Twi'lek Pam

. Interesting. I've never worked with that material before (or heard about it, even)..... but it does look like it has some good potential. I like the fact that it flexes more than sintra, which for the most part can only take curves in one direction. Nicely made tutorial as well. If you try some out, take lots of pictures and write up a tutorial of your own so that we can see how things went! Pam

. The ears covered by caps vrs. natural buds/cones debate has been running for years, and everyone has a different opinion based on what they read, where they read it, and what their personal preferences are. As far as accurate information goes, Wikipedia is not a reliable source. It's great fun for reading and somewhat helpful for research... but you have to take everything written there with a grain of salt because ANYONE can go in and edit the articles. I've even seen folks who work for Dark Horse go in and change inaccurate information about their own comics to make it correct, only to have someone else put the wrong information back again! Here is an old quote from Jan. It predates Talon, so it's a discussion about Aayla instead... but it does show her views on the subject! Hmm... she called them cones instead of buds. Time to change the name on the standards again? Pam

Very cool post, Thomas. Thank you again for supporting and championing the EU costumes. I doubt we could have made it as far as we have without your support at the top levels of the legion. Congratulations, Courtney.... and good luck! Pam

. Yes, we're aware that the costume isn't approved yet. But it never hurts to design standards that can help other costumers out. I can guarantee that people will continue to make the Talon costume whether it's approved by the 501st or not. She's just THAT that cool! Besides, knowing how long it usually takes us to iron out all of the details and wording on the various standards.... if we start creating them now, perhaps we MIGHT be done by the time Talon has enough references to become an approved character! The listing of costume components looks very good to me. My main suggestion would be to move the ear buds/caps to the required section, and I would call them buds rather than caps. (Caps suggest a cover of some sort, while bud denotes a natural thing. Jan has said that she views the buds as a part of Twi'lek female anatomy, so she draws Talon that way.) If someone can make the lekku, then the buds shouldn't be a problem, and they are in the reference pictures. I would also change the descriptive word "tribal" to "Sith" in the tattoo listings. Talon is occasionally shown wearing a metal headpiece that curves beneath her lekku from the back to the sides of her head. Sometimes it appears to cover her ear buds, and sometimes it does not. It also has two thin bars that go up over the top of her head which follow the same pattern as the V shaped tattoos that are seen on the top of her head when she is not wearing the device. It looks mechanical rather than decorative. I wouldn't call it a required element... but I would put it in a May Have section, since we know that details always make a big difference! Other than that... I would say it's about time to move on to writing the detailed descriptions for each piece. Very well done so far! Pam

. I'd love to help you out with this project. As a active Talon costumer you already know far more about it than me, but I have been studying the costume for a while now so I do have some ideas. (There's this little voice in my head that has been trying to convince me that if I go to the gym a bit more and curb my chocolate addiction, someday I could wear a Talon costume.... but it's debatable if I will ever find the self confidence or the painting assistance for that particular costume!) Pam

. I don't know if she will be an approved 501st charater, but I've been planning to make that costume to go with my husband's Nihilus. We've developed a tradition of making his-and-hers related costume sets. (Though a marriage counselor would probably have issues with the pairings that we keep choosing... especially the Aalya and Star Corps clone!) Pam

::giggling about the blimey conversation:: I'm glad to see that you were able to make repairs and not have to start over from scratch, Thomas. That would have been.... well, really bad! Although, honestly, I've found that my second (or third, or fourth) attempts at sculptures always come out better. You learn the tricks, and get better with experience! I use Chavant clay and Monster Makers, both of which are also oil based. Chavant is a lot softer and easier to work with, and usually takes only the warmth of your hands to work with it... but it's a tad on the expensive side. Monster Makers is cheaper, but it's also more difficult to warm up, and it jumps terribly fast from solid to liquid when you go overboard with the heat. Once I set a portable heater up near one of my lekku sculpts to warm it up before I started working, and then got sidetracked and forgot about it. I came back an hour later and found that the clay had slid off the lekku on the heated side and had landed in a gooey lump on the base. Heh.... oops! Pam

. If you need to change the color of a natural blend fabric, I highly recommend the Fiber Reactive Procion dyes sold by Dharma Trading Company. The colors are very high quality, they do not bleed or fade after you've washed out the excess dye, you can dye the fabric in warm (not boiling) water, it is very easy to custom mix colors, and the prices are very reasonable. These dyes do not work on synthetic fabrics, but then... few things do! http://www.dharmatrading.com/ Tips: - Note that I did not recommend RIT dye. The color is never a high quality, I always manage to burn myself when dyeing fabric with it, the color fades with each washing, and the colors can run if you leave it wet for a while. At Celebration 3 I was stuck in the rain one morning, and my RIT dyed Jedi robe bled brown dye all over my cream colored tabbards underneath. - If you request a Dharma catalog, you will find a chart with all of the available Procion colors on the inside of the front cover. The chart colors are more accurate than the colors you see on your computer monitor when you go to their website. - If you click on the "How To Info" tab in their website menu, you will find a great deal of helpful information on using the fabric dyes they sell. Much of this information will also be in the catalog. Step by step intructions are given for tub or washer dyeing a batch of fabric to get an even color. - Dharma also sells a wide variety of fabrics that are selected specifically for their ability to take dye well. They have fabric by the yard or bolt, as well as pre-made clothing blanks that are ready to be dyed. - If you need to paint spots or designs onto your fabric, you can use the Procion dye for this as well. Dharma sells thickeners which can be mixed into the dye to make them thick enough to apply with a paintbrush. Then, you paint on a fixer over the top, let it sit for a while, and wash out the extra dye. While I have found that this techniqe produces some terrific results, it does also leave some room for error... and you will most likely find some spots where you didn't paint on enough dye, or enough fixer... which will let the colors vary in brightness/darkness. - If you want an easier solution for painting designs onto your fabric, there are a number of high quality fabric paints that are applied with a brush or stamp and then are set with the heat from an iron or the dryer. - Fabric always looks MUCH darker while it is wet. When you dye a batch of fabric, you will need to leave it in the dye bath long enough to get a deep color... because once you've washed and dried it, the color will be considerably lighter. Some words of caution: - Any dye with red mixed into it may not dissolve well and will need extra care when mixing. Follow the instructions given on the website and/or the catalog for dissolving the dye, and really take your time. Reds, oranges, purples, and many brown toned dyes have red in them, and any undissolved red dye can leave permanent little spots on your fabric known as "freckles" if you are not thorough when you dissolve the powdered dye into your water. - If you are planning to dye raw silk, test dye a swatch before you dye your whole piece of fabric. Raw silk is notorious for not taking colors as you would expect it to, and you may end up with an unexpected color. A common example is brown. Raw silk tends to soak up red dye more than any other color, so a brown dye can turn the silk pink. This can be countered by mixing a blue-gray dye into the brown to tone down the reds. .

