top of page
Sealing and Marking

Sealing and Marking

The plaster core is sealed with a shellac sealer to stop the porous plaster from gripping onto the fibreglass. The split mould line is then marked on.

Clay Wall

Clay Wall

A Thick wall of clay is built along the split line. To help the clay curve, splits are cut into the clay and re-filled afterwards.

Protecting and Strengthening

Protecting and Strengthening

Paper towel is pushed into the edge of the clay around the face. It is them dampened and a layer of plaster cast is added onto the flange, and ribs are made to go across the width of the face. This strengthens the wall for fibreglass to be applied to the back.

Keys

Keys

Keys are made using a rubber end of a pencil, sprayed with wax. As this is the appropriate size for the silicone to align with. Larger keys are also made suing a semi circle. These key together the fibreglass moulds.

Fibreglass

Fibreglass

The wall and core are sealed and released ready to be powdered, which absorbs excess and helps the gel coat to stick. Catalysed gel coat is applied and matting is wetted down and applied in layers of lay-up resin. Air pockets are brushed out.

Filling with Silicone

Filling with Silicone

Excess fibreglass is trimmed form edges and the plaster cast, clay and paper towel are removed. Small screws are drilled into the fibreglass to stop this from moving. Lying down the cast, a clay wall with keys is built as a barrier for the silicone.

Silicone

Silicone

Brushing in silicone first picks up the detail of the face. Silicone is forced into the edges and fills the keys. This thixotropic layer is poured on top and smoothed over. When cured, cast is put up right and another layer is added.

Releasing the Mould

Releasing the Mould

The clay wall is removed and a release is applied over the silicone in preparation for the fibreglassing process again. Once the fibreglass is cured, the shells are bolted together and edges are sanded down. To release the, knocking them with a hammer releases the suction.

Negative

Negative

Once prised apart,if any of the core is left inside the fibreglass, this can be cleaned off with IPA.

Neill Gorton

Creating Character Prosthetics in Silicone:

 

Part 1: Preparing and Moulding the Lifecast

Part 2: Preparing for and sculpting the prosthetic appliance

Gel coat

Gel coat

Applying gel coat into the negative mould, up to the flange edge, using a brush to work it into the detail. Let this begin to cure.

Fibreglass

Fibreglass

Add another layer of gel coat. Wet down matting and layer inside, thoroughly pushing through to remove any trapped air.

Filler

Filler

Prepare the positive by applying filler along the seam and sanding down until smooth. Avoid removing any detail or texture.

Wax Sheet

Wax Sheet

A wax sheet is applied to the back of the head to keep the clay thickness consistent. This also avoids damaging the core and avoids thin areas.

Sculpting

Sculpting

Working in layers, sausages of clay are added replicating a rough anatomical base which builds up with features and texture.

Texture

Texture

Using a rough brush, the whole sculpt is brushed over for a texture base.

Powdering

Powdering

After brushing with rough brushes, the powder brushed off gathered excess clay.

Wrinkles

Wrinkles

Plastic is placed on top to create wrinkles and pores, which helps to avoid clay balls forming.

Bump detail

Bump detail

Heating up plasterline into a liquid, gives you a texture you can brush on to give a bumpy, realistic texture.

Alginate

Alginate

A cast of the sculpted mouth is taken by making a wall of tape which is then filled with alginate, giving you a negative mould.

Plaster positive

Plaster positive

Negative of a Cast

Negative of a Cast

A container is built around the plaster positive, to make a negative using silicone. Which is then poured into the container, and cured.

Filling Cast

Filling Cast

Eurethane Plastic (fast cast) is then poured into the silicone cast, giving a positive to sculpt a lip piece on to.

Positive Cast Sculpt

Positive Cast Sculpt

Keys

Keys

Keys are drilled into the mould so that the positive and negative can lock into place.

Grounding up

Grounding up

This created the flashing for silicone to run into and creates the blending edge for application.

Silicone piece

Silicone piece

This is what would come out of the closed mould once silicone is squeezed between the positive and negative.

Keys and clay divide

Keys and clay divide

Flashing holes are made in the eyes, mouth and ears as points of contact. A clay wall is built again to prepare for fibreglass.

Support

Support

To support the front, the back of the head is protected by damp tissue and plaster cast robs are used to reinforce the back whilst fibreglassing the front.

Fibreglass

Fibreglass

An initial layer of gel coat is brushed on and nearly cured before adding another layer and fine surface tissue, which has been used to help pick up smaller details. Matting is then applied in layers, wetting each time.

Fibreglassing the back

Fibreglassing the back

The same process is repeated around the head which has been dived into two at the back for ease of de-moulding.

De-moulding

De-moulding

Tapping with a rubber mallet knocks out the suction, allowing the moulds to come away with some pressure.

Bleeding holes

Bleeding holes

Small bleeding holes are drilled out to allow air to escape through them and allow the silicone to entirely fill the mould without overflow.

16.png

16.png

Release

Release

Washing up liquid can be used as a release in the mould before silicone is applied inside

Stippling

Stippling

Silicone is stippled on in a fine layer and excess is removed by stippling with a clean sponge.

Lace

Lace

This fine lace is applied in strips to the back of the head to add support. A hole in top of the core is to allow an aluminium tube to slot in as an injection device for the silicone once the mould is closed around it.

Airbrush

Airbrush

Silicone is airbrushed onto delicate areas on the core and in the mould onto the eye and mouth area so that all of the detail is picked up.

Bolting

Bolting

The mould is carefully put together and bolted around the core in preparation.

Part 3: Moulding the Prosthetic Sculpture

Silicone and Pigment

Silicone and Pigment

Syringe

Syringe

Vacuum

Vacuum

Syringe

Syringe

Pouring Silicone

Pouring Silicone

Injecting contact holes

Injecting contact holes

Cap plastic

Cap plastic

Removing mould

Removing mould

Seam repair

Seam repair

Disguising seam

Disguising seam

Naphtha + Silicone core

Naphtha + Silicone core

Application Prep + Ears

Application Prep + Ears

Lip piece

Lip piece

Lip Application

Lip Application

Full makeup

Full makeup

bottom of page