Dramatic Context
Georgia Brown
Sculpting Techniques | Flat pieces: Closed mould
Reviewing the problems Ive faced and changes Ive made to ease the application process
Sculpting:
First & Second Attempt:
I found the sculpting process very time consuming the first time around, and because Id never cast a mould before I wasnt sure how it would transfer onto the face during the application.
I found it difficult initially to imagine the clay sculpt against the face; how much it would sit off the face under the eye and how much was too much?
I wanted to create a bulging under eye bag which would sit off the face, sagging more at the bottom (as if it where hangingin, excess fat) for the first piece. The bulging edge needed to be harsher as I needed to blend it at the top rather than the bottom, for a naturalistic bagging look. I added texture in with various plastic sculpting tools and rolled small balls of clay in my fingers to create spots/warts under the eye. I found that the warts tied the piece together and emphasised the aging.
Instead of creating two eyebags the same shape and size I decided to sculpt in a completely different style. This time I bled both the top and the bottom of the sculpt into the white tile. As I was unsure of the final outcome until the application process, I wanted to experiment and created the heavy bulk towards the centre of the sculpt. I used a fine block pin to draw in wrinkles and carved deeper wrinkles in after, constantly referring to and studying images of aged skin throughout sculpting.
Checking Texture:
To avoid over texturing the eyebags I dusted talc over the surface and the powder matted the clay, bringing forward any detail I didnt see previously. This is an effective technique and I think if I hadnt of powdered the sculpt then it could have been over textured/sculped easily. To clean up the edges and any excess clay around the tile I used a cotton bud and lighter fluid.
Measuring the silicone:
I used equal parts A and B (15.2g) with 100 percent softner (at 30.4g) and I had a small amount of silicone overflow onto the white tile. I also tried a mixture of equal parts A and B with 50 percent softner and using 100 percent softner looked and felt more realistic, in that particular area of the face, the movement and texxture was suited for the eye sockets because the skin is soft and hollow in that area. I wanted to avoid any stiffness or ridges/wrinkling in the skin once theyd been applied.
Application:
When I removed the pieces out of the negative mould I quickly realised that I hadnt brushed enough cap plasic layers over, after the silicone had set. I brushed three layers over and allowed them to dry properly. After seeing the result I will apply four thicker layers in the future to avoid any breakage between the pieces and the flashing. However, the edges were seamless and blended perfectly into my models skin. Although the next sculpt would have to be flatter and less textured because the sitter in my portrait isnt aged enough for a bulging/wrinkled under eye. The sculpt looked a lot bigger on the face than I initially thought it would.
Flat pieces | Third attempt: Finalising
New sculpts and changes made to suit the size and placement on my models face, mimicking the portrait.
Sculpting:
I completely changed the design of my under eye bags from reviewing how they looked on my models face after application. They were obvious and bulging, too aged and fatty for my portrait. The sitter in my portrait is mid to late twenties and any periorbital puffiness will be from his operative lifestyle as a soldier, and active duties as a General (pure tiredness and swelling).
The new sculpts are flatter and around 3mm in height. I wanted them to be barely visible to the eye, their purpose is to purely add a slight shadow rather than age my model at all. I used a small loop tool to carve in lines and rough sand paper to press in pore texture over the top of layered cling film. I wanted the detail to remain minimal because there doesnt seem to be any harsh detail in the portrait. However, some detailing was needed to look natural against my models face.
Brows and frown lines:
I also sculpted two raised bumps to sit on the brow bones, hoping to create depth and shape light frown lines before painting. I knew this would help me define shadows and not over paint in the crease lines in. Rather than sculpting one piece to glue down I chose to sculpt two seporate pieces because I didnt want the prosthetic to bulk in the centre or crease at the seams around his forehead with any movement. I wanted the creases to look like perminent fine lines from years of frowning, instead of a physical captured frown itself. On the portrait I cant see any wrinkling in the brow and therefore the frown lines represent perminent, faint creases and the muscles are relaxed without tension.
Cheek Piece:
After analysing the anatomy of my models face and bone structure I noticed that his cheek bones are higher and more defined than the sitters. I sculpted one cheek piece with pore detail and bumps I picked out of the painting, to test against my model. If the prosthetic flattened his cheek then I'd mix up more silicone and create more than one. However, I could flatten the area and take out any shadows using paints and I will take this into consideration when I apply the cheek piece.
