LAURA DICKEY
PROFESSIONAL MAKE-UP PROJECT
FULL HEAD CAST
27/3/15
PETE & WAYNE
TOOLS & MATERIALS:
- Bald cap
- Nivea
- Marker pen
- Alginate
- Mixing tubs
- Plaster bandages
- Water
- Zinc oxide tape
DEMO ON FULL-HEAD CAST:
Model preppped with bald and nivea cream over an visible hairs to prevent sticking.
Plaster bandage shell made around the back of the head with ribbons (strips) of plaster bandage to strengthen.
Alginate applied over models face. (Side view)
Alginate applied over models face. (Front view)
Plaster bandage shell applied over alginate against back shell.
Markers drawn on to indicate position of shell when it fits back together.
Laura Dickey. (2015). REMOVING A FULL HEAD CAST. Available from: https://youtu.be/x1dPkCfJ8MU. [Accessed: 27 March 2015]
Laura Dickey. (2015). FULL HEAD CAST - PLASTER BANDAGES. Available from: https://youtu.be/PeGiS-iXP9E. [Accessed: 27 March 2015]
Laura Dickey. (2015). FULL HEAD CAST - ALGINATE. Availablefrom: https://youtu.be/kOHRwUrWFD0. [Accessed: 27 March 2015]
Laura Dickey. (2015). PREPARING MODEL FOR A FULL HEAD CAST Available from: https://youtu.be/PVEbuzImbZc. [Accessed: 27 March 2015]
FULL HEAD CAST RESEARCH
METHODS & MATERIALS (BOOKS):
TOKYO SPFX WORKSHOP. (2012). A Complete Guide to Special Effects Makeup. Titan Books: UK
HEALTH & SAFETY:
Debreceni, T. (2013). Special makeup effects for stage and screen. New York: Focal Press, Taylor & Francis Group.
METHODS & MATERIALS (DVD):
HOW TO LIFECAST WITH MARK VINIELLO. (n.d.). [DVD] USA: STAN WINSTON SCHOOL.
NOTES FROM DVD:
- Release over your own arms and hands
- Mix the alginate and water with a 1:1 ratio. Sift the alginate into the water. Once mixed use one hand for cupping the mixture and one for scooping onto model
- Tools and materials: buckets for mixing, popcorn tubs, plaster bandages, hair gel, bin bags, tape, scissors and Nivea.
- Bin bag and tape in place
- Gel hair into a ponytail - fold bald cap in half and cut a hole. Position on bald cap and clingfilm and tinfoil around ponytail to protect hair.
- Draw on hairline
- Nivea loose hair around neck, eyelashes and eyebrows
- Mix a bag and a hald of alginate
- Fold plaster bandage 4 times to fold halfway over head to create leading edge
- Apply double thickness bandages over the rest of the head
- Mould release leading edge. Add ribbons of bandage to plaster
- Leave to set
STAN WINSTON - HOW TO LIFECAST:
MARK ALFREY'S LIFECASTING VIDEO:
NEIL GORTON - LIFECASTING WITH SILICONES & ALGINATES :
MARK ALFREY'S LIFECASTING VIDEO. (n.d.). [DVD] USA: MARK ALFREY.
NOTES FROM DVD:
- Glue on the latex bald cap
- Trim loose edges
- KY Jelly around hair
- Create a dividing line of plaster bandage across the head and cover back of head
- Add ribs of bandage to create strength
- Mould release dividing edge with plaster bandage
- Alginate over the face
- Brush bonding agent over the alginate and apply another layer of alginate
- Apply cheese cloth to alginate to allow bandages to bond
- Apply bandages again and build more ribbons
- Remove back and then front
- Mix small batch of alginate to fill the nose
- Plaster bandage mould together
- Place in bucket
- Mix plaster and pour into mould until it reaches the neck
- Spread plaster into small detail areas, apply burlap into mould
- Leave to cure and remove
- Rasp off any irregularites
LIFECASTING WITH SILICONE & ALGINATE. (n.d.). [DVD] NEIL GORTON PROSTHETIC STUDIO.
BALD CAPS AND LONG HAIR:
- METHOD 1: wrapping the hair
- METHOD 2: putting the hair in a ponytail
1. Gel hair to flatten and tie in a mid-height ponytail
2. Fold bald cap in half and line against model head and mark the ponytail. Snip a hole into bald cap
3. Slip cap over ponytail and put on back to front.
4. Cover hair with clingfilm to protect it and duck tape all over to make the ponytail stick out solidly so that it is out of the way
5. Glue cap in place and seal the cap by stippling over prosaide and then Kryolan plastic seal
6. Take models head measurements
FULL HEAD CAST USING SILICONE
- Lifeform silicone from mouldlife in a slow set
- Platinum addition cured does not stick to hair
- Measure 150g each of A and B for a full head or 14-16 cups
- Make keys from silicone by pouring silicone into an icecube tray and adding mesh fabric onto the back. Leave to set.