. Waahooo! I did it, I did it! Okay, maybe I'm a bit too excited... but that was fun! The blade seems too long and is far from perfect, but I'm happy with my first successful lightsaber drawing attempt. Photoshop and I, we're finally starting to understand each other. Thanks again for the tutorial! Pam

. The body paint is one of the biggest Make-or-Break aspects of a Twi'lek costume, so I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread that is just about the options and techniques for body painting. I have never painted the Sith tattoo patterns, so I will leave that aspect of Talon costuming to the experts... but I do know a bit about body paints and getting that base color down good and even! Here are a couple resources that I can offer. Everyone, feel free to add more resources, tips and tricks, and painting tutorials to this thread! The Sith Lords Detachment has a lot of information about doing the Maul patterns... which can be transferred over to Talon's designs. http://www.501stsithlords.com/ My Twi'lek website has information about the three kinds of body paint that are commonly used (water, alcohol, and latex based), as well as tutorials for applying the different kinds of paint. It also has links to places where body paint and other supplies can be purchased. Please excuse the dust... I'm in the process of giving the site and most of the pictures on it a complete overhaul. http://chucrew.com/Twilek/Twilek.htm Hope that helps! Pam

. I've been asked many times for the source of the fabric I used for my current Mara jumpsuit. I've always hated to admit it, but, well... I cleaned them out. Literally! When I bought the fabric, it was the last 5 yards that they had in stock. But, I got into the habit of checking their site every now and then, and last week when I checked it, they had 115 yards in stock again. There was a note saying that they're manufacturing it themselves now, however, so I figured I'd better check and make sure it's still the same material. I ordered a swatch, and it arrived this weekend. It's exactly the same material as my jumpsuit. Yay! And, it's even on sale. (When I got mine, it was $15.50 a yard. Now it's $11.99 per yard.) So, for those of you who wanted to know where I got my jumpsuit material, here you go. It's the black 4-way stretch PVC. http://www.MJTrends.com Like I've said before, this is not the perfect Mara fabric. I believe that it is too shiny and it doesn't have the leather look that I would like it to have. But, it's 4-way stretch, it is incredibly comfortable, it has held up well to many hours of trooping, and it does have the best sheen that I've been able to find so far. My quest for the perfect fabric will continue... (One warning though: Make sure your zipper is a long one. If you try to make the waist area form-fitting, but have thunder thighs like me, the fabric does not like to be stretched over the thighs and hips as you're pulling it on. The only big problem I've spotted on my jumpsuit so far is some damage to the narrow waist seams where they get stretched while dressing. I didn't make the zipper long enough.. it only goes to mid back.) Pam

Black Cire is one of the fabrics that I requested a swatch of a while back. It does have a VERY nice level of sheen to it, and a very good stretch as well. In the end I decided not to get it because while the fabric itself is very black, but the way it reflects light sometimes gives it a lighter grayish sheen... and it looked a bit off against my super-glossy shin guards. If anyone is interested, some of the fabric samples I requested were from SpandexOutfitters.com (including the Cire), which is currently having a massive sale of their fabric stock because they are going out of business. I haven't checked to see what they still have available, but there might be a good deal there that a Mara could use! Pam

. If there are any problems with the front surface of a fiberglass costume piece... such as damaged spots in the gel coat, or if the pattern of the cloth shows through, there is a way to fix it. Set the piece up on a support that keeps it from touching the tabletop. Then, mix up a batch of resin, add some talc to thicken it a bit, and then paint it on the front surface of your costume piece. The resin will still be a bit runny, so it will fill in any marks left by the brush, leaving a glassy smooth surface. It will also drip off the edges of the piece, but there's not much you can do about that. Let it drip, and let the resin that remains have time to cure. When it's done just cut off the drips, and you'll have a much better work surface for the front. Pam

