS JOURNAL Ads should include a website link, which will be made live in the e-magazine, so that potential customers can click Advertising Rates through to your site. ArtMolds Journal, published every two months, is a digital magazine produced in PDF format, and also available for purchase in traditional print copy form. All ads should be sent as a 300 dpi JPG For information please contact us at: file in RGB color format to the exact sizes below. Bleeds are only accepted on full-page ads; please ad 1/4-inch to each dimension. 1‐866‐278‐6653

Insertion Each 1 3 6 Full Color Mechanical Data (300 dpi)

A4 page including bleed 305mm x 213mm Page $500 $475 $450 A4 Page trimmed 297mm x 210mm Half Page $350 $325 $300 Page 265mm x 185mm Quarter Page $250 $225 $200 Half Page vertical 265mm x 87mm Eighth Page $175 $150 $125

Half Page horizontal 128mm x 185mm Special Positions 1 3 6 Quarter Page vertical 128mm x 87mm Inside Front $650 $625 $600 Cover Quarter Page horizontal 61mm x 185mm Inside back or $600 $575 $550 back cover Eighth Page vertical 61mm x 87mm

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ASSOCIATIONS

rtMolds Journal supports the arts. In keeping with our tradition, we oﬀer advertising space free of charge to arts organizations. To learn more about each organization below, simply A click on their advertisement be taken to their website. They will appreciate your support.

NATIONAL SCULPTURE SOCIETY Donate by phone For more information or to make a contribution over the phone, please call Gwen Pier at 212‐764‐5645 ext. 15, or email [email protected].

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June | July 2013 ARTMOLDS JOURNAL | 28