Molds and molds have emerged as popular and accepted art forms for reproducing a sculpture, artwork, or just about anything else. In fact, using basic mold making and casting techniques, it is possible to recreate almost anything in its entirety. A variety of products and materials can be used depending on the requirements and it is even possible to replicate the living human body. You can easily create a vivid image of a person’s face, hands, or any other part you want!
However, an ordinary person is often confused between the two terms of mold making and casting. The following explanation will clarify the methods and help you understand them:
Mold making: A mold is nothing more than a negative or reverse impression of an object or sculpture. Accurately captures details from the object’s surface down to every crease and undercut.
The molds can be made from different materials such as clay, wax, plaster, moldings, polyurethane rubber, silicone rubber, thermoset mold rubber, liquid latex rubber, and more. Gypsum bandages produce rough shaped casts and are generally used to make support shell casts. Body molds are generally made with alginate, as it is safe for the skin.
Similarly, there are various techniques for making a mold, ranging from simple to complex, depending on the type of object, the mold-making material used, and the skill of the artist. The techniques fall into two basic categories: block mold and blanket mold. The material is usually poured or brushed over the object to form the mold. Injection and slush are other methods of making a mold.
Making a one-piece mold will suffice for simple-shaped objects with a flat side, while more complex-shaped and undercut objects require two-part or even multi-part molds. While most molds can be used multiple times, some, like alginate ones, are single use.
Foundry: This is the next step after the mold is ready. This is the actual method of reproducing identical copies of an object or sculpture. However, it requires a negative impression in the form of a mold to work.
The casting material is generally poured into or over the mold to form the final cast reproduction of the object. Depending on the type of mold, it is often possible to make multiple cast replicas from the same mold.
The foundry is open to a wide variety of materials such as gypsum, plaster, epoxy resin, polyester resin, polyurethane resin, liquid latex rubber, urethane rubber, silicone rubber, cast metals, and more. Alternatively, cold cast powders can be mixed with resin to duplicate the look and feel of real metal.
Sometimes the same type of material can be used for both mold making and casting, such as liquid latex or silicone rubber. However, it is important to note that liquid latex or silicone rubber will be formulated differently to suit each application.
