Using plaster...

[pulpo ink]

Sup guys im working on my first project....im doing a magneto helmet from the movie first class...but i was wondering if its a good idea to use plaster...ive never use clay or bondo or any of that stuff....any tips??? thanks in advance

 

[batmatrix]

You'll have to be a little more specific. What exactly are you planning on using the plaster for?

Are you wondering if you could sculpt the helmet out of plaster?

 

[pulpo ink]

yes thats wat i meant

 

[madmanmoe64]

Sounds pretty unfeasible. Plaster is hard and brittle and not great to work with, you would definitely need something to support it. You could maybe try to build up plaster over a wire mesh form or something but it'd be unnecessarily hard, constantly cracking etc.

You could have a go at sculpting in clay, it's nice and pliable and it doesn't matter if you mess up just throw some more on and re-sculpt.

My preferred method would be to make the basic shape out of card and then smooth it over with bondo (or plaster if you prefer). (if you're not comfortable sculpting then someone may have already made a pepakura model you can use)

Whilst it can be hard trying a new technique, both of these require only a small investment and will be a lot easier than trying to build it entirely from plaster.

 

[pulpo ink]

well i used a pepkura model for the basic shape (magento helmet) and then used expanding foam on the outside bc it was too small so i used the foam to make it look bigger and then the plaster on top....wat u think?

 

[Ozymandius]

I'd say that it's almost certainly going to crack to splinters when you start working it. Plaster needs to be about an inch thick to have enough tensile strength for that kind of job.

 

[batmatrix]

The only way I would sculpt out of plaster would be to make a plaster cast and sculpt it and then make a mold of it so I could cast it out of resin. Even then there are much better things to work with than plaster. I would say get a larger pepakura model or do what Tom said and make a form that you cover in bondo.

What's the worst that happens? You mess up and wastes some money but you learn something. Trying new techniques will help you grow as an artist.

 

[helmet]

It sounds like expanding foam and plaster would make it not only brittle but heavy.