1. Apply bald cap and wrap ponytail
2. Nivea all over skin
3. Plaster bandage over the back of the head
4. Mix one batch of slow set silicone and layer over the face
5. Mix another batch of regular set silicone and apply 2 layer over face including ears and neck
6. Apply the keys
7. Plaster bandage over
8. Removal - remove plaster at back first and pop the ears out of the silicone and remove all.
CASTING THE WHOLE HEAD IN SILICONE
1. Apply silicone over all of face using slow set
2. Apply regular set across the back of the head
3. Place on the keys
4. Plaster bandage front and back at the same time
5. Mould release front leading edge and butt up the back half to this edge
6. Leave to set and pop off bandages
7. Split back of neck with scissors and tear silicone with hands up to the ponytail
PREPATING TO CAST A POSITIVE IN PLASTER
1. Place silicone back into plaster mould
2. Cling film around ponytail hole from inside and silicone inside the hole from the outside
3. Re-paint water based paint on hairline
4. Plaster bandage over pony tail hole
5. Duck tape front and back together
6. Fill with plaster
CLEANING UP A FULL HEAD CAST:
CREATING CHARACTER PROSTHETICS IN SILICONE - PART 1: PREPARING AND MOULDING THE LIFECAST. (n.d.). [DVD] NEIL GORTON PROSTHETIC STUDIO.
NOTES FROM DVD:
CLEANING UP THE LIFECAST
- Drill 1-1.5 mm holes across the hairline so you do not loose it
- Tool and materials: plaster rasp, serrated metal tools, dental tools
- Rasp in cross hatch patch across surface to flatten and smooth head
- Use a serrated edge tool to smooth ear
- Use smaller dental tools for around nose and nostrils
- Measure head as you go to compare against original head measurements
- Use sand paper to smooth the surface
- Finish by using a brillo pad soaked in water to further smooth and refine surface
Cover the ears of the your model if they are not required within your character design.
Terra alba and a pinch of salt with accelerate the cure of plaster - important to consider if you are pushed for time.
Add pieces of burlap t strengthen plaster lifecast.
Fibreglass matting can also be added to the plaster instead of burlap.
Attach a handle into the thick plaster mixture and secure ends with burlap. A handle would not be required for a full head cast.
Do not squeeze too much water out from the plaster bandages if using cotton fuz as it will not adhere too.
Wear a dust mark when mixing alginate as some contains silica.
Create detail layer of cast by brushing plaster into all nooks and crannies.
Average life cast time 30-45 minutes.
You can add cotton wool pieces to the alginate whilst it is still wet which creates a better bond for the plaster bandage.
Alternative model for covering the models nose, is to get them to take a deep breath in and sharply exhale to create perfecly rounded nostrils holes. If you choose to use this method then do the nose first and before the mouth.
Alginate does not stick to eachother do important to apply it whilst it is still wet. If this does happen by Algisto which is a alginate retarder.
Spread alginate rather than blobbling on to prevent airbubbles. Should be half an inch thick all over face.
Important to ensure model is sat upright prior to lifecasting. If your character is wearing denture then they must be put in first.
Here they rcecommend adding the alginate to the water, however, I have been taught otherwise. Alginate should not be runny. Wear gloves when working with alginate to make the process less messy.
WIth this method they wrap the models long hair to her head using grips before applying the bald cap. This means the final plaster cast will need to be sawed to match the models normal head measurements.
According to this, you should apply water over the vaseline to create a soapy mould release.
For removal use a spatula to prise in between the leading edges.
NOTES FROM DEMO:
- Minimum of 4 people required to do full head cast. 1 checking nostrils are clear at all times, 2 applying the alginate and bandages and 1 collecting products and mixing alginate.
- It is important to communicate with the model so that they are aware of what you are doing at all times.
Process:
1. Apply bald cap (must be cap plastic if working with silicone)
NOTE: For people with long, thick har - tie there hair in a ponytail and cut a hole in the back of the bald cap for the hair to fit through
2. Nivea around nostrils, bald cap, and any exposed hair such as eyebrows and eyelashes.
3. Ensure the neck and chest area is free on model and tape (zinc oxide tape) a bin bag around to prevent product spilling onto their clothing.
