Batman Mask project

[HeroLids]

You'll want to figure out your mould before casting. What do you want to cast them in? That will dictate your moulding technique more than anything.

Well i`ve gone for platsil-10 from watching a few tutorials due to the stretch quality to make a one piece mold with no split in the back, i`m sure there are other better products out there but that one stuck out to me, is that ok to rotocast urethane rubber with a release agent?

 

[TigerStoneFX]

If you haven't bought it yet, don't. While it would work just fine (although a little on the soft side) its way too expensive to simply cast urethane from IMO. Platsil Gel 10 is a prosthetic grade platinum silicone that was designed to run prosthetics with a deadener and a cap plastic encapsulater. There are much cheaper tin based silicones you can use for this job! Are you UK based? I can get you some links if so.

 

[HeroLids]

If you haven't bought it yet, don't. While it would work just fine (although a little on the soft side) its way too expensive to simply cast urethane from IMO. Platsil Gel 10 is a prosthetic grade platinum silicone that was designed to run prosthetics with a deadener and a cap plastic encapsulater. There are much cheaper tin based silicones you can use for this job! Are you UK based? I can get you some links if so.

Well i have bought only a sample batch, as on abit of a budget so not too much of a dent in the pocket, yes please if you could point me in the right direction of a cheaper product that would be better for the job that would be great thank you and yes uk based

 

[GoodGame]

I love how deep the eyes are gonna sit under the brow area. It's gonna make for some awesome shadows, especially if someone uses it in a fan film...Nice work!

 

[HeroLids]

I love how deep the eyes are gonna sit under the brow area. It's gonna make for some awesome shadows, especially if someone uses it in a fan film...Nice work!

Thank you very much, i`ve tried to make it as dark as i can without going over the top, design basis was the for the actual reason for his cowl, to strike fear into those he fights, i have a little something lined up which should hopefully make it pretty special, i think i have a good design idea for the white eyes, watch this space lol

 

[TigerStoneFX]

OK, sorry it took a while.

Silicone Mould Making - Casting - Prosthetics & Supplies UK have great silicones, it's what I use for all my moulds PS 28 Silicone Base 5KG - RTV Silicone Rubber - Silicones - Products
Its a great workhorse rubber and much cheaper than Platsil Gel 10.

Mouldlife.net sell Polytek rubbers but they're on the expensive side for what they are IMO and Mould Making and Casting Supplies from Bentley Advanced MaterialsBentley Advanced Materials | Materials For Doing More have all the Smooth On stuff which is also over priced for the Tin based rubbers but they're convenient and Benam also sell Vytaflex 40 urethane rubber which if you use Kick-It accelerator, will give you great cowls.

The thing with all this stuff is different places have different bits you need, I can order from 5 different places depending on what I need. Sometimes its worth the extra cost to order from one place but I like to shop around.

Hope that helps and feel free to ask any more questions.

 

[HeroLids]

OK, sorry it took a while.

Silicone Mould Making - Casting - Prosthetics & Supplies UK have great silicones, it's what I use for all my moulds PS 28 Silicone Base 5KG - RTV Silicone Rubber - Silicones - Products
Its a great workhorse rubber and much cheaper than Platsil Gel 10.


Mouldlife.net sell Polytek rubbers but they're on the expensive side for what they are IMO and Mould Making and Casting Supplies from Bentley Advanced MaterialsBentley Advanced Materials | Materials For Doing More have all the Smooth On stuff which is also over priced for the Tin based rubbers but they're convenient and Benam also sell Vytaflex 40 urethane rubber which if you use Kick-It accelerator, will give you great cowls.

The thing with all this stuff is different places have different bits you need, I can order from 5 different places depending on what I need. Sometimes its worth the extra cost to order from one place but I like to shop around.

Hope that helps and feel free to ask any more questions.

man don`t apologize its more than enough your even helping me like this i really appreciate it, its the one thing im lacking at the minute and that is my knowledge of the products and their names, so this is really going to help and get the ball rolling on to the next stage, a massive thank you from me

 

[TigerStoneFX]

No problem at all dude. There are so many things I wish I'd known early on with my first projects.

A brush up mould is a good way to start, 2 or 3 layers of silicone as it comes to get in all the details and then a couple of layers with a thixotropic additive to thicken the rubber to the point where you can scoop it on like icing letting you build up the thickness.