. This tutorial is for the basic technique of laying up fiberglass mat or cloth in a mold. It's going to take me a while to type up a full tutorial and add pictures, but here's a start. I'll add more to this each time I get a chance. --------------- First, be aware that working with fiberglass is messy and potentially dangerous. The resin is sticky, and the fumes are not good for your health. The fiberglass itself is a skin irritant. Protect yourself by wearing a respirator, long sleeves, and gloves... and protect your work surface by covering it with plastic or newspaper. Don't let the precautions scare you away, though. As long as you take proper care of yourself and your workspace while you handle the fiberglass and resin, these materials will help you create high quality and amazingly durable costume pieces. Materials Needed: - Polyester Fiberglass Resin (It's more cost effective to get it by the gallon.) - Fiberglass Mat or Cloth (For small projects, I prefer the cloth. It takes curves and is easier to apply.) - Resin Catalyst - Respirator (Use a high quality respirator, NOT a dust mask!) - Eye Protectors (Goggles, or the glasses type. Protect your eyes from resin splashes.) - Disposable Paint Brushes (Home Depot sells affordable 15-pack bags of 2" chip brushes!) - Pre-made Gel Coat, or Talc so that you can make your own Gel Coat. (Baby powder will do.) - Plastic cups (I prefer the low, wide cups so that I can dip the brush in easily.) - Measuring cup - Sharpie - Stir sticks (Plastic spoons work great!) - Drip Sheet (I get a roll of plastic, and cut pieces off as needed. Newspaper works, also.) - Long sleeved shirt - Disposable Gloves (Get a whole box and keep it handy. Change gloves when they get sticky.) - Acetone (If you want to have it handy for cleaning brushes or resin spills. I never use it.) ----------------------------- - Start by making sure that your mold is clean, and put down a sheet of plastic or some newspaper over your work area. Set out the materials you are going to use. - Apply release to the mold. If the mold is made of silicone the fiberglass won't stick, but it's still a good idea to give the mold a light spray of release to lengthen the life of the mold. Molds made with other materials will need to be sealed and coated with a high quality release. Several light coats of PVA are a good idea. It's always wise to do a test on some scrap material before you begin working with fiberglass, to make sure that everything will release as needed, and so that you will know how to use the materials before you risk damaging any sculptures or molds you have done. - Put on your respirator, goggles and gloves before you begin handling polyester resin. You should never breathe the fumes. - It's a good idea to make a stack of pre-labeled disposable mixing cups before you begin a project. Determine how much resin you want to mix each time (I typically mix 4 ounces), and measure that much water into a cup. Use the Sharpie to mark the water line, and then pour the water into another cup. Mark the water line again, and so on until you have a stack of pre-labeled cups. Dry them well. - If you are going to use a purchased gel coat, you will simply mix a batch according to the instructions on the can. Measure out the resin, and then add drops of the catalyst. Mix well. You will need just enough to give your mold a single thick coating of resin. - If you do not have a pre-made gel coat, you will need to make your own. Begin by pouring the desired amount of resin into a cup. Again, you will need just enough to give your mold a single thick coating of resin. Pour in talcum powder, mixing it thoroughly until your resin begins to thicken and no clumps remain. Since talc is very lightweight and not tightly packed, I usually pour in as much powder as the amount of resin I used. Then, add catalyst according to the directions on the label, and mix well once again. (The brand of resin I use typically requires from 10 to 14 drops of catalyst per ounce of resin, depending on the weather.) Note: Fiberglass resin is very sensitive to temperature. If the weather is hot, the resin will cure VERY fast, often while it is still in your mixing cup. In this case, you can reduce the amount of catalyst you use by a few drops to help slow down the cure time. If the weather is cold, the resin will cure very slowly. You can speed up the process by adding a few extra drops of catalyst... but don't add too much. Working in cold temperatures with too much catalyst will create fiberglass that is very brittle. - Use a disposable chip brush to apply the gel coat to your mold. Make sure to cover every surface as evenly as you can, and make sure you do not leave any air bubbles trapped in the resin. If the gel coat pools at the bottom of the mold, you can brush it back to the top again. Continue doing so if you need to until the gel coat begins to set. Once it starts to thicken into a gel, do NOT touch it anymore! You will damage the front surface of your casting, and you won't be able to see it until you're done with the project. - While you are waiting for the gel coat to harden, clean up the area if you need to and prepare your fiberglass. I usually throw away my brush instead of trying to clean it. - If you are going to use woven fiberglass cloth, cut it with scissors into pieces that are a good size for your project. If you use fiberglass mat, tear it apart with your fingers so the fibers will frayed. I usually cut a variety of sizes and shapes, depending on the size of the project I am working on and the shapes of the pattern that the fiberglass will need to fit into. I prefer to keep the pieces no larger than 4 inches square, because it's hard to get air bubbles out from under larger pieces. Rectangles that are 2-3 inches wide and as long as necessary are often the easiest to work with in my opinion. - After the gel coat has cured enough that it is stiff, but is still just tacky enough that touching it can leave a slight fingerprint, it is time to start applying your cloth or mat. You don't want to start too soon, because the pattern of the cloth or mat will press through the gel coat and show up on the front surface if the gel coat is still too soft. - Mix another batch of resin. The amount you mix will be dependent on the size of the project. For smaller projects, I typically mix 2 or 4 ounces of resin at a time. Even for large projects, I rarely mix more than 6 or 8 ounces. I'm a meticulous worker, and I don't like being forced to hurry because I'm racing the cure time of a big batch of resin. - Paint a layer of resin onto the back of the gel coat. Lay a piece of fiberglass on the wet resin, and then use your brush to press it into the resin. Use the brush in a stippling motion, repeatedly pressing down the fiberglass so that all of the air under it is forced out and the fibers lay close against the gel coat. As the fiberglass soaks up the resin it will turn transparent. Any places that remain white will need to have a bit more resin brushed on. Air bubbles should be forced out from under the fiberglass with your brush. - Continue adding more pieces of fiberglass using the same technique, extending the pieces out past the edges of your mold. (You can cut off the excess with a dremel tool after the resin cures.) Press each piece of fiberglass onto an area already wet with resin, and then add a bit more resin on top. Overlap each piece of fiberglass, crisscrossing them for added strength. The thickness of the fiberglass will depend on the strength that will be needed for your finished piece. For costume construction, I typically use about five to seven layers of fiberglass. It is very strong, but still lightweight and thin. If your gloves get sticky while you are working, change them. - If you run out of resin, mix another batch. You will need to throw away your plastic cup and use another cup for every new batch of resin, but you can typically continue to use the same brush until the resin in it begins to cure. Do NOT use the same cup over and over again... the resin will eventually melt through the plastic, and you'll end up with a puddle of resin spreading across your work table! - When you have finished giving your mold an even thickness of fiberglass all the way around, set it aside to cure. I typically wait until the resin is completely cured, just to be safe... but I know that some people prefer to pop the piece out of the mold while it is still slightly flexible, which makes it easier to remove. It's a matter of personal preference, and also depends on if the fiberglass might get locked in the mold if you wait until it is no longer flexible. - Hold the fiberglass piece up to a light and check for thin spots. If you see any, it is a simple task to mix a bit more resin and add another layer or two of fiberglass. - Finish the piece by cleaning up the edges. Dremels work best for this. Wear your respirator when grinding or cutting fiberglass. The resin fumes aren't really a problem anymore, but the particles you'll be sending into the air can't be good for you to breathe! - Sand down any problem spots. If you want a very glossy front surface, the best results will be achieved by wet-sanding with 600 or 800 grit sandpaper.

. Ug... I've had a terrible problem with that, too! My first jumpsuit was made with the most perfect LOOKING fabric... but it didn't have enough stretch. So it looked great, but I was miserable. Since then I've requested or purchased black fabric samples from dozens of fabric stores all over the country, and I've made jumpsuits out of five different materials (and one out of leather) but nothing has worked as well as I want. Fabrics with the perfect sheen aren't stretchy enough. The really stretchy fabric is either too shiny, or it's a matt black that does not show any of the costume details. I finally gave up and made a jumpsuit with shiny material, the least shiny stuff that I could find. It's glossy, but at least it isn't the wet-look stuff. And it is soooooo comfortable! I still wear the original low-gloss jumpsuit to events sometimes, but that thing gives me a backache within an hour of putting it on. The search for the perfect fabric continues.... Pam

Welcome! Although, for making a mask... I would recommend that you should use fiberglass rather than just a casting resin. You would get a mask that is stronger, lighter, less inclined to crack, and considerably thinner. Of course, I don't think I've posted a fiberglass tutorial yet... I'll get to that later tonight. (Remind me if I don't!) ::runs back to her half-molded lekku sculpt:: Pam

