The Mould Making Process
What’s involved in making a mould? How is a mould created and used? A run through of the process involved.
To start the mould making process we are presented with the original sculpture. In this case, the piece is carved from plaster.
In layers, silicone is painted on, building up coats to a thickness of around 10mm.
Seams are added so that the silicone can be cut into specific segments at a later date.
Seams are finished.
Blocks are added to lock the silicone case into the outer fiberglass case (to be added next)
In this case, a plug is created in the lap of the figure. Here you can see the timber top of the plug sticking out.
Next, the fiberglass casing is created. It is made up of a number of sections which lock together. The shape and size of the section is decided by the shape of the sculpture and where the undercuts present themselves. All the sections have to come away from the sculpture easily and without too much maneuvering. If the sculpture is a complex shape, more sections are needed. If it is a simple shape, less are required
Finally, the fibreglass case segments are removed and the silicone is cut to release the original piece inside.
The mould is then but back together- creating a negative space where the original once was.
Any number of materials can be used to create a cast now.
In this case, the piece was cast in bronze. In this picture, you can see the original and the raw bronze casting.
Here is the finished bronze piece, ready for instillation.
The artist with the installed piece at Woolahra Library, Sydney.
The woman is Florence Broadhurst.
The artist is Sam Harrison.
The mould was created while under contract to Crawford’s Castings, Strathfield.