Sculpting and Floating

 Sculpting the Prosthetics 

The next step after face casting was to sculpt the prosthetics using a clay called Chavant. Firstly, we applied a few layers of a release agent to the plaster, so that once we had sculpted the prosthetics, we could remove them from the cast to create a silicon mould. The release agent we used was water based, meaning we could easily remove the sculpts if we applied water to the cast. 

This was my first time working with chavant. I quickly learned that it was important to warm the clay up in your hands before use, as before it has been warmed up it is extremely stiff and brittle. 

Using sculpting tools and medical images, I sculpted some 'radiation burns', raising them up to create a hollow pit in the skin. 

Once the sculpts were the shape I wanted, I then added lines and pores to create a skin-like texture using a rake and a stippling sponge covered in powder. 

It was important to ensure that the areas in which I had decided to sculpt were as flat as possible, as we were creating a flat mould and removing them from the face cast. This meant that we wouldn't be able to work on areas of the face that were too curved, as the prosthetic would not sit on the face correctly. 

Floating

Once I had completed my sculpts, I then had to 'float' my cast to remove the sculpts so I could lay them on a flat surface. This process involves fully submerging your face cast in a bucket of water. Because I had applied a water-based release agent, this meant that the water would soak through and under the prosthetic, allowing it to naturally release from the plaster and float to the top of the bucket. 

Once my prosthetics had floated to the water's surface, it was then time to move them to a flat, texture-less surface (I used a baking tray). I then continued to smooth out the edges and ensure they were flat to the surface of the baking tray, with any textures or damage caused during the float being repaired.