] Uhm, well, I took a series of resin casting photos for a tutorial, and I stored them in a folder around here... uh.... somewhere... I had to set the tutorials project aside for a while so I could finish the mad-dash to get some new costumes ready for C4, but I can help you out. Casting in resin is quite easy as long as the design is simple. (When you get into larger pieces and undercuts, that's when it gets more complicated and you start wishing for/needing a pressure pot.) -------------------- - Start by figuring out how much resin you're going to need. Fill your mold with some water, measuring to find out how much water it takes. That'll keep you from mixing way too much or too little resin. I usually write the amount on the side of the mold with a sharpie so I'll remember it later. I usually mix a little more resin than the measurement, just in case any is lost to a small spill, and so that I don't have to waste time tryping to scrape every last drop out of my mixing cups. - After thoroughly drying your mold, spray it with a mold release. (I use Universal Mold Release, which I get from Smooth-On.) Even if it's a silicone mold, you should still use a release. It'll lengthen the life of the mold, and will make it a lot easier to pop out your casting afterwards. If the release tells you to brush it in, do so carefully. Sometimes brush marks can be left on the mold, which then transfer to your casting. -Measure out the two parts of the resin according to the directions that come with it. The amounts and measurement style varies by brand and resin type. Some you just mix 50-50 by volume, while others need an accurate scale and might have a 30-70 mix, etc. To save your measuring cups, it's best to first measure the amounts with water. For example, say you need to mix 3/4 cup of Part A with 3/4 cup of Part B. Instead of getting resin in your good measuring cups, measure 3/4 cup of water and pour it into a plastic drinking cup. Use a sharpie to mark the water level. Do the same thing with the other cup. Then pour out the water and dry the cups. Now you have a pair of disposable measuring cups which can double as mixing cups. - Many resins kick VERY fast, so pay attention to what the directions say about mixing time. Alumilite, for example, will kick in less than a minute. You can't waste time once you put the two components in the same cup! Pour, mix, and into the mold it goes! Other resins, such as some of the Smooth-On types, take a few minutes or even a few hours to set. - Pour the resin into the lowest part of the mold, if you can, and allow it to spread up over the details of the mold. That will reduce problems with air bubbles getting trapped. If you have problems with air bubbles getting trapped in your mold, it helps to have someone vibrating the table while you pour, such as by tapping the table next to your mold with a rubber mallet or a heavy book. Tipping the mold from side to side if there are undercuts can also help release air bubbles that get trapped. - The resin will cure via a chemical reaction, so it will get very hot. Don't touch! Allow the mold to sit undisturbed until the resin has had a chance to solidify. It's best to let it sit until it starts cooling, because even after it has kicked, it will still be a bit flexible. Handling it too soon can warp your casting out of shape. Hope that helps! If you have any questions, just ask. (And I promise, a better tutorial with accompanying pictures will be added to the boards.... eventually!) Pam

If I remember correctly, Vaseline works well in a very thin layer, but I would do a test run before I trusted it.... better to make sure it works okey before you risk having uncurable silicone spread all over your model! If you want to get better stuff, I use Mann's Ease Release 800. IT can be found on Smooth-On's website. (And once you're there... go ahead and buy a package of the "high end" stuff to experiment with. I recommend Dragon Skin. You'll fall in love with it, guaranteed!) For a face mask... it would probably take about 2 or 3 tubes to get a good sturdy thickness. Pam

