Model Making

We have recently started out model making workshop which has been really interesting and enjoyable especially side I am interested in creating armatures for stop motion and how it all works in general. Our aim was to create our armature and then model which would then be cast in plaster so this could then be filled with foam.

After creating the wire armatures, we used millie put to create a base of the basic body shape, which we then covered in take, ready to cover in plasticine.

I left holes for eyes to be put in, which ad a hole pierced through. This is done so that they eyes of the model can be moved around if it is to be animated. I found the process of modelling really enjoyable, however I am very used to using clay, so it was new to me, however it was really good to be able to get used to using a new media, especially since I will have to use it again in the near future!

Once the model was complete, I cut around its shape into stoneware clay so I was able to lye it half and half in the clay,. I created 4 walls around it and ensured there were no gaps so that the plaster would not seep though. Once the plaster had been poured in, it took about 30 minuets for it to harden.

Once this was done, it needed flipping over in order to cast the other side too. The second time round was quicker and easier because I knew more of what to expect and how exactly to go about it. There were some difficulty when it came to pulling the model back out of the plaster, because ti oiled away some of the plasticine, however this was easily rectified. A way to have avoided this would have been to make the model slightly smoother, that way there would be less ridges for the plaster to latch onto.











Foam Time!

Before pouring the foam mixture into the moulds, we needed to brush the insides of the moulds with a soapy mixture which would prevent the mixture from sticking to the plaster. The mixture itself had to be mixed and poured in quite quickly.  Once it was poured in, all we had to do was move it around evenly and then leave t for about half an hour before peeling it out SLOWLY.