Shawn R. L.
New member
Attention sculptors-resin castors. Solution to a problem that has PLAGUED me for 10 years
One of the things about sculpting with casting in mind (resin casting) that I have utterly HATED is putting the flash in between an isolated area. Painstakingly finicky - impossible to get a good fit. If the flash was built in from the start was a good thing (hard to align the design to continue from one side to the other) but often hard to know at the start since I usually sculpt \'seat of the pants\' with no plans, just a general idea and the sculpture just sort of happens.
Been mulling this over for a LONG LONG time, knowing that there has to be a better way......................well, thanks to Pat at the local art store I finally got it!!
I had been thinking for a long time of the old paper art technique called marbling where you had a special water solution and put paint on the surface which would sheet out. Perfectly flat, seeks to spread out. It is a tricky process though.
Pat says what about using clay to fill the hole and paint on some sort of film -----BINGO!!
Here I have the isolated area to be \'flashed\'.
Here I have the isolated area to be \'flashed\'.
Here I have filled the area with fimo and will press it to the edges, making it flat and smooth - smooth is important.
Here I have filled the area with fimo and will press it to the edges, making it flat and smooth - smooth is important.
Once the fimo\'s in and the edges are clean so the film will attach to the model I\'ll coat the fimo CAREFULLY with Vaseline being VERY CAREFUL to get it just up to the edge but NOT on the model. I used an acrylic clear stained glass paint. VERY GENTLY painted it into the area. A thin coat and made it touch the edges of the model and the white bridge I painted it on further up
I put on about 5 coats, letting it set up between each coat.
Either by breathing on the painted side a bit or for a short time holding it up to a light will soften the Vaseline a touch - GENTLY peel back the fimo.
What\'s left is a very thin film that fit\'s perfectly. You will need a small tool to clean some of the fimo that remains. I put an extra coat of stained glass stuff on the back to seal the edges
I have also used acrylic varnish and it works just fine. What I like about the stained glass stuff is that you can see where it is and by the color depth you can tell how thick it is. I like white fimo for the same reason, it is easier to tell where the fimo ends and the model begins. Whatever film medium you use, it tends to \'climb\' a touch at the edges and with a small sharp knife it\'s a snap to trim off.
This is definately a new procedure to me so you might say it\'s a work in process. more tricks to be learned.........hope you try this and find it useful. BTW - the part pictured above is from an uber secret sculpt I have been working on off and on for a year and a half. Once it get\'s cast, you\'ll be some of the first to know!!
One of the things about sculpting with casting in mind (resin casting) that I have utterly HATED is putting the flash in between an isolated area. Painstakingly finicky - impossible to get a good fit. If the flash was built in from the start was a good thing (hard to align the design to continue from one side to the other) but often hard to know at the start since I usually sculpt \'seat of the pants\' with no plans, just a general idea and the sculpture just sort of happens.
Been mulling this over for a LONG LONG time, knowing that there has to be a better way......................well, thanks to Pat at the local art store I finally got it!!
I had been thinking for a long time of the old paper art technique called marbling where you had a special water solution and put paint on the surface which would sheet out. Perfectly flat, seeks to spread out. It is a tricky process though.
Pat says what about using clay to fill the hole and paint on some sort of film -----BINGO!!
Here I have the isolated area to be \'flashed\'.
Here I have the isolated area to be \'flashed\'.
Here I have filled the area with fimo and will press it to the edges, making it flat and smooth - smooth is important.
Here I have filled the area with fimo and will press it to the edges, making it flat and smooth - smooth is important.
Once the fimo\'s in and the edges are clean so the film will attach to the model I\'ll coat the fimo CAREFULLY with Vaseline being VERY CAREFUL to get it just up to the edge but NOT on the model. I used an acrylic clear stained glass paint. VERY GENTLY painted it into the area. A thin coat and made it touch the edges of the model and the white bridge I painted it on further up
I put on about 5 coats, letting it set up between each coat.
Either by breathing on the painted side a bit or for a short time holding it up to a light will soften the Vaseline a touch - GENTLY peel back the fimo.
What\'s left is a very thin film that fit\'s perfectly. You will need a small tool to clean some of the fimo that remains. I put an extra coat of stained glass stuff on the back to seal the edges
I have also used acrylic varnish and it works just fine. What I like about the stained glass stuff is that you can see where it is and by the color depth you can tell how thick it is. I like white fimo for the same reason, it is easier to tell where the fimo ends and the model begins. Whatever film medium you use, it tends to \'climb\' a touch at the edges and with a small sharp knife it\'s a snap to trim off.
This is definately a new procedure to me so you might say it\'s a work in process. more tricks to be learned.........hope you try this and find it useful. BTW - the part pictured above is from an uber secret sculpt I have been working on off and on for a year and a half. Once it get\'s cast, you\'ll be some of the first to know!!
