Easy, super fast way to make a positive face cast for a kid?
October 20, 2015 12:45 PM Subscribe
I want to make some foam superhero masks for my kids, that follow the face pretty closely, but don't have to be super accurate. I don't want to go too complicated, so most special effects tutorials are out, besides they (8 and 4 years old) aren't inclined to sitting still while I tinker.
To clarify, I don't really want to go the "Step 1. Prepare the alginate for the negative mold adding 100cc of 85 degree water to the substrate .... Step 37. Add parts A and B of the silicone on a day where the relative humidity is below... Step 72. begin to sculpt on top of the positive etc." route.
Ideally I was thinking of something as simple and fast as a lockable|fixable "pin art" impression toy, something they could just press their face into, and I could then use to putter around with and build on top of as I futz with different modeling ideas. I found this, but wasn't sure if it would be robust enough or if there were better ideas out there.
To clarify, I don't really want to go the "Step 1. Prepare the alginate for the negative mold adding 100cc of 85 degree water to the substrate .... Step 37. Add parts A and B of the silicone on a day where the relative humidity is below... Step 72. begin to sculpt on top of the positive etc." route.
Ideally I was thinking of something as simple and fast as a lockable|fixable "pin art" impression toy, something they could just press their face into, and I could then use to putter around with and build on top of as I futz with different modeling ideas. I found this, but wasn't sure if it would be robust enough or if there were better ideas out there.
Not sure if this qualifies as super simple, but you can make a negative with plaster gauze. Put straws in the nose while it's drying. The 8 year old should be able to handle that. Not sure about the 4 year old.
posted by alms at 1:39 PM on October 20, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by alms at 1:39 PM on October 20, 2015 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Just to clarify, when you're using a sheetlike form (aluminum foil, plaster gauze) the difference between positive and negative mold is just using the front vs back of the form. But it's thin enough that using the outside of the foil is equivalent to the kid's face, making it a positive mold; something thicker (like clay) the outside would be formed by your fingers shaping it into a blobby face shape, so you could only form to the inside surface (with more precise face contours).
If I needed a more rigid structure, I'd make a foil mask shape that extended from chin to top of head, mix up a cup or less of plaster and gently pour it into the foil bowl, tilt it around to coat the eye and nose region, and let it harden. This will hold the foil mostly in shape. Then make up more plaster and pour in, being careful not to let the foil bowl sag open, which would mean the masks you build would be a little too loose around the sides. Plaster is pretty heavy, and the foil probably wouldn't stand up to a single fill approach. But the first batch of plaster would set the details of the face shape, which is kind of the important part for comfort. Once the plaster is set, you could even peel the foil off if you didn't trust the thickness of the foil to give you an accurate positive/negative. You could even set a frame into the plaster that would make your mold stand upright like a personalized wig form. (in my house that frame would probably be something like a junky yard-sale vase - an object narrower than my head but with a stable base)
posted by aimedwander at 2:14 PM on October 20, 2015
If I needed a more rigid structure, I'd make a foil mask shape that extended from chin to top of head, mix up a cup or less of plaster and gently pour it into the foil bowl, tilt it around to coat the eye and nose region, and let it harden. This will hold the foil mostly in shape. Then make up more plaster and pour in, being careful not to let the foil bowl sag open, which would mean the masks you build would be a little too loose around the sides. Plaster is pretty heavy, and the foil probably wouldn't stand up to a single fill approach. But the first batch of plaster would set the details of the face shape, which is kind of the important part for comfort. Once the plaster is set, you could even peel the foil off if you didn't trust the thickness of the foil to give you an accurate positive/negative. You could even set a frame into the plaster that would make your mold stand upright like a personalized wig form. (in my house that frame would probably be something like a junky yard-sale vase - an object narrower than my head but with a stable base)
posted by aimedwander at 2:14 PM on October 20, 2015
I've used fast-setting plaster cloth/gauze to create masks with a 4,6 and 8yr old for Halloween. The masks were a huge hit, didn't take long to set and weren't very labor intensive. They also didn't require much in terms of artistic or motor-skills.
Basically, the plaster gauze was cut into strips, vasolene applied to face (for easy mask removal), strips dipped into water and applied to face. We waited between 5-10min for the gauze to set and then had the kids scrunch up their faces to lose the mask and slowly pulled it off.
Before we got started, I talked about how weird it might feel, and offered a lot of reassurances. I'd asked the older kids to help me cut strips and then go first to demonstrate for the 4yr old.
I thought they would be nervous, especially with the gauze, no talking, and having plaster around (but not covering!)* eyes and nose. I was wrong, even with the 4yr old, turns out novelty goes a long way.
*Like, there's no reason to cover nostrils at all, and we placed the strips over their upper lip last, and only as close to their nose as they wanted. (Same deal around the eyes, those areas could be filled in after the mask has set.).
posted by bindr at 4:07 PM on October 20, 2015
Basically, the plaster gauze was cut into strips, vasolene applied to face (for easy mask removal), strips dipped into water and applied to face. We waited between 5-10min for the gauze to set and then had the kids scrunch up their faces to lose the mask and slowly pulled it off.
Before we got started, I talked about how weird it might feel, and offered a lot of reassurances. I'd asked the older kids to help me cut strips and then go first to demonstrate for the 4yr old.
I thought they would be nervous, especially with the gauze, no talking, and having plaster around (but not covering!)* eyes and nose. I was wrong, even with the 4yr old, turns out novelty goes a long way.
*Like, there's no reason to cover nostrils at all, and we placed the strips over their upper lip last, and only as close to their nose as they wanted. (Same deal around the eyes, those areas could be filled in after the mask has set.).
posted by bindr at 4:07 PM on October 20, 2015
Response by poster: The aluminum foil idea is perfect! Just the sort of 20 seconds and you're done approach I was hoping for.
posted by BleachBypass at 4:47 PM on October 20, 2015
posted by BleachBypass at 4:47 PM on October 20, 2015
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simple version or look for youtube videos, which I am unable to curate for you at the moment, but see many of.
posted by aimedwander at 1:10 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]