Fibreglass Face Mold
Having experienced using fibreglass before, I decided I wanted the main part of the characters face to appear clean and have great detai. Fibreglass is a great mould to use as it's incredibly strong and lightweight. The processes I used this time were slightly different than the previous as I used different methods beforehand.
Instead of using alginate to cast my models face, I used a life casting silicone which cuts out about 3 days worth of fibreglassing, which is good if you are working to a deadline and need to cut the time down as much as you can but still have the same great outcome. I also like a challenge to experience new methods and to use new materials. I experienced a bad moment when using fibreglass the first time as I didn't manage my time very well, but I am sure that this time it will turn out perfect!
This is the outcome of the silicone life cast ( shown on the silicone page where it is explained in detail the processes). The outcome of the silicone turned out extremely well, and the great thing about using this material, is that it doesn't shrink after a few days, it is re-useable so you can create several moulds.
After the silicone was cured and ready for the next processes, I made sure it was cleaned and free from any substances left over or may of gotten onto the mould.
The next process to do, was to create a clay wall around the mould so it has an extended wall around the silicone to built up onto, and to also ensure the mould had a steady wall built around it to prevent it from tipping over during the fibreglassing process.
1. Wet clay was used to create the wall around the mould and placed on a wooden board for a steady base.
2. I carefully tore away pieces of the clay and created various shapes to fit to the mould, and smoothed it out to get an even finish.
3. Once a wall was built, I made sure it was then thickend up so the wall became slightly bigger to work with around the edges.
4. A view of the mould so far with all the clay thoroughly smoothed out and wall is evaluated properly.
5.A close up of the mould once the clay had been removed from the middle of the mould, and cleaned up with warm water. I needed to ensure the gaps were filled along the sides of the silicone.
6. Despite the gaps, I pushed the mould and clay together so the gaps disappeared but it would eventually repel again, so I decided to worry about that later on. Keys were then added to the mould.
7. Keys were added using a 1 pence piece, using screwing motions, kind of like using a compass pen to created an even circle. I found this method to be quite effective, and i was pleased with the outcome.
8. Another close up of the keys and a clean mould. The keys are used once the fibreglassing process one is complete.
9. I was happy with the first process before the fibreglassing, and the next process to make sure there was some sort of release agent on the clay so the fibreglass didn't stick to it.
10. Poly-wax was added to the surface of the clay, in the keys and all around the edges of the clay wall.
The Fibreglass Room....
The fibreglass room had changed since the last time I had used it, and it was a lot cleaner and much more organised to use all the materials without spilling it everywhere. The handy pumps on the resin tubs were a great idea, and it prevented any spillages, which was the problem last year. Everything was clearly labelled, and instructions were placed on the windows for first time users.
Tubs were drilled onto the wall, with various tools in for when drilling fibreglass positives and negatives together, with a variety of screws, washers and bolts.
The deadly Catalyst !!, no more than 2% per each 100g of resin is to be used. E.g, 100g resin - 2% catalyst, 200g - 4% catalyst...and so on, any more catalyst than stated can cause a serious reaction and may cause a fire.
This was a new experience for me to use this, but these pigments were used to put into the resin so you get a pigmented outcome. Red I decided to use, because it is my favourite colour, and it also made it more clear as to what mould was which.
Respiratory mask is always worn in the fibreglass room when applying dangerous chemicals. Enhaling these chemicals can cause serious problems, this is why these masks are ALWAYS worn when in contact with these chemicals.
A gel coat is firstly added to the silicone mould.
50g of resin was used for the mould as it was only small, and more than that would of been a waste, and 1% of catalyst was added, and mixed thoroughly.
< This is the mixture of gel coat and catalyst before it was mixed with a mixing stuck, the gel coat appears gloopy-like and light pink in colour, almost like calpol.
A small mixing stick was then dunked into the pot of red pigmented paint and then placed into the mixture of gel coat and catalyst.
The colour was extremely pigmented, and even the smallest amount turned the mixture a dark red.
11. A thin layer of the gel coat was carefully applied all over the silicone mould and onto the clay wall.
12. An observation picture, to ensure the gel coat evenly applied, and all the nooks and crankies were covered in the mixture.
13. A deep silicone mould always appears like its jumping out you, which is always the case with any mould, It all depends on the camera angle.
14. A close up of the colour and of the evenly spread gel coat, Especially around the nostrils.
100g of Resin and 4% of catalyst is then mixed thoroughly. Fibreglass sheets are cut into various shapes and sizes, and 2 pairs of gloves were worn for protection.
15. The mixture was then applied directly onto the fibreglass sheets with a brush, evenly spread until the sheet was soaked with the accurate amount of resin.