Creating the mould:
The flat pieces cover a tile and I thought Id need to measure out a lot of silicone for the negative mould. However, my measurements were inaccurate and there was a lot of silicone waisted. I measured out 175g of equal parts A and B for the negative and although I needed to fill a larger area, the sculpts themselves are around 3mm high and dont need a lot of material to cover them. Knowing the measurements for a negative mould will come with practise and I'd rather have too much material than too little.
After seeing how much wasted silicone there was from the first mould, I knew to use a lot less from the second time onwards and more than halfed the amount (using equal parts A and B at 30g and 50 percent softner at 30g). I used 50 percent softner the second time around, purely for experimentation purposes. I wanted to see how differently the pieces would sit against the softer areas of my models face at only 50 percent in comparison, and if halfing the percentage would effect the final make-up for a photograph.
Application:
The colour match for the brow pieces was accurate, camouflaging into my models skin. They looked un noticeable as prosthetics and I was happy with the positioning. However, because my model has sensitive skin, the under eye bags and cheek piece looked a different colour. During application there was redness and slight irritation surrounding the pieces and this cannot be helped. I applied derma-shield to my models face before application and patch tested him prior to the day, there was no reaction to the products used and he didnt complain of irritation.
Measuring the silicone:
I used 50g of equal parts A and B with 100 percent softner at 100g for filling the mould. There was a lot of excess silicone scraped away from the mould, spilling over the sides onto the tile. Ive kept a note of the silicone weighing out at 200g being excessive because I dont want to continuously waste materials. It was un practised, poor judgement and I wont make the mistake again with the same mould. However, I would rather have too much silicone than not enough to fill the mould and I know now how important it is to study the surface area and depth of each piece before mixing material.
Pigment: Mould Review:
I was undecided on whether to match the pigment to my models skin tone or to match it to the sitters in the portrat. I decided that I'd rather have the pieces appear seamless on the face before applying any paint, rather than trying to match and camouflage the paints to the pieces. This way I can adjust the paint as I go- during application.
Colours:
I used a PS Composites (Skin) pigment as my base and mixed in a small amount of white pigment to neutralise the peachy/orange colour. My model has pale skin with cool undertones and the skin pigment alone is too dark. I added in a dot of blue pigment to cool the colours down and begun seeing a skin base I was pleased with. I also speckled some red flock into the mix to break up the flat colour and bring the silicone to life.
Colour correcting | Measurements & Application:
Above:
Patch testing the mastix and prosaide behind my models ear prior to the application of the prosthetics. He didnt react to either. However, he explained that his skin can be sensitive and I need to apply Derma-Shield before any make up applications.
Colour match:
Though I was happy with the colouring of the silicone pieces after the first application, I wanted to create a variation where the difference in pigment changed only slightly. I added green and red flock to one mould and red and blue to another, whilst altering pigment slightly. I will compare the different silicones next to my models face and finally determine a colour thats going to look completely seamless before colouring. This will be beneficial for me and shorten the time it takes to colour match the pieces after applying them.
Problems faced:
I had an issue with the cap plastic layers not sticking together the second time I cast the moulds. I think that I powdered inbetween each layer whilst the cap plastic was still wet, creating a barrier inbetween layers. Also, The cap plastic/alcohol mix was too thin and therefore I think the alcohol was thinning the cap plastic on the underneath layers and unsticking them. I havn't disposed of them because I think that the edges can be blended and they are still useable. However, I have poured sevral moulds since and they will not be used during the final make up application.
The bondo was difficult to work with and I had to be quick filling the negative mould before it went tacky. To be sure of a smooth surface, I used a metal scraper across the mould to remove off any excess glue and checked to see if there was any spillage in the flashing. I found that the bondo started curing very quickly, I had to wipe the scraper down numerous times whilst checking for a completely smooth surface. Once I'd filled the mould with the Bondo mix I left it in a dehydrator for three hours and removed it, ready for application.
The multiple flatpieces on one mould made applying the bondo very difficult and I couldnt see where the correct placement on the face would be. If my mould was thinner I could have held it up against a light and pencilled a rough outline of the shape on the back because the silicone is translucent and not pigmented. Below are images of a model wearing the bondo transfers. He has one under eye bag, a cheek piece and an eyebrow piece on his right side. Although the bondo looked seamless it was almost too minimal. None of the detail showed in my pieces and they didnt manipulate his features enough, as expected. I tried to paint the bondo with foundations and
I was careful not to touch the mould because it remains sticky. However, I could have powdered the surface and re activated it with a small amount of IPA during application.
where detail was picked up the bondo started to look dirty and the edges
lifted. I should have sprayed a fixing spray over the clear bondo before painting it to prevent this happening.