. When you need to make a mold of a model which has two sides, deep undercuts, or openings that go completely through the model, the easiest method is to create a flexible two-piece silicone mold. I am going to create tutorials for two common methods used to make two-piece molds. The simplest method is to make a "block" style mold. This mold is easier to make, but it uses considerably more silicone rubber and is therefore somewhat more expensive. The second style is called a "shell" or "case" mold. This type of mold is more complicated and more challenging, but it uses a minimum amount of silicone. Both mold types can produce high quality castings. This tutorial is for a two-piece mold called a "Shell" or "Case" mold, which I believe makes the highest quality castings. It is also the most challenging type of mold to make... so be patent and be prepared for a bit of trial and error while you learn the process! I have demonstrated block molding in another thread. For this tutorial, I am going to use my Mara Jade blaster for the demonstration pictures. The blaster was made of wood and styrene pieces, and has been painted with gray primer and then black paint. Note: A shell mold can be made very compact in order to use as little material as possible. I prefer to make larger molds, however, and this tutorial will reflect that. I like to make a "base" for my molds to stand on so that I don't have to hold them upright when I'm working, and I like to make them larger around than they need to be so that I can easily use mold straps. These straps have a 'locking' design that snaps tightly closed, keeping the mold from leaking when I make castings later on. Mold straps are difficult to use on very small molds, so I keep things easy and make slightly oversized molds. ******************** - First, check your model for problems. Fix any scratches or uneven lines, and make sure that you are happy with the way it looks. If you glued two pieces together, make sure that the silicone won't be able to seep into the space between them. The mold is going to copy and reproduce EVERY mistake... so it's better to make repairs once on the original model than to make the same repair over and over again on dozens of future castings! - Seal your model with an acrylic spray. I recommend Krylon Crystal Clear. It is widely available and works well. Let the sealer dry for a full day before you move on to the next step. - Draw a dividing line around your model with a permanent, felt tip pen. This line shows where the mold will be splitting into two pieces around your model. This line can be a true line, or it can be a row of dots. I like to draw dots and use a fine-tip Sharpie. Most of the time this line will stay in the center of your model, but occasionally the design will create a need to move the seam line to one side or the other. An example of this is the sights on my blaster. The center line was very small there, so I jogged the seam to one side. The key thing to remember for the center line is that it should follow the contours of the design so that the mold will be easy to remove. If there is a lump or undercut that might "lock" the mold onto the model, plan the dividing line to minimize that problem. - Decide on the placement for a pour hole. Tip your model to different angles and find the best way to fill it with resin or whatever material you are going to use. Keep in mind that you should minimize the surface area of your model that you will be affecting by this hole in the side of your mold. It will leave a 'plug' of casting material that you will have to cut off later. - While you are holding your model with the pour hole location on top, take a look at the rest of the model. If you can see any places where air might get trapped when you pour a casting, keep them in mind so that you can place an air vent in that location when you build your mold. - Select a firm surface for working on your mold. When making a small mold, I like to use a 12x12 ceramic or masonite tile. The textured surface is rough enough to 'hold' clay and hot glue, but it's also sealed so that cured silicone rubber and hot glue will peel right off of it. Tile also has the advantage of being portable, easy to turn so that you can work on the different sides of the model, and easy to clean. A tabletop also works well if you don't have a piece of tile, or if the project is too large for one. - Lay a large piece of Saran Wrap, aluminum foil, or plastic on your work surface. This will make it easier to pick up the clay base later on. - Roll a 1/2 inch thick layer of clay across your covered work surface, making it several inches wider than your model all of the way around. I like to make this base wider than it needs to be, just to keep things easy. Ultracal likes to run off the model when you do the face coat, so having a wide base makes it easier to push the Ultracal back into place. - Slightly scoop out the area where your model will be centered on the clay, and then press your model down into the clay. I prefer to use water based clay. It is soft, easy to blend, and is easy to clean up. - Add small pieces of clay if needed until the dividing line you drew on your model is lined up with the top edge of the clay, and then level out the top surface of the clay with a damp sponge or scraping tool. This does not have to be perfect, but I'm a neat freak so I always smooth everything out anyway. - Cover the model evenly with about 1/4 inch of clay. Smooth it out and make the line where this clay touches the base clay a sharp right angle. - Add two or three "registration bands" of clay. These stripes of clay will help the silicone mold stay in perfect alignment with the Ultracal support shell later on. Again, make the connecting edges sharp angles. - Add a cylinder of clay near the center of the model. This 'plug' will create the hole where you will later pour silicone into the mold. Make the plug at least 1 inch wide. I prefer to make them about 1 1/2 inches wide so that it will be easier to pour the silicone. - Use small 'worms' of clay or a drinking straw to create vents that will allow air to escape from any places inside the mold where air might be trapped when you fill the mold. These vents should run to the other edge of the clay. They do not have to be very big around. Air doesn't need a lot of space! Angle the vents so that they will go toward the top of the mold when you hold it with the pour hole on top. You don't want them to angle downwards, because that would simply trap more air inside your mold. - Use clay to build up 1/2 of the resin pour hole. This lump of clay, also called a plug, should be wider near the outer edge of the clay, and should be smaller where it touches the model, like a funnel. Make the funnel slightly larger than you think it needs to be, since the silicone will be taking up a bit of space inside. - Using rectangular pieces of clay, add 'keys' to various places around the outer edge of the clay. The keys should have sharp right angles, and can vary in length. Make them about 1/4 inch tall and wide. These keys will ensure that the two halves of the mold will fit together correctly when you begin making castings later on. - If you want to, you can build up a small retaining wall around the outside edge to hold in the Ultracal. I prefer to have a comfortably rounded mold for ease of holding, so I don't do this. (Note: In this picture you can see that I placed a piece of cardboard at the "bottom" of the blaster. I will make the Ultracal support shell wider in this area, giving my mold a flat bottom that will allow it to stand when finished. You can also see that I chose to place my 'pour hole' plug at the end of the blaster grip. Air would have become trapped in the two raised 'hammer' areas, so I also added a vent to those places with a drinking straw. - Mix enough Ultracal to cover your model about two inches deep all of the way around. Start with a small amount of cold water (For this project I started with about 1/2 inch of water in a one gallon bucket), and then sift in the Ultracal. Do NOT mix the Ultracal into the water! Instead, let it sink to the bottom on its own. Gradually the water will become saturated with powder, and the Ultracal will begin forming a crackled "dry riverbed" look on the surface of the water. Allow it to continue soaking for a few minutes longer, and add more Ultracal if it starts looking soupy anywhere on the top. - Stir the Ultracal with your hands (wear gloves to keep them from getting dried out!), breaking up any clumps until the material is smooth. - Using your fingers or a chip brush, spread a 'face coat' of Ultracal over the clay. This first coat should be about 1/4 inch thick. As the Ultracal stiffens, it will be easier to keep it on top of the model area and within the boundaries of the keys you made. - After the face coat has stiffened enough to stay in place and has begun losing it glossy look, begin dipping pieces of burlap into the remaining Ultracal in your bucket. Saturate each piece, and then spread them over the top of the face coat. This burlap will add strength to the support shell. Cover the top area with about 3 layers of burlap. I add an extra layer or two to the outer edges, folding them over to make the edges stronger. If you run out of Ultracal, mix a bit more. - Cover the burlap with a final "beauty coat" of Ultracal. This coat will cover all of the fibers, which tend to get stiff and scratchy if you leave them exposed. Some people use a wet sponge to make this final coat very smooth, but I prefer to leave a bit of texture on it so that it will be easy to grip later on. Note: You can see in this picture that I added a considerable amount of burlap to build up the base area of my mold so that it will stand upright and not topple over. Folding each piece helps build up the bulk faster there. - Allow the Ultracal to set for at a couple hours. - Pick up the whole thing... clay, model, Ultrcal and all... and turn it upside down. This is where you will be glad that you spread a layer of plastic underneath the clay! Peel off the plastic, and then remove the clay base. If it's still wet and clean, you can toss it back into your bag for reuse. - If there are any rough edges in the Ultracal, now is a good time to clean them up. Use a plaster rasp to file the edges smooth, but be careful since the Ultracal is still soft and can be damaged. Note: In this picture you can see the keys that were created with the clay earlier, and the air vent that will release air from the hammer area. I left the clay that surrounds the blaster intact, as well as the clay that is filling the pour hole for the resin. - Now you will need to repeat the process of covering the blaster with clay, exactly as you did on the first side. First, cover it with 1/4 inch of clay. - Add the registration bands. - Add a cylinder of clay for the silicone pour hole. - Add more clay for the top half of the resin pour hole. Remember to make it slightly oversized. - Fill in the vent holes with clay to keep them from getting filled when you make the second half of the shell. - Check the keys. If there are any places where an undercut or poor angle might later 'lock' the second half of the shell onto this half, now is the time to fix the problem. - Using a stiff brush, APPLY A COAT OF VASELINE to the top surface of the Ultracal. This is very important! It will keep the second half of the shell from sealing itself to the first half. If you don't do this, you will never open the mold without breaking it. - Add small pieces of clay around the outer edge of the Ultracal. These will created 'pry points' that will be used later on when you crack open the mold. Without them, it can be very difficult to open the mold! Note: In this picture you can see that I added a line of hot glue along the edge of the cardboard base. This will keep the base from pulling away or allowing Ultracal to leak down. So tell me, does that thing look like a chicken thigh and leg to you, too? - Mix and apply the Ultracal exactly as you did for the first half. Apply the face coat, let it set a bit, and then add layers of burlap. Once again I built up extra layers of burlap at the base before smoothing down the outer beauty coat. - Allow the Ultracal to set for a couple hours. - Use the plaster rasp to clean up any rough edges and to make sure that the second half of the mold hasn't run down over the first half, sealing them together. I like to rasp all of the way around the edge, making sure that I can clearly see the dividing line all of the way around. The Ultracal will be VERY hard once it cures fully, so now is the time to do the cleanup! - I prefer to allow the mold to cure