First Try: Latex Shrunken Head

[PFMF]

So, this is a Testrun for later Projects and a little fun for making a small Larp/Halloween craft project.

I am doing a Latex Shrunken Head.
My plan is to do a model, cast a plaster mould and pour it, to make multiple casts.
First is the model made from Monster Clay.

 

[PFMF]

So, for being my first ever sculpt it turned out rather well.
Will probably name him Jean Luc.

 

[PFMF]

And the mold is done.
Not a lot to say about it. Its a standart latex mask mould.
Turned out well, the monster clay can be mostly removed through melting by heatgun. The rest was dissolved with a solvent.

 

[division 6]

Cool.

So this is a one piece mold?

 

[PFMF]

Cool.

So this is a one piece mold?

Thanks.
And yes it is. Seemed to be a good way to go about it. The part is small enough, and overhangs are no big problem when casting a hollow latex part.

 

[PFMF]

So, did a test pour to see how it works and to clean up the mold a bit.
For a fast and dirty test it turned out surprisingly good.

 

[division 6]

Nice.

My stepfathers brother had 2 real ones in a display cabinet in his living room.

 

[PFMF]

Now its slowly working myself towards the right colour.
I am using specific Latex Pigments so I do not have some reactions in the materials down the line. (Latex can be pretty suceptible to averse reactions that lead to an early destruction of the part)
I am not there yet, but getting closer.

 

[PFMF]

Today I did a bit more playing around with colour. I will definitely need some orange or yellow pogment to get a better skin tone.

But I also did a think while working on my aquarium and came up with an idea for a more realistic colouring.

Real skin is layered and translucent. So just pouring the coloured latex will always create a flat and artificial look.

But uncoloured latex is too, translucent, and has a somewhat similar tone to the upper skin layer. So why not do a pour of thinned latex first, followed by the coloured latex.

The result has a nice look to it. The colour is obviously still off (and the latex is not completely translucent yet) but I like the sickly and more natural look it creates.

 

[division 6]

I think the coloring would first depend on the victims original skin color.
Also on the way that the head was dried and shrunk also how long it has sat after shrinking.

Most of the one's I have seen are dark.