Dramatic Context
Georgia Brown
Sculpting | Flat Piece: Making the mould
Tools: Uses and Techniques
Rake tools: Take off the high points, missing the lower points of clay, creating a smoother surface. Come in various degrees of sharpness for cutting. Rake tools can also be used to create rough textures and come in different sizes.
Loop tools: Used for removing material, come in all different shapes and sizes. Even though loop tools are designed for that specific purpose, they could be handy for cutting into your sculpt and designing.
Ribbon tools: They are bladed and useful for uniformed cuts or purpose cut lines. Can use them to cut lacerations into the material. Sharp and distinctive effect from the sharp bladed edge.
Wrinkle tools: tiny loop tools great for delicate wrinkling and deep wrinkling or lines- depending on the size used, unique textures can be made by creating your own tiny loop and wrinkle tools using scrap metal and guitar strings etc.
Textures: Sponges create different textures and densities, as do rubber tools. They are softer than using metal/plastic/wooden tools and the edges wont be as harsh.
Plastic tools suffice for basic sculpting techniques. I was suprised with the variation of shapes and sizes they come in. I found them useful for creating surface texture and depth. However, metal loop and rake tools where needed for creating and defining the shape of my sculpt. The metal rake tool in particular evened out any imperfections in the clays surface by scratching over it with serrated edges (taking off any higher points and missing the lower points). This couldnt have been achieved with the plastic tools and therefore I feel my sculpt wouldnt have looked professional without it. I will purchase metal rake/loop tools ready for the forthoming project.
Tools Analysis
-Flatten a patch of clay (LeBeau Touche) onto a tile
-Smooth all of the outer edges down against the tile to secure it in place and begin smoothing the edges, perfect blended edges on the tile will look seamless on the skin when applying the flat piece
-Go over the clay with a small rake tool and from the centre working outward, smooth down the edges further, ensuring the sculpt is even and accurate. Never pull the clay from the outer edges in. This creates a step in the clay and the edges wont be seamless during application.
-Smooth over to finish with a loop or fingers and brush with a small flat brush dipped in lighter fluid (too much lighter fluid on the brush will dissolve the clay).
Skin is constantly under tension and therefore any cuts or wounds would be open. The edges would pucker inward where the skin is pulled taught. If you make your wound slightly bigger than intended, you can pucker the edges in after, only slightly. Otherwise the wound will look inaccurate and fake. Tissue and/or muscle fibres can be created by rolling tiny lumps of clay into small sausages and intertwining them inside the open wound. Overlapping and smoothing down if necessary. Veins can also be added as small sausages on top of the clay, using tools and lighter fluid to smooth the edges down will distinguish the difference between the veins looking real and fake. There shouldn't be a step in the clay, sponges and small dabs of lighter fluid will completely smooth the edges down.
Wrinkle textures
-Each wrinkle will eventually cross over the next and naturally an 'x' effect will form
-Carve in very lightly in different directions and work into the lines after for deeper wrinkles
-Dusting talcing powder over the clay will show details and give you an eyesight into current progress, use this to prevent overworking the sculpt.
I found the LeBeau Touche clay relatively easy to work with and carve shapes and textures into . It was flexable and didnt crack throughout the sculpting process which suprised me. However, I found the clay was sensitive to heat and I had to wash my hands in cold water to prevent it sticking.
I wanted to create a small open wound with broken skin and torn tissues or balls of skin inside as a flatpiece, purely for practise. I had to work into the outer edges of the wound with a stippling sponge and small loop tool for a realistic skin texture before cleaning up the edges with lighter fluid. Perfecting the small skin pores and fine lines became time consuming and I went over the same areas two or three times before feeling content with the finish. The same applied with the two under eye bags I created in relevence to the aging side of the project, again for practise. Dusting talk over the sculpt brought my attention to how much detail I was adding and helped me gain focus on the areas which needed more work.
Clay Analysis
Preparing and Securing: Ready for the Mould Process
To begin creating the flashing chanel around my moulds I used a clay extruder, this way my flashing chanel was level and looked professional. Afterwards I used a sharp plastic sculpting tool to take away any clay from the inside walls and clean up the overall shape. I found it very easy to work with and ideal for flat piece sculpts because of how thin it extrudes the clay. The flashing chanel is to stop the mould shrinking when using cabosil and prozade. It can also be used to handle your piece.
-Roll out a thicker sausage shape in clay (keep the sausage an even thickness the whole way around your sculpture for professional presentation) Leaving a small space in between.
-Take a mixing stick and split it in half. Then accurately neaten the inside and outside of the clay with sharp, even edges. This will push the clay down firmly onto the tile and ensure the silicone doesnt spill through any gaps there may have been.
-Use a spatula to nip the outside edges of the clay down onto the board and neaten up the inside edges of the wall, again making sure there are no gaps between the clay and the tile.
-Silicone will be waisted if the flashing chanel is not kept close to the outer walls of the mould.
-Mold making is the most important part of your piece, take pride in the mould and make sure it looks neat and professional.
MAKE-UP ARTIST. (2014). Make-Up Artist Magazine. Issue n/a. U.S.: Michael Key. Pages 116 and 117.
Body Carvings: Flat pieces: Designed by Akihito (KNB EFX Group).
He is using Chavant Hard clay, and because it is firm, he carves it away after sculpting with a sharp tool. He explains you would have to soak the lifecast for a full day in water with the clay still on the lifecast. The sculpted pieces will be transferred onto a flat surface to peform further, more detailed sculpting. Detailed work is not performed on the lifecas. It is just to check the overall balance and flow of the sculpted work. Step 5 shows the removed transfers. Walls are then built up around the carvings using soft oil based clay at 3-5mm in distance from the sculpts. He uses a deaerator to remove air pockets in the silicone mix and leaves the moulds to solidify for six hours. He then pours Pros-Aide into the negative moulds and places a plastic sheet over the top of them before putting them in a freezer for one hour(Transfer Process) technique on the bondo transfers page.
Sculpt Gel Technique: Pro Tips:
"Start by painting sculpt gel onto the sculpture with your finger, working the product into all the sculpted detail... It should cover the sculpture and past the flashing 1/4" ...The curing time is 30 minutes, then apply the second layer with a spatula (twice as much as the first coat). Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with a light coat of 'Epoxy Parfilm' and place over the sculpt (Sprayed side down) Allow the material to cure for one hour and peel away. Cleaning the mould with 99% alcohol and a tissue. The mould is sprayed with Epoxy Parfilm before and after a separator has been smoothed on.
Davis, G. and Hall, M. (2008). THE MAKE UP ARTIST HANDBOOK. Burlington, USA. Focal Press: Elsevier Inc. Above: page 200
Written notes I have for the 'floating off' process:
I came across this technique whilst watching 'The Art of Silicone Prosthetics' by Neil Gorton. He talks you through the whole sculpting process. The technique involves sculpting onto a face cast which you will later 'float off' the sculpt so that it can be placed on a flat surface to be defined and finalised. It is often used when a sculpt has overlapping pieces. They would be sculpted together and cast as seporate pieces.
Technique:
Face cast needs to be coated in separating agent e.g. Dentsply's Al-Cote
Sculpt onto face cast as normal and after, cut the sculpture into seporate pieces. Choosing logically where you could overlap and blend edges together during the final application process. Next submerge the piece in water (plastic tub) 'Float Process' Allow it to soak for 24hours to make sure the water has had time to reach the Al-Cote and liquefy it. The pieces should then be ready to 'Float Off' the sculpture.