16. Small pieces were applied into the very deep crevices of the mould, and carefully placed.
17. After the entire mould was covered in the first layer of fibreglass, it was then time to wait for it to dry for the next layer to be applied. Last time I did this, I didn't wait for it to dry and applied another 2 layers which wasn't my best intentions.
18. A close up of the first layer completed, and the sides of the clay wall came together eventually once held in place and fibreglass was applied to form the shape.
19. An overnight wait for the first layer to dry was needed, and in my case....I didn't anything bad to happen to my mould like the previous time. A second layer was applied to the first layer, and it became a bit easier knowing that the first layer had cured properly and appeared accurate.
20. The second layer is ready to now dry, the edges I am not so worried about as they can be sanded down later on during the next process. The mould had nicely formed together and the fibreglass seemed to have kept the clay wall intact with the silicone. Again, a thin layer was added so no overheating took place.
21. After 24hrs had passed, now it was time to demold the fibreglass from the silicone mold. The key was to peel back some of the silicone first, and carefully pull back on itself.
22. I pulled the mod-rock mold off of the silicone first, so it was easier to pull the silicone from the fibreglass. I had noticed at this point that I had forgotten to fill in the nose piece, so fibreglass had managed to get into the holes.
23. This is me carefully peeling back the silicone mold from the fibreglass, using gloves to protect my hands from any sharp edges. 3 pairs of gloves were worn.
24. Mold was finally released from the fibreglass, and the fibereglass mold was then revealed.
25. This was the outcome of the fibreglass. From observation, the nostrils needed chizelling, edges needed cutting and sanded down, and just needed a general clean up. Overall I was happy with the outcome, and using red made it stand out more.
26. Here I got a chizel and hammer, and started chipping away at the nostrils so the unecessary bits were cut off.
27. After the nose area had been chipped off, it looked a lot better, and it was useable for sculpting on so that was the main point.
28. Still a bit needed taking off by the right nostril from a side view, so that was also cut off before the next stage.
29. A vibro saw was then used to cut away the sharp edges around the fibreglass mold. Gloves and goggles were worn for protection.
30. The vibro saw was incredibly heavy after a while and my hands started aching.
31. A wooden board was placed under the mold to protect the surface underneath.
32. Here I was finishing off the last few bits to ensure all sharp edges were removed.
33. Here I used a coarse piece of sandpaper around a wooden block, and sanded down all around the edges just to add extra protection against myself when sculpting.
34. The final after it had been all sanded down.
35. Side shot of the smoothed out edges.
36. Back view of the perfectly cut mold.
37. Back view of the mold. I didnt use any red pigment at the start of the fibreglass process which explains the different colouration.
38. Final ready to be sculpted onto.
39. Final ready to be sculpted onto.
40. Final ready to be sculpted onto.
What did you like or dislike?
From a bad experience on my previous project, I did want to make sure that everything ran smoothly this time around, I felt more confident having had a go at it before, but having learned the mistakes I made beforehand, I wanted to avoid it. I took my time in this project, I even pigmented my fibreglass which I hadn't had a go at before and I loved it. Apart from wearing those horrible masks for several days of working with the fibreglass, everything turned out a lot better than expected. I always love the smooth flow of applying the fibreglass sheets, this time not applying too much resin. I think I didn't like the fact I still had a fear of it going wrong all over again like before, but once the flow of applying each layer went smoothly, I couldn't have done it any better.
The worst part for me was probably building up the clay wall, although I am indeed a hands on kind of person that loves making new things, I didn't like the idea of the clay under my nails , and no matter how much I tried to smooth out the clay, I felt like I was just making more imprints with my fingers. I also hated the fact of returning home after a long days work and stinking of fibreglass, and even finding bits of the fibres stuck in your finger, OUCH!.
My favourite part must of been cutting the fibreglass mold edges with the vibrosaw, I have always loved woodshop tools, and even in school I loved making new things with all the tools and workshop machines. I always used to help my dad , even if it meant just passing him tools and learning how to DIY, which is where I got my experience and skills from, which I am forever thankful for.
What could you Improve?
There are always ways of improving your work, even if it means simple retouches like:
- Ensuring edges aren't sharp, but are smoothed out as much as possible during the fibreglass stage
- Ensuring you leave enough space for a clay wall, which was my weakness, and I ended up creating the keys the wrong way which puzzled some of the workshop staff which panicked me a little, bit despite that, I still managed to pull it out of the bag and create a useable finished mold,
- Experimenting with colour
Fibreglass is like a bike, the more you ride it the better you get, the more you use and work with fibreglass the better you get, which is my moto. I will always learn new ways of doing things, watching others apply it, and this time last year, I remember how badly my last project went, so if anything I am already one up from my last project, which is a bonus in my books.