Mask Making With Plaster
The humble plaster powder — and yet how many secrets it holds. What most people consider as a building material or even for decorating their walls and ceilings can also be used by doctors to set broken bones. Artists also often fall back on plaster to make statues and other art castings of their choosing.
Simple plaster powder is mixed with water to form a paste. This paste can be used in multiple ways to suit your purpose. It becomes very hard as it dries, yet can be shaped and carved easily while it is wet.
Mold makers often use plaster to capture the shape of the model they want to recreate. The mold captures details well, is durable and can be reused plenty of times. Plaster casting is a popular concept wherein plaster paste is poured into the mold and allowed to set. While plaster does release heat as it cures, it is still used by some life casting artists to make body molds, especially of the hands.
Plaster bandages are more useful when it comes to life casting as due to the minimal plaster involved creates very little heat. This is nothing but gauze bandages that have been impregnated with plaster. They are dampened with water and can be easily shaped on the stomach for making belly or pregnancy molds. They set into a hard and resilient cast that captures the basic shape and form very well. Plaster bandages are also commonly used to make shell molds that enclose the alginate body mold and help it retain its shape.
Not many people may be aware that plaster bandages can be used to make excellent masks as well. Let’s take a look at how this is done:
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· Take a roll of plaster bandages and cut out a number of strips in varying sizes. Lay them out so that they are ready for use.
· Prep the model by applying a liberal layer of petroleum jelly eyebrows.
· Leave the skin natural, do not cover the skin with cream of petroleum jelly.
· Wet a strip of plaster bandage by dipping it in a bowl of warm water before applying it carefully on the model’s face. Start with big strips on the forehead, cheeks and chin before using smaller ones to cover the nose, lips, eyes and other sensitive areas.
· The strips should be applied in an overlapping manner. Ensure that you smoothen out each strip with your fingers before moving to the next one.
· Work another layer of plaster bandages all over the face. Use wet fingers to flatten out the plaster all over.
· Using fast setting type bandages, the mask will take about 5 minutes to dry. Demolding is easy as all it takes is a few wriggles of the mouth or nose to loosen it. Gently pull it away from the face and allow to cure completely.
You can trim shape or paint the mask to get the look you desire.
