Rubber molds made with silicone can be quite versatile and, when made thick enough, don’t require the support of a rigid support shell, or mother mold. Working with silicone doesn’t require a degree in chemistry, but it sure wouldn’t hurt! What I mean is, silicone is an interesting creature, and I think it is worthwhile […]

Gypsum molds are not the only kinds of molds you can make that are used for special makeup effects. We’ll look at them one by one and talk about their uses and how to make them. Other materials used for mold making include silicone rubber, fiberglass, urethane rubber, and urethane plastic resin. The two-piece front […]

Stone molds, also called gypsum molds, are organic molds made with a base material of hydrated calcium sulfate, used for making Plaster of Paris, cement, Hydrocal, and Ultracal, among others. Gypsum has quite a few varied uses, from making drywall and fertilizer to being a major source of dietary calcium and also an ingredient in […]

There is another way to do a wall for your sculpture: It can be done with your sculpture laid flat instead of standing upright. 1. Cut enough clay (about % inch—12 mm—thick) to lay your sculpture on face up. Cover the clay with plastic wrap to keep the clay from sticking to your sculpture. The […]

After the keys and flashing have been made, you’ll divide the sculpture by creat­ing a dividing wall along a predetermined line that will prevent creating under­cuts. Traditionally in sculpture this dividing wall is created using metal shims (thin wedges) pressed into the sculpture to create a separating line between two mold halves. You’ll use water […]

For a makeup that may cover an entire bust—the entire head and neck, for exam­ple—it is probable that the makeup will need to be broken down so that there will likely be several overlapping prosthetic pieces, each with its own mold of

Release agents are materials that allow you to separate cast objects from molds. There are two categories for most release agents: barrier and reactive (or chemi­cally active) types. Barrier release agents work by forming a barrier between the form (the cast) and the mold. Paraffin wax is an example of a barrier release, as is […]

  Halloween aficionado Kevin Kirkpatrick has been fascinated with special makeup effects for about as long as he can remember. He received his first “professional” makeup kit as a youngster. High school found Kevin doing makeup for all his school’s theatrical performances, receiving encour­agement and accolades from his art and drama teachers. In 2004 Kevin […]