In Materials class, we covered molding and casting with plaster. I really liked the assignment for this week, which was just to make a cast of my hand.
The steps are pretty simple, though easy to mess up. Basic run through: Just cover your hand in Vaseline, stick it in some Alginate, wait for Alginate to harden. Alginate is mixed at a 1:1 ratio – one part Alginate, one part cold water. (Hot water makes it harden much faster than you expect, and possibly before you’ve put your hand in the Alginate.) When the Alginates done, slowly remove your hand. You’ll have a negative mold of your hand. Pour into this some molding plaster – 2:1 ratio, plaster to water – and wait for it to harden. The plaster will take under an hour to harden, but it will take a few days to completely dry. When it’s thoroughly dry, you can use it in silicone rubber or polyurethane rubber molds.
Now photos!