Bondo Transfers | Visibility and Problems:
Step by step slideshow of the first facecast I attempted with my model from home,
I struggled with the first face cast mainly because I went through the process of laying on the alginate on my own and the water to alginate ratio was in accurate as I'd added too much water and the mixture was initially very runny. I had a second person to check my models nostrels throughout and talk him through the steps whilst I was applying. My model hadnt had a face cast done before and he wasnt compfortable with having his mouth covered. To avoid him panicking I left his mouth and his nostrils free, I didnt want to block any of his breathing holes and explained that the alginate and plaster would feel heavy on his face but he'd still be able to breathe cleary.
Although the whole process was chaotic I didnt find it too difficult. However, I could have worked neater if I'd had a spare pair of hands to smooth over the alginate. To stop the alginate looking lumpy and uneven I would have to use less water and perfect the ratio between the two before laying it over the face.
Review:
Second Attempt | Face Casting:
I didnt instantly fill my first face cast with plaster and I also forgot to keep it moist by stuffing wet cauch roll inside of it and keeping it wrapped in cling film. The first alginate cast dried out and shrunk, if I had of filled it with plaster and sculpted on top of it, all of my prosthetics would have been too small and ill fitting. The plaster positive would have been a downsized version of his face. I had to cast my model again, not forgetting anything in the process.
Instead of leaving the alginate negative aside, I filled it with plaster and allowed it to dry overnight. The result was a clean, neat cast. However, If I wanted to completely remove the brow from my cast I could have smoothed vaseline into my models eyebrows back and forth, getting in between the hairs. This wasn't an issue for me because I wanted to focus soley on the nose, which was perfect. I mounted the face onto a piece of thin wood and added more plaster to the back and sides to keep it looking clean and professional.
Closed Mould | Face Casting:
My second cast was very successful and I felt confident laying on the alginate without hesitating or second guessing myself. I had someone to hand me materials when I needed them and smooth over the alginate whilst talking to my model throughout. My model granted me permission to cover his nostrils as I wanted to avoid missing any detail around the nose (my closed mould) He could breathe out of his mouth and explained he felt relaxed the second time around, which eased the whole process.
Review:
Sculpting the Nose | Technique:
Sculpting:
I begun sculpting the nose for my closed mould with a zoomed in image of my sitters nose close by for reference. I constanty referred back to the portrait, checking the nose front on and profile. from previous research, Stuart Bray explains, turning your sculpt upsidedown reveals any flaws and I did this numerous times to check my sculpt. I added in faint pore detail so that the piece would blend into my models own skin without looking false. However, I didnt want to over add detail and texure because the portrait itself doesnt look detailed, rather, flat and marbled.
Precaution:
To stop the plaster negative locking around the nostrils and potentially detroying the face cast I filled in two small pieces of clay at the sides and carefully inside the nostrils, without touching the sculpt itself. It was difficult filling in the nostrils without touching the sculpt and I used a small loop tool to smooth down the edges on the inside. I will cut out the nostrils when I apply the prosthetic to my models face, they were filled in to ensure my negative mould was neat and clean, without excess plaster.
The Flashing:
I used a clay extruder for width accuracy around my sculpt and unsure of how high I needed to build the wall, I doubled the clay up for extra height and checked there were no holes in the wall on the inside and out. After checking with Pete and taking through the 'flashing' process, what it was for, I knew that Id built the wall too far away from my sculpt and the wall itself was too high and not wide enough for the keyholes. I knew I wouldnt get a fine enough blendable edge and I had to re-build the wall.
Final Sculpt:
Texture:
I rolled out the flashing by hand the second time around to gain a thicker width. I used a loop tool to carve in the keys and layed the clay close to the sculpt because I didnt want excess flashing durng the application process. I wanted to create enough keys to lock the sculpt in place whilst the silicone dried, pushing out any excess product onto the tile beneath.
Negative Mould:
I knew to keep the top of the plaster negative flat in preperation for pouring in the sollicone and locking both the cast and the mould together tightly. The flat edge will act as a base and weight can be added without damaging the cast. Some of the pointers coming out from the flashing to drain the excess were covered in plaster, I had to chip away at the plaster with a small tool and a hammer otherwise the excess would have nowhere to go and I'd have thick edges around my prosthetic.
Measuring the silicone | Adding pigment & Applying:
I kept the excess clay after I'd cleaned the sculpt and weighed it as an estimate for my silicone. The clay weighed out at 15.8g. However, some of it was lost when I pulled the mould apart and this was purely an estimate. For the nose piece I wanted to use fifty percent softner at 10g because it is generally a harder area on the face and fifty percent will work with the nose. I doubled the measurements of the clay because I'd rather have too much silicone than too little and not enough to fill the mould.
