MATERIALS USED IN LIFECASTING
Mold Making - Only the mold making material touches the skin. We use a high grade alginate made from seaweed and other natural products. It is non alergenic and releases from the skin readily when set. Alginate will allow us to create very fine detail. Usually, a mold made from alginate can be used for only one casting. For certain projects it is necessary to create a cradle for the mold. This helps the mold to maintain its shape. When this is done we use plaster of paris and medical grade plaster bandages, the same ones used in creating casts for broken bones
Casting - We use only gypsum based stone in our castings. It is safe and picks up the detail of the mold exceedingly well. Where necessary, we reinforce walls of the casting for strength with plaster bandages or other materials such as burlap or cheesecloth .
Finishes - There are several finishes we use. The finish for a lifecasting is based on customer preference and range anywhere from unfinished stone to finishes that simulate metalwork such as bronze. We have the ability to embed actual metal powders into a finish which, when burnished, will closely resemble the work of a foundry. Over time these pieces will actually form a patina.
Lifecasting will produce a likeliness exactly as it is cast. It is not, however, a perfect art. Because of the process it is possible to occasionally have small blemishes in the finished piece. In as much as possible, we try to remove these blemishes or otherwise conceal them. We do not ask the customer to accept large flaws or an inferior product.
