C.V.SmithARTWORKS
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Sculptures
    • Bronze
    • Clay / Apoxie Clay
    • Plaster
    • Wood
    • Stone
    • SLIDESHOW
  • Galleries
  • Contact
  • Book
  • River Arts
  • BRAF
  • Saltwater Artists
  • CMCA
  • Yarmouth Art Festival

Two Part Silicone Mold ... 2nd Project - It's Complicated!

12/10/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Wood object - view 1
Picture
View 2
Picture
View 3
Picture
View 4
      I have mentioned in previous postings that I like a challenge...well, my second two part mold project was just that...a challenge! The object I pulled out of my "save for some day" box for my second project was a piece of wood that, at some time, I had decided had artistic "potential". It was a section of a branch that had a growth anomaly, an enlarged hollow section that almost looked like it had "blossomed". It had a variety of opposing angles, thin edges, and extreme undercuts - not a great candidate for a two part mold, but, as I said, I like a challenge.
Picture
Object set into styrofoam base
Picture
Building up "land"
Picture
Land built up at high end
     The first thing I needed to do was to smooth off some ragged and brittle edges, and repair the surface areas that were rough or slightly deteriorated. I also shaped and refined the petal-like structures and the interior ridge. After setting the piece up in a styrofoam support base, I built up the plasteline "land" the way I did with the previous project (see my posting for 11/20). The challenge with this piece was to close off the open end and build the land high enough to allow for the eventual easy removal of the mother mold after casting. Finally, I fashioned and attached a plasteline pour cup, carved a registration channel, and embedded registration keys in the surrounding apron of land...the first side was ready for rubber. 
Picture
Pour cup added
Picture
Registration keys embedded
Picture
Application of Rebound 25
    The remaining challenge on this first side was to make sure that I got enough of the Rebound 25 silicone rubber (a ​Smooth-On product) applied to the high end of the piece. The top surface was rounded and the sides were almost vertical. The brushed on rubber potentially would run down into the low spots and pool, and/or overflow the edges. I solved this problem by propping up the baseboard at different angles each time I brushed on a new coat. I also worked on the lower end first, so that the silicone would thicken up a bit by the time I worked my way back to the difficult end. After trimming the edges of the rubber, I applied the mixture of plaster and fiberglass matting in layers to form the mother mold...
Picture
Final layer of rubber applied
Picture
1st half of Mother mold completed
     ...side one was complete - the next step... tackle the complexities of side two. Stay tuned !
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Cynthia Smith, Maine artist, originally from Connecticut. Taught art at secondary level for 35 years, retired in 2004. Sculpts in bronze, wood, stone, clay & plaster. Her work can be seen at several mid-coast Maine galleries and shows.

    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    October 2022
    May 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.