Plaster bandages are not just about making a reinforcing cover as shell molds. They can be used directly on the abdomen or even the face to capture the shape for making pregnancy castings or latex masks.
Plaster bandages are a very important accessory in the mold making and casting studio. They are primarily used to create shell or mother molds that serve to reinforce flexible molds. The plaster dries to form a rigid structure which encloses the rubber or alginate mold and enables it to retain its shape. Otherwise the original mold would just flop or distort when the casting material is poured inside it.
Apart from this, the same plaster bandages are also used to create form molds of the abdomen or torso. It is especially handy for pregnancy life castings to capture the shape of the expectant mother’s bulging belly. Plaster bandages are generally not used for making other molds as they fail to capture minute surface details that can affect the quality of the final casting.
However, artists still use it for making a face mold at times. This concept can seem perplexing as the facial features will obviously not be reproduced in the plaster mold in complete detail. The trick here is that the artist just needs the face mold for making a mask or other prosthetic effects and can easily afford to miss out on the finer details of the face!
How make a plaster face mold
The procedure is similar to making a shell mold or a belly mold. The plaster bandage is rolled out and cut in long strips. Each strip has to be lightly wetted with water before use. Gently squeeze out the excess water and apply the bandage on the face. Smooth it out with the fingers to remove any air bubbles but keep in mind that pressing too much can distort the shape and even hurt the model.
Apply the next bandage in the same manner while ensuring that it overlaps the first one by a third at least. Continue in a similar manner until the entire face in covered. Build a few layers to ensure that the face mold gets the requisite thickness. Finally fold one bandage into four and apply it all around the edges to reinforce them.
Allow the mold to dry for some time. Keep in mind that the plaster will tend to release some heat as it cures. The model may feel a little hot at this time. It is better to do a patch test before making the mold as it can cause an allergic reaction or burns on sensitive skin.
Once set, a little bit of wriggling and pulling will release the mold. It is better to apply a release agent like petroleum jelly beforehand. The face mold can then be finished and used to make a mask or other prosthetic work.
When it comes to buying the plaster gauze, it can be sourced from EnvironMolds.