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Qarrezel — Mask Making Demo Part C
Published: 2008-11-06 16:29:04 +0000 UTC; Views: 75672; Favourites: 757; Downloads: 0
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Description
An overview to explain how we mold and cast our mask bases.WEAR CHEMICAL RESISTANT GLOVES, A RESPIRATOR, AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING!
I'll say it again:
WEAR CHEMICAL RESISTANT GLOVES, A RESPIRATOR, AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING!
DO NOT DO THIS NEAR FOOD SURFACES! DO NOT EAT OR DRINK NEAR YOUR WORK AREA! DO NOT HANDLE OR USE THESE CHEMICALS NEAR CHILDREN OR PETS!
If I see anyone else blatantly ignoring basic safety precautions, I absolutely will take this tutorial down.
PLEASE READ the whole description! It explains all the steps, lists materials used here, and links to smooth-on.com where I buy my rubbers and resins.
I WILL NOT answer any questions the answers to which are in the descriptions or can easily be answered with a visit to smooth-on's website (or even a quick google search). I will also not detail this process further.
Description of steps:
16.) Now, I cast the resin mask form. I will not be using a mold release agent for this casting, since the silicone has excellent release properties on its own. However, a latex or urethane mold would require release agent. I measure out equal parts of resin part A, part B, and Filler* (the cups are labeled in the photo).
17.) I mix the three components together thoroughly, and pour them into the mold. I "slush cast" or rotary cast the liquid resin, coating the interior of the mold in an even layer of resin. The resin begins to gel in about 2 minutes.
18.) Once layer one has set up, I mix up layer two. It has all of the same components, except that I also added a couple drops of black pigment (cosmetic preference, a dark-colored interior looks more finished to me).
19.) Layer two is applied the same as the first layer, and left to cure fully. If any places seem thin, I may apply a third layer, but it's usually not necessary.
20.) About 15 minutes later, I demold a perfect lightweight copy of the original model (this particular casting weighed in at 4.1 oz).
Part A: [link] Part B: [link]
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* Ure-Fil III (completely optional!), a powdered filler which serves two major purposes - one, it makes this slush-casting (or sometimes brush-on) method much easier, and it also reduces the weight of the casting. Of course, it also decreases the cost of each casting by a little bit (since each casting then requires that much less resin), but that's mainly just a plus for me.
Materials used:
Smooth-cast 300 urethane resin (could also use smooth-cast 325 or ONYX) from Smooth-On
Ure-Fil III filler (Optional)
So-Strong black urethane resin pigment (Optional) (not necessary with ONYX)
Chemical-resistant nitrile gloves
paper cups and popsicle sticks (for mixing)
To learn more about the materials I'm using, and to learn more about mold making and casting basics, visit Smooth-On.com: [link]
Related content
Comments: 204
I actually don't have the time to put it together. Instead, I broadcast live on Ustream almost every workday, so you can see the process firsthand. I actually have a quick furring video uploaded there. [link]
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Ah, I see. I was hoping I could figure out what's wrong with the head I made seeing the process of how the mask is put to the face. Mostly moving jaw troubles.
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There isn't really a formula for moving jaws - you just have to play with it until it works.
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question :0
is it. toxic. once dried and furred etc~
is breathing ok? or does it need to vent?
because don't some people use fiberglass. which, if breathed in can cause problems.
see. i read through the tutorial (was awesome) but i don't get the different materials and such used. all i really want to know is it ok to breath in ;'D and none toxic?
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It's not toxic at all, very safe. Ventilation inside the head is good.
Fiberglass is actually only dangerous while it's being worked with - once cured, it's perfectly safe.
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oh right.
thats good to know.
thanks muchly. for the tutorial. i'll be sure to give credit to you in any works involving these methods <3
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and when i said vent. i mean when its made, should it be left in the air to get rid of nastyness?
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Can you use just any Mannequin head? Do you have any examples? Just curious because Im casting the facial shape for a fursuit
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You can use any form that's the same size as your head
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I just love this tutorial set - I came across it years ago, saved it to the desktop, and rediscovered it again recently (now that I'm actually going to try doing a silicone mold!)
If I may ask, do you sand down the final resin piece? (do you do it in water? use sandpaper?) Do you sand the inside, or line it with a type of material?
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Yes, sometimes I will sand the exterior. Not the interior, though, and aside from the forehead and chin pad, they are unlined for easy cleaning.
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All your work is really cool!
Wich paint did you use for your resins?
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Paint them with acrylics, or cover them with fur. If you meant pigment, though, I use so-strong pigments from Smooth On.
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Oh my GOODNESS this looks so hard -.-
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nothing major but which resin do you use? or rather which would you recommend? There are so many choices from Smooth-on and (of course) none had mask making listed in uses. I hate to invest in one only to find out down the line that was too strong or too heavy for wearing.
Wonderful tutorial, thank you for taking the time to take all the photos and explain your process in detail.
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Most of the Smooth-Cast series will work. Smooth-cast 325 is great. ONYX is harder than 325, which can be nice. 300 is pretty good, but can be brittle. They're all about the same weight.
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You are amazing (one of the best costume/fursuit makers I've seen) and these tutorials are
I know you must be super busy but I was wondering if there is a method you would recommend for more simple (smoother, less detailed) shapes? Like, I could make the mask I want out of paper mache or celluclay or whatever, but I am afraid of the weight being too great for the material and it sagging down over my face or breaking or sitting on it or something.
Could I maybe.. I don't know, make it in celluclay/expanding foam/whatever and then paint over it with resin and destroy the underform? I don't feel like I need to cast from a mold because this is a one-off without much facial detail (and the cheaper I can do this the better), but all of the tutorials I see other than yours are for making fiberglass car parts and I have no idea what is even relevant lol.
