Wow this project has been on the back burner for an insanely long time.
FINALLY!!!! The mold for the new sculpt is finally complete. So far the mold is perfect and came out exactly as I wanted.
For the test castings, I'm experimenting on a casting method I had used on my original 18" diameter Idol pedestal. To save on material costs, and to keep the finished castings lighter in weight I'm doing this as a "sandwich" casting. Hydrocal gypsum cement (which is what I'll be using for these) is pretty darn heavy, so by using less material I'll be keeping the weight to a minimum without sacrificing strength.
What's involved in this method is pouring in a nice 1/2" layer of gypsum on the bottom of the mold. Then when the gypsum reaches a slushy state, I add a pre-cut, pre-measured round piece of rigid foam (this becomes the core of the final casting). The foam is very lightweight but also very strong. Then once the foam has properly anchored itself in the slush, I add the final pouring. The result, a rock-hard, solid but lightweight piece.
As of this writing, I just pulled the first casting and it's beautiful! But it's still a tad of the heavy side. For the second pull I used a thicker piece of foam and the weight is much closer to where I think it should be.
The surface details from the master sculpt reproduced beautifully on the casting.
It's hard to see the details due to the lighting and the flat white color of the fresh casting, but once it's prepped up and painted, all the little chips, cracks and nooks will really pop.
Here it is next to a miniature swimming pool.... no wait, that's the mold.
Please, DON'T throw me the Idol... it's really heavy and I don't want my skull cracked open.
The two first castings are still drying and will take another several days before they're fully cured. Then they'll be ready for sealing, priming, and painting. Stay tuned for a look at a completed piece.