overnight before opening it. This will keep it from chipping or cracking when it is opened. - Use a flathead screwdriver to open the mold. Insert the screwdriver into the pry points. You can ignore any clay that is still in them, or you can clean it out first. It helps to have some small scraps of wood or styrene on hand to shove in the crack as you open the mold. Many mold makers use pieces of cut up paint stir sticks. Open an area and place a piece of the stir stick inside to keep it from closing again. Then move to the next pry point and open the crack a bit wider. Add another stick, and so on until the two halves of the shell come apart. - Try to keep your model in one side of the shell. This will make things easier later on. If it comes out, you'll just need to put it back in one side again, making sure to line up the dividing line with the edge of the Ultracal. Now you have two halves of the support shell. One side will house the model, while the other side will need to be cleaned out. Pull out the clay on that side and SAVE IT in a sandwich bag! The clay will help you determine how much silicone you will need to mix up later, and the bag will keep it from drying out. On the side of the shell that now holds your model: - Make sure that the model is still sitting with the dividing line even with the edge of the Ultracal. It might have been lifted too high when you opened the mold. - Adding pieces of clay wherever they are needed, build up the clay that the model is resting in until it reaches the dividing line all of the way around the model. Make the clay surface as smooth as possible, and make the edge where the clay touches the model a clean and sharp right angle. This will give a sharp edge on your mold that will give you the highest quality seam lines possible. - Use clay to fill in any air vents in the Ultracal so that the silicone won't run into them. - Add clay to make one half of the pour hole where you will pour in the resin. This clay should not go all of the way out to the Ultracal. (This is why you made the pour hole oversized earlier.) - Smooth the clay to a glassy finish, and make sure that it does not overlap the Ultracal. The edges should be perfect. - Use a small rounded tool to cut a 'gutter' into the clay around the edge of your model. The gutter should be midway between your model and the Ultracal. Most mold makers use a rounded loop tool for this, but I like to use a hair pin that is bent into the shape I like. - Smooth the clay again, being sure to keep every angle sharp. - Clean the top and sides of the model thoroughly, making sure to wipe away all clay residue. If you leave any clay on the surface of your model, it WILL show up in the mold, and in every casting you make afterward. Even a fingerprint can be reproduced by the silicone! Damp Q-tips and paintbrushes make good cleaning tools. Don't use tissue; it will leave lint on your model. Use as little water as possible. Using too much water will soften and weaken the clay surrounding your model. - Spray a coating of silicone release agent on your model. This will help you remove it from the silicone later on. It is not necessary to spray the clay, but overspray on the clay surface won't hurt anything. Give the model a light coating, and then use a soft brush to spread the release into every nook and cranny. Make sure the brush doesn't damage the clay! Give the model another light coating of release, and then let it sit for ten minutes or so. Don't spray too much, as this can cause problems. On the side of the shell that is now empty: - First, make sure that all of the clay has been removed. The last traces can be cleaned away with a damp paintbrush. - Find two or three points that are the lowest in the mold when you are looking at the inside. (These will be the highest points when the mold is turned so that you are looking at the outside.) The lowest points are usually inside the registration bands. Drill small holes through the lowest points, drilling from the inside of the mold to the outside so you won't risk chipping the inner surface. This will allow air to escape when you pour in the silicone later on. Two holes are usually enough, but you can add more if you want. - Put a thin line of Vaseline around the inner edge of the mold. The theory is that it will help create a seal or gasket that will keep the silicone from leaking between the two halves of the shell. - Fit the two halves of the shell together and strap them tightly. - Some people put a line of hot glue around the seam at this point to keep any silicone from leaking out, but I don't. Using an oversized mold and mold strap locks the shell halves so tightly together that I've never had a silicone leak. - Cover your mold straps with a plastic bag or some Saran Wrap to keep the straps from getting silicone on them. It tends to cause problems later on if they get coated with chunks of goop that won't come off. - Have a flat piece of clay on hand, ready to cover the opening at the top that has been left for the resin pour spout and the air vent holes. Don't cover them now... they will serve as an escape route for trapped air until the silicone reaches that area. - Find out how much silicone you will need for the first half of your mold. Using the clay that you saved in the sandwich bag earlier, you can see exactly how much volume you will need to fill inside there. Measure out your silicone according to the instructions, by weight or volume. Then pour both components into a mixing cup or bowl, and stir it well for at least three minutes. Be sure to scrape the bottom and the walls of the cup. When you're sure you've stirred it enough, stir it some more! The most common problem with silicone is not getting the two components mixed completely together. If you have a degassing chamber, use it after the silicone has been thoroughly mixed. If you are creating a large mold, you might want to consider mixing two or three smaller batches of silicone instead of trying to pour the whole thing in one shot. The silicone gets thicker and stiffer once it has been mixed, which might cause problems as you pour. By mixing smaller batches, you avoid the risk of having the silicone start to thicken in your mixing cup when you're still trying to pour it. - Pour the silicone into the hole in the top of your shell. Do this slowly, in a small stream or it will fill in the pour hole and create a trapped air pocket inside. It helps to have an assistant bump the mold gently against the table, or thump the table itself with a rubber mallet as you pour, which will spread the silicone across your model faster and can release any air bubbles trapped inside. Keep pouring until the silicone fills the mold. When it begins to leak out of the air vents or the resin pour spout, use small pieces of clay to seal them closed. Note: I like to fill the mold about 3/4 full from the silicone pour hole, and then I turn the mold to stand upright and I continue filling it from the top, using the opening where the resin will be poured in later. It seems to give me better results, and I can wait until I see silicone leaking out of the air vents or pour hole before I seal them, assuring me that the mold has been truly filled. I don't know of anyone else who does this, but it works well for me. - Leave your mold undisturbed overnight. If the room is cold, place the mold in a warmer area to help the silicone cure. - Remove the mold strap and carefully open the two halves of the shell. One side will now have silicone around the model, and the other side will still be covered with clay. Try very hard to keep the silicone sealed against the Ultracal shell, and keep the model sealed against the silicone. This will keep the mold edges sealed against leaks when you pour the second half of the silicone mold. If either of them come apart, you should be able to press them back into place. - Clean every trace of clay off the model and silicone. Save it again so you will know how much silicone it will take to fill the second half of the mold. - Because the trigger would trap air when I pour in resin, I added a small line of clay that connects the trigger to the trigger guard. This will create a small piece of resin that I will have to cut out later, but it will act as an escape vent for any air caught in the trigger. - Using small rolls of clay, fill the air vent channels again. Make sure the clay fills in the entire vent, and touches the model. This will keep the silicone from filling the vents when you pour the second half of the mold. This clay only needs to fit down inside the channel. It does not have to go higher than the channel. - Use clay to fill the pour hole plug in the bottom half of the mold, and then add more to it so that you create the second half of the plug. The clay should now be a round plug, with the bottom half of the plug down in the silicone, and the top half rising above the silicone. It should look very much like a small funnel. - Clean all of the clay out of the empty side of the shell. - Drill air vents in the low points of the shell again, being sure to drill from the inside to the outside. - Spray a coating of RELEASE AGENT. Give the model, and most importantly, the silicone mold half a coating of release agent. This step is very important! If you do not use the proper release, the two halves of your mold will glue themselves together, and you'll be stuck with a silicone brick! Use the soft brush again to spread the release agent over every surface, and then give everything a second coat. Allow it to dry for ten minutes before continuing. - Strap the two halves of the mold together again, and have pieces of clay ready to seal the air vents and pour holes as the silicone begins leaking out of them. - Mix another batch of silicone, exactly as you did for the first half, and then repeat the process of slowly pouring the silicone. Pour until the mold has been completely filled, and then let the mold sit overnight again. - Open the mold and clean away the last traces of clay. Carefully remove your model from the mold. If possible, try not to pull the silicone out of the shell. Leaving it there will always keep things perfectly lined up, and the silicone that ran into the pour hole and air vents will help to hold it in place. - If all went well, you now have a perfect silicone mold with a Ultracal shell! Shell or case molds tend to have very, very good seam lines. There should be little or no flashing when you cast copies of your model in this mold, and everything should stay perfectly lined up. - Strap the mold closed again and fill it with water. (If you added a base like I did, this is when you will really appreciate having a mold that stands on its own!) If your seals are good, the water will only run out of the air vents and the rest will be perfectly watertight. Cover the air vents to hold the water inside, and measure how much water it takes to fill the mold. That will tell you how much resin you will need to mix later. - Label the mold with a permanent marker. I like to add the date so I will know how old the mold is later on, and I write down how much water it took to fill the mold so I don't have to check that again each time I cast a new blaster. - Now you can cast copies of your model! Silicone molds will not stick to most casting materials, but you should always use a release agent. It will greatly increase the lifespan of your mold, and will make it easier to remove your castings from the mold. - Add a coat of Vaseline or paste wax around the air vents and around the pour hole to keep resin from sticking to the Ultracal. Reapply it every now and then since it will wear off with each casting. - When you pour casting material into your mold, have some lumps of clay or pieces of tape on hand. As you pour, casting material will begin to leak out of the air vents. Allow it to push out all of the air, and then press the clay or tape against the holes to seal them so that no more material will be wasted. It is not necessary to seal the pour hole, since that should be at the very top of your mold. - Have someone gently bump your mold against the work surface and tip it a little from side to side while you pour in the resin. This will help to remove any air bubbles that may have been trapped inside. It also helps to have someone thump continuously on the tabletop with a rubber mallet as you pour. It jars the air bubbles out of the casting and makes them rise to the top. - Allow the casting material plenty of time to cure. You don't want to get impatient and open the mold while the material inside is still soft. And, that's it. Wow... that tutorial took forever to write. Hope it helps someone out there! Pam