Colours:
Again, I used a PS Composites (Skin) pigment as my base and mixed in a small amount of white pigment to neutralise the peachy/orange colour. I accidently added in too much of the blue pigment and had to pour more of the part A silicone, only a tiny dot is needed in the mix. Again I added in red flock to add depth, this time I added more red flock because the nose is generally warmer and surrounded with small broken blood vessels.
I used three coats of mould release on both the face cast and the negative mould and polished inbetween layers with cauch roll. However, the cap plastic layers stuck to the plaster because it is very porous and the silicone nose ripped in areas. I applied the nose purely to check the shape and size, I wasnt happy with the edges but they would have been thin enough if it wasnt for the cap plastic sticking to the plaster. To fill in the large holes in the silicone I used a bondo mix of prozade and cabosile. I will not use this in my assessment. However, I wanted to see the results of how effective it would be in case the prosthetic ripped during the final application. The technique worked well and although the holes were still visible, the surface was flat and the glue had dried clear. It was a messy technique and I found there was glue residue above and around the nose I had to clean once it had dried.
Problems: Before and after bondo mix
Silione nose | Application and problems:
I poured and created another three silicone noses for my model after the first application. For each nose I altered the pigment and flock slightly, giving me three different shades to match my models skin tone for an accurate/seamless application. The same process applied with the cap plastic layers apart from the flat pieces requiring three to four before and after the silicone, the face cast and negative mould required four to five layeres on both before the silicone because the prosthetic is fragile and wont withstand the demoulding process otherwise. I coated both with vaseline before applying the cap plastic rather than using the release wax and it seemed to work without loosing any detail in the nose. The cast and the mould released with ease each time and the negative remained in tact. I am very happy with the edges, they will blend into the skin without any ridges and no extra time will be wasted on reworking them.
Edges:
Forcing out material:
Because my negative mould has a completely flat edge I was able to balance a wooden tile with two litres of liquid on top of it without the mould moving or tilting. I also bought some thick rubber bands to wrap around the face cast and the negative, tieing the two together. Because of the amount of pressure forced down onto the cast and mould, a lot of excess material overflowed out from the pointers and onto the tile. This applied for both the silicone and gelatine. The amount of pressure was just right and my edges will not be noticed on the face for either of the prosthetic noses, whichever I choose to use.
I wasn't going to create a gelatine nose after seeing how my final two came out using silicone. I had made my mind up that I wanted all of the prosthetics to be made from the same material for colouring. They would all colour the same without any differences in picking up pigmentation from different paints. However, for experimental purposes and curiosity I filled the mould with gelatine mixed with pigment and red/green flock and applied pressure whilst allowing the gelatine to dry. The drying time for gelatine is a lot quicker than silicone and I was able to create four prosthetic noses using different pigment and flock for each, all in around an hour. Where as one silicone nose took three hours including drying time and applying the cap plastic layers.
I will apply the gelatine nose to my model and paint it with the silicone flat pieces. I didnt expect the edges to be so fine. I suprisingly like how translucent the nose looks, it will blend with my models nose without any visible seams, more than the silicone would. The nose looks textured because the flock is clearer and creates an illusion of tiny broken blood vessels. It also looks less plastic and very natural. your skin is seen through it and the colour is easier matched because of its transparency. I prefer the gelatine noses over the silicone, I will need to spray the inside and out with sealer to ensure it doesnt soak up any paints, matching and complimenting the flat pieces.
Comparison:
Applying pressure | Gelatine Nose:
Colour Matching:
I layed on all of the prosthetic nose pieces in place and checked the colours in each of them against his skin tone. The gelatine noses as expected were a better match. However, they werent as structured and they seemed to be bigger than the silicone pieces. The silicone held a better structure and I think it will be easier to apply and blend into the natural nose. I will apply both and if the gelatine fits correctly I will choose to use it over the silicone, for its translucency and natural feel. Also I'd like to show a variation in materials with my prosthetics and see how they compliment eachother.
Choosing the colour:
The images to the right are the two chosen prosthetic noses I will apply. The colour match was perfect in the gelatine and a close match in silicone. The silicone seems to hold a better shape and shows up all of the detail I sculpted when I created the nose. The gelatine is a better colour match and has a more natural feel to it, I will paint both and see which nose takes to the aqua palette paints most effectively in combination with the rest of his face and prosthetics.