Then you can add your keys and make your hard jacket over the silicone.

 

[HeroLids]

No problem at all dude. There are so many things I wish I'd known early on with my first projects.

A brush up mould is a good way to start, 2 or 3 layers of silicone as it comes to get in all the details and then a couple of layers with a thixotropic additive to thicken the rubber to the point where you can scoop it on like icing letting you build up the thickness.

Then you can add your keys and make your hard jacket over the silicone.

lol i bet i was quite lost at first but slowly finding my way, think i`ve mastered the smoothing the last couple of days and that`s picked my spirits back up with the project and your help of knowing how to go about it next, even looking at the next project and lookinging forward to tackling it with my new found knowledge lol

 

[TigerStoneFX]

You'll make mistakes, we all do but the key is learning from them. Have you thought about what you'll use for the jacket?

 

[HeroLids]

You'll make mistakes, we all do but the key is learning from them. Have you thought about what you'll use for the jacket?

yeh that`s it man i don`t believe you really learn unless you make mistakes, yeh i got aload of plaster wrap left over from the start of the project so all good there, been doing my research and feel pretty confident about the whole process just need to pay a few bills then should be good to order all my materials in, couple of weeks and i think i`ll have a finished product, can`t wait

 

[TigerStoneFX]

I've done a few out of plaster bandage. If you should have some plaster around, you can dip some scrim into it and use it for a final layer to add support. Plaster is heavy but not everyone has a place they can use fiberglass.

 

[HeroLids]

I've done a few out of plaster bandage. If you should have some plaster around, you can dip some scrim into it and use it for a final layer to add support. Plaster is heavy but not everyone has a place they can use fiberglass.

Just wanted to ask a question, smoothing is becoming a real pain i got the basics down pretty well, but i really want a machine smooth finish all over, the silicone you recomended is pretty cheap and i wonderd if i were to mold it now, is there a good product that i could cast to sand and get a real good finish, then that could be mold for the final product

 

[TigerStoneFX]

It can be very tedious, especially when starting out and getting a feel for it. I did my first few projects by getting the clay as smooth as I could and the making a hard master I could sand smooth.

You can use fiberglass but I'm guessing you don't really want to do that for your first project. PS Composites have a fast cast urethane resin that you can rotocast into the silicone mould and then sanded before a final mould is done over that. They have many different resins that aren't listed on their site, call em up and say what you're working on and ask them which resin is best for that. Benam sell Smooth On's smooth cast 300 but its very expensive for what it is IMO.

Or if you want the cheapest route, Herculite 2 plaster is pretty good for such things, its just going to be heavier than urethane.

 

[HeroLids]

It can be very tedious, especially when starting out and getting a feel for it. I did my first few projects by getting the clay as smooth as I could and the making a hard master I could sand smooth.

You can use fiberglass but I'm guessing you don't really want to do that for your first project. PS Composites have a fast cast urethane resin that you can rotocast into the silicone mould and then sanded before a final mould is done over that. They have many different resins that aren't listed on their site, call em up and say what you're working on and ask them which resin is best for that. Benam sell Smooth On's smooth cast 300 but its very expensive for what it is IMO.

Or if you want the cheapest route, Herculite 2 plaster is pretty good for such things, its just going to be heavier than urethane.

Wicked thanks mate, i think next time i need to smooth as i go instead of leaving it all to the end, yeh i did think of the herculite plaster due to the cost, but like i said i just asked incase there was another product better for the job, thanks for the heads up will give them a ring and explain my situation, well changed the sculpt a little a bit, trying to upload a pic from my phone as my router is on the blink but its not seeming to let me, will try again in abit

 

[HeroLids]

There we go the final version

 

[HeroLids]

And from start to finish, changed abit over the time lol

 

[TigerStoneFX]

Wow man that's looking awesome!

 

[HeroLids]

Wow man that's looking awesome!

Thank you my mate, hopefully i'll fight the urge to keep fiddling with it lol

 

[TigerStoneFX]

You have to, or you'll never finish anything lol speak with any artist and they'll tell you, most of what they've done is unfinished in their eyes. Giving yourself a deadline can help. I'm a perfectionist but at some point you have to call it "done" even though it never is