Casting Casting-how did YOU do it?

i started out as a sculpture major, so I had to learn to make simple plaster molds. This page here: http://www.danperezstudios.com/workshoppages/molding_casting.htm is a really good tutorial on the basics of casting. I ordered a casting kit from smooth-on.com and got started. It's not as hard as it seems, it just takes you having patience with yourself, because you will make mistakes. X3 Just look at the demon llama.

 

i agree! i would like to see the different bjd artists here post their preff method- so it can be a reference for those starting out so the same questions dont get asked over and over again!

 

I second dechanique on that!

 

I want to know too, as the idea of casting hollow parts BAFFLES ME. BAFFLES, I say!

 

Hi All,
I make an outer mold and an inner mold .. the resin is poured into the gap between the molds and then, when they are removed from the molds, the parts come out hollow. Does that make sense!!?

Kaye

 

Kaye, that is very understandable. I have made and cast ceramic molds but with ceramics you just let the clay stay in for a certain amount of time and then pour it out and it leaves a shell.

I'd love to try this.

 

mmm...I second Mandiiv on baffling... XD;

but yea...I do understand the whole "inner mold" thing (Like, it would go in at the part of the joint that is open, not the ball part. I bet you have to drill open the little slit in the ball aprt, but would cast in a slight indentation where to drill so it's evebn each time)...

...it just looks so complicated...and scary... O_O...

...BAFFLES...

 

That site batchix linked too was very helpful and I can see how they can do lots of parts... But I'm still confused on how they make pieces hollow or how they do the holes for the eyes and neck...

...I don't even sculpt dolls! I just want to know how they do it!

 

i desperately want to make my own doll.. but the casting process is just so daunting i get scared every time i want to try.

 

I should be getting my casting supplies next week, I hope. e.e; But I'll try to take photos and do a quick tutorial on how I did the inner mold for my boys' heads. I was worried it wouldn't work, but it does, and it's actually really simple. The next step is harder, making a head cap that fits exact! XB

 

anyone want to take me on as a casting apprenice?

 

I second that motion, dechanique!

 

roto casting any one? to get hollow parts with out inner mold

 

I'm super curious about this. I wanna see a tutorial.. But I do know that you can cast a solid piece, without an inner mold, and make it hollow. You just cast it, and leave it for a while (NOT the whole casting time) and then pour it out. The resin on the outside, against the mold will be hard and finished and what you poured out is the inner resin that did not set. ....But beyond that.. :/ I'd really love to see a photo tutorial.

 

I have a little page on how I did my casting, and it shows how I got all my pieces hollow with no need to drill.

 

Would drilling be best? I mean, Lolipop's idea is great, but i'm not sure how it works exactly, how would you remove the mold?

 

Just pull it out. The resin doesn't stick to the straws, and the Styrofoam you can either leave in, pull out or dissolve with a drop of nail polish remover.

 

Do you have a source for this? Because AFAIK, there's no reason why the outside would set up first... the pictures I've seen of resin "blooming" make it look like the center sets up first, actually.

As Dollsculptress mentioned, you can rotocast, which involves pouring in less resin, then rotating it in all directions as it sets. Core molds strike me as being a lot less trouble, though, if you can design your doll to work with them.

 

I believe you are confusing resin with porcelain slip, which gets its water drawn out into the plaster mold to form a shell.

Resin cure chemically and does not favor one part of the poured resin over another.

Ann in CT

 

I'm mainly interested in variations of head molds. Those seem the most interesting/ complex to me. ^_^

 

I really recommend this. This is greatly detailed and I easily understood it...

 

oh me too! I was SO baffled 'till i found this!

 

Any vids on this though lolipop? I am interested passionately about this casting process. I understand how the process works but being new to these beautiful creations, I am confused by some of the lingo and or the details of the process. I would really like to see a video of this method, say start to finish beginning with the creation of the mold and finishing with the set project. You could set it up on youtube or such and link from here if you wanted. But it could be a bit of work for you to do...

 

I don't make pieces of mold. I make a whole one and cut it by bistoury ( but not cut it into two pieces...), then, take these parts of doll out. In most condition, they don't need to drill.
I can put several parts in one mold by this mold method. That saves time, but this method will cost damage of original scupltures.

P.S forget to say that this method need vacuum machine