- look for body language
- work out a code with model eg. hand gestures
- Keep talking to them the whole time
- Don't use straws in the nose
- Don't do head cast with a cold of any kind
- Model becomes the most important person in the room
Before Application
- Put bald cap on (can be think latex one)
- Tape a bin bag over models clothes
- Put mold release on any small hairs ( back, eyelashes, eyebrows etc.) Nivea hand cream is good
- Trace the hairline with a waterbased product so it transfers into the alginate and plaster
- Make sure the model is sitting exactly upright
- Take head measurements so you can file down the plaster head accurately.
Application
- Use long strips of plaster bandage folded over 4 times start outlining the back of the models head and shoulders
- Put the folded edge at the top for strength at the edge.
- Cover whole back with plaster bandages, starting at exactly the middle of the head.
- Need a total of 3 layers of bandage and 'ropes' round the edge and middle of piece
- Can put a few bits of bandage on the back of the chair to the models neck to keep them upright.
- Use a plaster bandage to smooth the outside edge to get rid of undercuts
- Put nivea on the edge of the plaster so they don't fuse together
- Mix up alginate in bucket.
- Start at the top of the head and work downwards with alginate.
- Do the nose last with a cotton bud to get alginate as close to nostrils as possible
- Clean the edge of plaster from alginate so the two halves fit together properly.
- Cover the front with plaster bandage the same as the back, overlap the front onto the back my a few inches.
- Small bits of plaster for over the nose and septum
- Draw corresponding lines across the seam so can match edges up later.
- Crack down the seam and pull the two halves apart, let whichever naturally comes off first come off.
- Need to put the two halves back together quite quickly as they will start to warp.
- Support the nose from the inside at but some suerglue around the nostrils. Mix up some very think alginate and push through the nostrils from the outside so that you get inverted nostrils when you cast the positive.
- Cut excess alginate off back and put plaster bandage over front.
- Line up the two halves of mold and put together with plaster bandage.
