Hey awesome people. I come to you in need of help and advice. I'm still working on my doll (what is it, like two years now...) and have just started making a pair of hands -> queue photo: hands_in_progress by aneemal, on Flickr My plan is/was to refine the sculpting and concentrate on the 'finish' before positioning the fingers. But, with this project, I really want to make several sets of expressive hands. So, at this point, it occurred to me - I could use the pair above as the base sculpt, mould them and then do several casts to manipulate differently (i.e. reposition the fingers of each hand). Good idea?? Would it save time in reality? Right now, the method I used to start the first pair of hands works well for me and with practice I'm sure I could make 5 more pairs, but it would be a slow approach. I'd love to save time wherever possible!! Plus, it would mean the hands are more uniform, if they all originated from one mould. If it is, what methods/materials would be most suitable for the job? The options I've come up with so far are.. 1. 2 part Silicone Putty push mould, using polymer clay. Once the hands are baked I would score under the knuckles and use heat to bend the fingers into position. Downsides: Not sure how much detail can be transferred using a push mould? 2. 2 part Silicone mould, casting with wax... I have zero knowledge of wax (tho there's plenty info here on the forum I must read up on). Downsides: Not sure if wax is too brittle to bend and would melt if I heated it! :pout Also, would I then need to cast the parts again? (In something more durable?) 3. Something else entirely that you're going to help me with! Please let me know what you think, especially if you have any suggestions!
This is not the answer you are looking for, but.... I think you should model five new pairs of hands. By the time you get the fifth pair of hands modeled, your modeling skills will be better, and you will be faster as well. The problem with molding this pair of hands, and working on castings to make different expressive hands is that each new set of hands will carry over the same set of errors that these have. Making five new pairs of hands will give a chance for improvement. It may take a wee bit longer, but I think you will be happier in the long run. As far as replicating the hands go, Martha Armstrong-Hand used multiple piece plaster molds, saturated in water, to cast carving wax. Carving wax is an amazing design material. It can be carved, drilled, sawn, machined, welded (with a wax pen), and sanded glass smooth (if desired). Additive technique can also be used with a wax pen or with metal tools heated with a jeweler's alcohol lamp. Have Fun !!! (^_^)
I appreciate your response, kwmelvin! I'm looking for any answers at all, not just ones I want to hear ) I think you have a very valid point. My worry is that by the 5th pair, I'll have 5 sets of varying quality. My personality is such that I'd be likely to scrap 1-4 in favour of the best pair and then start the process all over again. I'll say it out loud - I think I have OCD. There will always be errors, but somehow I'm weirdly more comfortable with the same error being repeated 5 times than to have 5 different sets of errors! Ha! I'm going to buy some silly putty anyway, just because it's seems like useful stuff to have! I don't think I'm going to try wax afterall, as it seems like quite a few specialist tools are needed for better results. I like the simplicity of polymer clay. But, in the end, I may take your advice and sculpt them all individually. Thanks very much for your input. =^-^=
I have cast hands in resin and bent them out of the silicon mould since the resin is still a bit soft initially but you have to work fast and be careful they don't break. Also you could cast a resin pair then cut and reposition the fingers
This is an interesting way to make the hands and wrist balls uniform. Maybe you could make several resin casts of the first pair, then cut and reposition the fingers and fill in the gaps with Apoxie?
Er, I beg to differ, lol! I haven't added the little flap/webby bit of skin which will hide most of the lowest 'knuckle' when viewed from the inside. But, if you look at your thumb, you'll find three 'creases'. At least, I do! ) Glimmer and Alewife, thank you! Resin might be a good idea longterm... I hadn't thought about repositioning the fingers whilst the resin is still setting-up and soft. That might work well!
ive had success with making polymer clay push molds out of regular plaster of paris! its easy, quick, cheap, and you'd be surprised at the detail they provide n.n just make molds like you regularly would and use a mix of fine sewing machine oil and vaseline as a release agent (dusting the piece with talcum powder makes it easy to determine wether or not you missed a spot n.n) i think with these hands it would even be possible to make it out of two parts as they are posed this neutral :3 just don't forget to brush on the first few layers of plaster so the actual mold surface is flawless and lightly spray your clean molds with water before you push your clay in ;p
Nopes. The longest bone in the thumb, the part connecting the 2 short phalanges to the carpals, that's part of the *palm*. The thumb only has 2 bones sticking out. If you count the bones in the other fingers, you'll notice that they have 4 --- one inside the palm, the other 3 are "fingers". ...do you really have an extra bone in your thumb?
I find this idea doesn't really work as well in practice as in theory since the skin and fat around the bones is pliable in real life and moves in different ways as you flex your hand. It looks more convincing to just sculpt each gesture separately, much as it's painful to do. If you just bend each digit from a flat hand sculpt it'll probably end up looking noodly rather than an actual bent or flexed finger, unless you put in a lot more work afterward to add and subtract the flesh and visible bone shapes from the revised hand, but in that case it's probably just easier to make a fresh sculpt anyway. Just in my experience! It would be handy if you can figure out a method that works well for you.
silke, that's extremely useful information, thank u for sharing! It would be great to stick with polymer clay, using a push mold. I hadn't thought of plaster. Hearing that you've had good results using this method is very encouraging! Thanks for the tips! ) penguu, we're talking about different things - you're talking about bones, I'm talking about 'creases'! The lumps in my sculpted fingers reflect the division of flesh, not the bones... I have three lines in my thumb, yes! :P cowtree, you may be right, I get what you're saying! ...I will see how it goes and then decide.