LOL!!! Thanks... I needed a good laugh! Pam

. Take a look at the manufactured items around your house. Professionally machined objects have perfectly level surfaces, straight lines, and even curves. Their angles are sharp and exact. When you make costume pieces that need to have a manufactured look, always remember that the lines, curves, and angles are the key features. Good lines and angles can make your armor or blaster look like it really was made in a factory on Corellia... while uneven lines, sloping surfaces and sloppy angles will make your costume look homemade and less than professional. So, what's a good way to start when you want to make something look professionally manufactured? Start with something that was made by a professional manufacturer! Take it from the queen of recycled shapes.... there is a huge variety of objects around every house that can be used as the base for costume pieces. Keep a cardboard box handy somewhere, and throw things that might be useful in it instead of just throwing everything away. One of my favorite things to keep are the vacuformed plastic covers that many store items come in. You know, the clear cover that's glued to a piece of cardboard backing. They're small, they're lightweight, they're free... and you never know when the clear plastic shell that once held a set of Sharpies might be the perfect shape you need for a sculpting project! Sometimes a 'recycled' item can be added directly to a prop or costume piece. More often, though, you will need to modify it to make it fit correctly. Or, it might need a bit more detail. It is very hard to change the shape or add things to a piece of thin plastic... but that piece of plastic can easily be used as a mold. All you need to do is cast the shape in a material that is easier to work with. Here's an example. I took the plastic vacuformed wrapper that once covered a jar of powdered Covergirl makeup, I sprayed in some mold release, and then I poured in some resin. A few minutes later I popped the resin out, and I had a perfectly round disk with a professional curve on the top. Since it was resin, that disk could be sanded, carved, and modified in any other way I might need. Then I took the plastic lid that once covered a roll of electrical tape and did the same thing. I ended up with a resin disk that was slightly larger than the first disk, and perfectly flat. I glued the two pieces together, added a bit of detail with a dremel, then added some scraps of melamine to the outer edges. I cut the tops off some rivets and glued them on, and the whole thing was glued to a piece of scrap styrene to keep it all perfectly alligned. Once the glue was set, I built a retaining wall and made a silicone mold. From that mold, I used fiberglass to cast the back piece for my Mara Jade shoulder harness. Can you imagine how long it would have taken me to perfectly shape those round disks by hand? Recycling a couple pieces of plastic saved me hours of work, and gave a more professional look to my finished product. So, the next time you finish off a box of rivets or open up a package of elastic... before you throw away the packaging, take a look at the shape. Is it in good condition? Might that shape come in handy someday? If your answer is yes, then toss it in a box and save it. The bigger the assortment of shapes you collect, the more likely it will be that the next time you need something, your box 'o stuff might contain exactly the shape you need! Pam

