Working with your molds

Hey, guys. After you learn a bit about making the paste and dipping your strips, it is time for the fun part -- let's make something! Over the past few weeks I have been working on smaller objects (heads) and large objects (body parts).

Prepping your space: 
My work space for the larger objects is my living room floor on my exercise mats. On top of the mats I put plastic garbage bags. The paste will get messy, especially if you are working on larger objects.

My work space for the smaller objects is my kitchen counter top. For the heads, I have been using foam wig heads ($3 at Sally Beauty Supply). I am putting the head on top of a paper towel holder. There is a small hole in the bottom of each wig head that fits perfectly!

Building your molds:
Depending on what you want to make, the molds vary.

For body parts:
Think about the shape you want to create. For me, I have been doing torsos, rib cages, and animal carcases. Here is just one example so you can get the idea.

For a torso:
Here is what you need:

• 1 cheap white t-shirt
• twine
• saran wrap 
• newspaper 

Here is what you do:
Think about the shape you want to create. For a simple torso, you will likely use the whole shirt.
1) Lay the shirt on the floor.
2) Tie twine around the neck hole and arm holes.
3) Crumple newspaper and stuff in the shirt from the bottom until desired fullness.
4) Wrap saran wrap around the torso first.
5) Then, wrap saran wrap from the bottom of the shirt up over the left shoulder.
6) Next, wrap saran wrap from the bottom of the shirt up over the right shoulder.

Do not wrap saran wrap around the neck hole (where you have it tied) or around the bottom of the shirt. These holes are where you will remove the newspaper crumples after the mold dries!


For heads:
1) Put the wig head on your paper towel holder.
2) Wrap the head with saran wrap.
3) Use flat tacks or pins to hold down small areas (like the eyes and under the nose)

Do not wrap the bottom of the neck with saran wrap. This is where you will cut and remove the wig head later!



For other body parts:
If you really want a challenge, try making a human or animal leg or larger body part. Start with an inspiration image. Here is mine. Notice the pig leg on the far left!


To make this mold, you need a long-sleeve shirt.
1) Lay the shirt flat.
2) Tie off the left arm completely with twine, at the shoulder.
3) Tie the right arm with twine at the wrist.
4) Tie off the neck hole with twine.
5) Stuff with crumpled newspaper the right arm and just the chest area. Remember, the left arm is tied off at the shoulder, so you won't stuff this.

After you are done stuffing,

6) Fold the shirt under around the mid-section. Here is the shape:

7) Next, wrap the torso and arm with saran wrap. See how it now has the shape of the pig leg. The arm of the shirt has become the leg and hoof. The torso has become the thigh area of the pig! Weird, right?

Now your molds are prepped and ready to go!