If you could guide me in the right direction I would be extremely grateful, even if that's throwing me at some random website and telling me to rtfm.
Thanks so much!
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The best way to do a single mask form as cheaply as possible would be to make it out of paper mache (the regular paper strip in glue method, not celluclay). You can form the paper mache over a clay shape, so long as the shape is simple and won't lock the mache shape onto itself. After that, if you wanted to give it a lot of strength, you could coat the paper mache form in resin or epoxy.
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How do you make the jaw moveable? or is that to come in later steps?
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would it be possibel for you to make a tutorial on how to make the jaw move, i serously cant find any good tutorials anywhere >.<
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Is this mask going to have a moving jaw?
Btw, great work so far.
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This mask eventually became the Copper Beast, which can be found in my gallery. So yes, it did have a moving jaw. I didn't finish the tutorial with this mask because, simply, I forgot to photograph something like 5 important steps.
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first off, i would like to say that you have the most beautiful and realistic masks and costumes that i have ever seen. and im all for realism in costumes and fursuits.
i plan on making my own fursuit this summer (because ill have time when school's out) and i want to make it as realistic as possible. so i hope you dont mind if i ask a few questions.. ^^'
when you are sculpting the mask, what kind of clay do you use? and is it possible to make a light mask without casting it in resin? (i have never casted anything before, and i don't know where to start.) if i end up using this method to cast a mask i definitely want to learn all i can about it before i do...
and just a few more questions C: ... could you show us how you do the hinged jaw? and how you add the fur? that would be so amazing. do you put the fur on the face all in one peace without cutting it? and one more thing, where do you get your fur from?
i'm so sorry for all the questions... ^^' i'm kind of new to this.
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I use plasteline. You can make a lightweight mask out of paper mache. I get my fur from Monterey Mills, mostly.
For additional techniques, I'd suggest you try to catch my livestreams. I'm doing those now instead of finishing this tutorial. I make a journal update whenever I'm starting a broadcast.
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oh ok i might do the paper mache instead. thank you!
and i have been trying to catch your livestreams, but i always miss them. :C is there any way you could record them?
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I'm going to record shorter segments periodically, that way people can watch the interesting points rather than sit through 8 hours of me jabbering on at what's popping up on the chat.
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that would be great! especially if your like me and always miss your livestreams haha
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Maybe later, I'm having enough trouble finishing this one.
If you google "fursuit tutorials" though, you'll get some very good results. My bodysuit technique is not very unique at all.
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Maybe but in turn very much exceptional looks you are one from good persons on DA doing fursuit ^^
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question..
after you make the mold which is made from the outside of your sculpture, it would seem that the cast would be much bigger then the wearer and fit really loose. to fill that gap, are you using foam or balaclava, or some other type of lining?
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Well, the sculpt isn't actually very big. The casting comes out close to the original face size, so all that's needed is a small forehead pad and a chinrest. The mask doesn't need to touch the whole face, and in fact, it's more comfortable if it doesn't. Should it need to be padded in significantly (i.e. if it were a very large mask), it's quite easy to install foam pieces or small pillows.
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I've never worked with casting materials, and this tutorial, though amazingly imformative, seems very difficult.
I've always been a fan of realistic heads, because I think that being able to create something that could so look like the animal you relate to can really make the difference. As I often have very little money, I have a terrible habit of trying to make fursuit heads when I'm either missing something or more often missing most of the stuff ^_^;;;
So how hard is it really to make something like this? Be brutal. I have 2 years of art gcse, a reasonible amount of sculpting skill (not much though), and a skintight budget.
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There is definitely a learning curve. It's very likely to find this sort of thing difficult at first, especially because this isn't really a totally beginner's level mold and casting. It's hardly impossible, though, especially with the number of tutorials available online.
It definitely can't be done on a skintight budget, though. The materials are very expensive, and learning can be especially expensive because it's very likely that you may have to start the mold over once, or that you may lose the first few castings.
I'd say that you'd want to save up about a $200 budget, at least, in order to be able to learn comfortably. The right materials can make all the difference in this case.
For reference, I spent about $1000 on materials when I took a class in moldmaking and casting.
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Ugg x.x
Ok! Then I shall work hard on it ^_^
Splains why your heads cost so much =]
Well I'd better start saving ^^
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how do you put the fur and stuff on?
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mh, one more question: you use taxidermy horns, right? would real horns also work?
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Yes, but depending on the horns, they may be too heavy. The resin castings are extremely lightweight.
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mh... I'm thinking about making a mask, not now, but maybe in around a bit more than half a year. Till then I want to inform myself alot XD I mainly asked because my uncle (I think he's my uncle... Oo) is a hunter, and he has a lot of horns, mainly beatiful antlers but also smaller ones. I might have a chance on getting on for free, like my fox hide, or at least for little cost. Oh, and I'm probably gonna ask you alot more questions..... sorry for that 
oh, and another small question: do you get your noses also from VanDykes?
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No, I sculpt my own noses.
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great tutorial from you!
I never know before how did the masks.
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I'm going to start this part of the tutorial, and I can't wait till you start part 2! I'm so excited!!!
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I just want to say THANK YOU for making these tutorials! I just made my first mask using your guides and it was a great success! I'll have to post pictures and link you to them. (= Your methods work out very well and your tutorial was very clear. ^_^ Thanks again!
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I was wondering, is one of those the filler, and the other two the resin?
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If you don't understand this yet, then you need to do more research. In this tutorial I have supplied you with all of the resources you need to know as much as I know about this process. Do more research, I can't help you anymore.
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