. If you need to make a mold of a small object, the easiest thing to do is to cast it with silicone in a small cup. - First, consider the size of the cup you will need. Most are wider at the top, and narrow at the bottom. You will probably need to use the top area of the cup, which means that you will need to fill the bottom area with clay. Make sure that your model will fit inside with at least 1/4 inch of extra space all of the way around. If it is too large for a cup, you can also use a bowl. I like to use disposable Ziploc bowls. - Put clay in the cup or bowl to give yourself a flat working surface. It should be at least an inch below the top of the cup, and should be as smooth and flat as you can make it. - Gently press the model into the clay. You do not want to bury the edges, you simply want to seal them. Press the model into the clay until there are no places where the silicone can run underneath it. If the object does not have a flat bottom, you'll have to add pieces of clay to seal the bottom edge. - Spray mold release into the cup. The silicone shouldn't stick, but it's better to be safe and use the release. It will also protect your mold by saving it from wear and tear when you pull it out of the cup and off of your model later on. - Mix a small amount of silicone according to the directions. Be sure to mix very thoroughly! For this demonstration, I used OOMOO from Smooth-On. - Slowly pour the silicone into the cup. Be sure to pour it beside your model, not over the top, and allow the silicone to slowly spread across the surface. This will push the air out of the way as it spreads, thus avoiding air pockets. You will need enough silicone to cover the model with about an inch of silicone. You can use less, but it will create a more sturdy mold if you pour in a bit more. (Note: in this picture you can see that the bottom of the cup is not completely filled with clay. There's no point in filling it completely when you don't have to! Leaving some air pockets makes it easier for you to pull out the clay and toss it back into the bag for reuse later.) - Allow the silicone to cure overnight. - Remove the mold and model from the cup. The easiest way to remove the mold is by cutting the side of the cup and peeling/tearing it back. Since the silicone is flexible, you can also gently pull it back from the edges with your fingertips and ease it out of the cup or bowl. Be careful not to tear or damage the mold while you are removing it. - That's it! Your mold is ready for its first casting to be made! .

. When you paint a prop (or costume piece), you should always keep the prop lifted off the table surface. This is especially important if you are going to use an airbrush or spray paint. Raising the prop off the table allows you to see it from more angles, it allows you to paint around the lower edges, and it keeps the paint from 'sealing' your work to the table surface as it dries. If you are painting a small object, an effective (and cheap) raised painting surface can be made with a cardboard box and a few rivets. Turn the box upside down, and stick the rivets in a scattered pattern through the cardboard so that their long side is facing down. The 'collar' piece of each rivet will stop it from sinking too far into the box, and the rounded ball at the top will provide a nice smooth surface for your prop to rest on. And, when you move on to another project, the rivets can easily be pulled out and reconfigured to a new shape. Always allow the paint to dry thoroughly on the first side before you turn a prop over to paint the other side. Turning it over too soon may cause damage to the newly painted surface. Be patient, and you'll save yourself from having to make repairs later on! Here's a box and rivet stand in use...

. When I was in college, with a typical college student's budget, I learned that household silicone caulk can be quite useful. I have used it a number of times to make molds, as well as casting flexible pieces with it. The stuff is VERY cheap (usually just a few dollars per tube), so it's great for when you're working on a budget. It is not as easy to use as a professional grade of art silicone.... but sometimes a bit of extra effort is worth the savings! It can be found at any hardware store, or at places that sell household repair supplies. If anyone has more information or advice, please feel free to share! ---------------------------------------------- - Get the type of caulk that comes in long tubes with a pointed plastic tip. You will also need a caulk gun, which isn't expensive. It's just a holder for the tube, and a squeeze trigger that pushes the caulk through the tube. All you need to do is place the tube in the gun, cut the tip off the applicator, and you're ready to go. - Experiment with a few different types of caulk to see what kind works best for you. I like the clear kind, so I can see my model through it and better judge the thickness of the silicone. - Silicone doesn't stick to most things very well, but you should still always use a mold release. It's also wise to spray your model with Krylon Clear to seal up any pores it may have. You might want to do a patch test as well, just to make sure that the silicone won't lock onto your material, and to make sure that there's nothing in your model or mold that might inhibit the curing of the silicone. Better safe than sorry! - There are two ways to apply the caulk. The simplest way is to just apply the caulk straight from the tube and directly onto your model or into your mold. If you dampen your fingers with soapy water, you can hand-shape the silicone as you work and it won't stick to your hands. - If you wish to use a larger amount of silicone at one time and not deal with the tube as you're working, then get a gallon bucket and add some soapy water. Squeeze the caulk into the water until you've got enough. The soapy water will keep it from curing too fast, and will keep it from sticking to the bottom of the bucket or your hands. Pick up the silicone with your hands, and pat it into place on your model or into your mold. - If you only use part of a tube, it can be sealed so that the rest can be saved for later. Duct tape over the end of the applicator works well, as does shoving a large nail into the hole that you cut at the tip. - After the silicone cures, it can be cut open with a utility knife if necessary. - Keep in mind that silicone is flexible and very smooth, and most things won't stick to it... so it is very difficult to paint. They do sell caulk that is designed to accept paint, though. (Usually so you can use it to seal around doors and windows and then paint it to match your house trim.) If you plan to paint something cast in silicone caulk, make sure you get a brand that says it can be painted! --------------------------------- To prove that silicone caulk can work very well for mold making, here's a bronze casting that was made using a household caulk mold. I started with the two models, critter and wood, which I coated with a heavy layer of silicone caulk. The caulk was backed with a plaster two-part support mold. Once the plaster was hard, I took it off and then cut open the silicone mold with a utility knife. Because silicone is so flexible, I only had to cut a line down one side. It opened and peeled back like a 'jacket', and the models came right out. I then reassembled the molds, and strapped them tightly closed. Melted wax was poured inside, and the molds were rotated as wax cooled and hardened so that the casting would be hollow. The molds were opened again, and the wax copies were removed. The pieces were then cast in bronze and bolted together. (The different colors were created by treating the metal with different chemicals after casting.) As you can see, the silicone picked up and replicated every detail, even the "hair" that was created by running a toothbrush over the clay. Silicone caulk might be cheap, but it can give you some great results! Pam

I honestly have no idea! We do a lot of projects and I use the bandages for other things as well... so we buy it in bulk, usually in 15 or 20 pound boxes. It lasts for a while that way, but keeps me from having much of an idea of how much I've used each time. It's best to have plenty on hand, because if you run out you'll end up with a too-thin mold that won't hold it's shape and then you'll have to start all over again. If you think you're going to do more projects or if you just want to err on the safe side, then get a big box like we do. It's wrapped in protective plastic and won't go bad, and you'll save a lot of money in the long run. If not... well, I'd hate to make a guess on a small amount and then have someone get mad at me because they took my advice and then found that they didn't have enough material! Pam