4. Mark models hairline on baldcap with water based paint
5, Create strips of plaster bandage which are doubled over 3 times to create leading edges
TIP: Keep hold of the end of the bandage when dipping in waterand it prevents bandage all sticking together
6. Lay bandages halfway over the head and round the back of the ears. This creates the leading edge where the alginate will meet so must be clean and tidy
7. Cover back of head in plaster bandages and create plaster ropes to position vertically down head to build integral strength
8. For the front - nivea along leading edge.
9. Place 1-2 bags of alginate in mixing tub (or 2kg silicone) and gradually add in water and mix in large bucket.
NOTE: Best to use slow mix alginate as you have more working time
10. Apply alginat from the top of the head so it drips down, scoop under the neck, scoop into eyesocket going outwards, across the mouth and finish with the nose.
NOTE: Keep an eye on models body language and ask if they are ok.
11. Tidy the alginate by remove any excess that overlaps leading edge and smooth with water
12. Layer on plaster bandage and add ribbons vertically onto mould
13. Draw on registration marks with permanent marker
14. Remove life cast.
After removal:
1. Superglue alginate nostrils to plaster bandage to prevent movement and distortion of the cast
2. Fill nostrils by pushing in alginate from the front.
3. Position cast together in line with registration marks
4. Plaster bandage around cast to hold in together
5. Fill with plaster.
NOTES FROM DVD:
Tools & materials: alginate, silicone (lifeform), plaster bandages (quick set), buckets, bowls, containers, bald caps (not latex for silicone), combs, hair brushes, gel, hairspray, vaseline and nivea, clingfilm, cottonwool, comfortable chair.
Process: Prepping model:
1. Slick back hair with gel (short hair)
2. Apply bald cap
3. Determine if you want to hide ears
4. Use telesis 5 adhesive, stretch cap and glue down ears. Glue middle first (widows peak). Glue all around and trim off excess 10mm in front of natural hairline.
5. Paint on hairline with water based paint and add markers across head and just behind each ear.
6. Get model to sit upright
7. Nivea over the cap and neck to help release
CASTING FACE WITH ALGINATE:
1. Cut different lengths of plaster bandage
2. Use slow set alginate and mix with ratio 2:1 water to alginate
3. Mix to a thick creamy mixture. When applying to the eyes smooth on the from the inner corner outwards.
TIP: Smear off excess alginate in one hand and use opposite hand for applying the alginate
4. Use cotton wool and press into the alginate to form a bond between plaster bandage
5. Peel off the cotton woold to leave just the fibres (createsa a mechanical bond between plaster bandage and alginate.
6. Apply double strips of plaster bandage in four layers across top of head to create leading edge,
7. Double over the face and smooth over with water. It must stick to the alginate to prevent distortion and apply small pieces of bandage across the nose.
8. Apply ribbons of bandage across face and neck to build strength of shell and leave to harden
NOTE: tape the plaster with a bandage to determine whether set or not
9. Removal - push fingers between gap at back of head and get model to wiggle their face to loosen alginate bond
CASTING A POSITIVE IN PLASTER:
1. Block nostril holes
2. Superglue alginate to stiffen and prevent distortion
3. Press fast cast alginate into nostrils from outside and plaster bandage over the create watertight seal
4. Trim excess plaster from cast
5. Fill bowl 1/3 full of water and sprinkle in fine casting plaster. Mix with hand to a milkshake consistency and work in a thin later to create a hollow cast and leave to set.
CASTING THE WHOLE HEAD IN ALGINATE:
1. Alginate all over the face. Work with more people and designate each person an area to work on.
2. Place on cotton wool and remove to create mechanical bond.
3. Create dividing line with plaster bandage
4. Brush release agent over front half
5. Create a thick later of bandage for the back of the cast
6. De moulding - pop out with fingers, create
7. Create split at back of head with blunt dental spatula in a 'T' shape
8. Get model to wiggle and move head to release
9. Plaster banage mould together and tape in place.
10. Reach inside mould and pop all together
11. Glue alginate to plaster bandage around nose and tack around all of the edges and superglue the split line
12. Fast cast alginate in nose and bandage over
13. Bandage around edge of cast and build a wall to prevent plaster from leaking
14. Fill mould with plaster and swish around mould to fill inside ear
15. Leave to harden for 6-8 hours and peel away cast in layers
16. Split alginate and remove in piece
17. Tach ear tip back in place
18. Remove air bubbles with dental tools.