Mermaid Sirena
03-13-2014, 02:09 PM
Hello everymer! So a few of you have heard me talk about how I'm starting a new company for mermaid costuming. I'm working with Mermaid Vittigera to create beautiful and new things for you lovely mer's to wear. Vittigera is the creative genius behind the sculpting, molding, really all that awesome stuff. I'm going to be learning, but right now I get to have fun making everything else! Based on the feedback we received on my previous thread "Gills or Scales? (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?6838-Gills-or-Scales&highlight=scales+gills)" the first thing to be crafted was a new gill prothstetic for your neck.
I'm working on building a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sinthetic-Siren/465980160177846) and website where you can stay up to date on all the latest designs and progress. www.facebook.com/pages/Sinthetic-Siren/465980160177846 (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sinthetic-Siren/465980160177846)
After lots of work and sculpting the gills take shape, this first set is based on the gills of Lemon Sharks.
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1170_zpsa2094941.jpg
For those wondering this was sculpted out of plastilina, now that it's been smoothed out it's ready for the plaster pour. A plastic container was used for the pout to minimize mess and a barrier was built up so no more plaster would be used in the pouring than needed.
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1171_zpse12772dc.jpg
The plaster was dyed blue while mixing with food coloring so it would be easy to identify where the plaster was and where clay still needed to be removed from. It was left over night to set, although it didn't need that much time better safe then sorry as they say.
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1172_zps8ae15410.jpg
The next morning, the clay barrier could be moved away from the cast and while carefully flexing the plastic container the edges of the mold were released. When the the cast was flipped over though some of the plaster had gotten under the edges of the sculpt. This would have to be removed, a bladed sculpting tool was used to gently scrap away the excess plaster. After working away the extra plaster the edges of the original clay sculpture were visible.
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1173_zpse2e04b98.jpg
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1174_zpsab3efe91.jpg
To remove the clay from the plaster another clay tool to was used to pry the edge of the sculpt up a little at a time as to avoid damaging the cast.
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1175_zpsff4801e5.jpg
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1176_zps644ad0e5.jpg
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1177_zps18d4f57e.jpg
Unfortunately, the ridges of the gill cast didn’t survive the clay removal. Chalking this up to trial-and-error. Next time a the mold will be made with a more durable resin.
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1178_zpscbe8129c.jpg
To be continued...
I'm working on building a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sinthetic-Siren/465980160177846) and website where you can stay up to date on all the latest designs and progress. www.facebook.com/pages/Sinthetic-Siren/465980160177846 (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sinthetic-Siren/465980160177846)
After lots of work and sculpting the gills take shape, this first set is based on the gills of Lemon Sharks.
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1170_zpsa2094941.jpg
For those wondering this was sculpted out of plastilina, now that it's been smoothed out it's ready for the plaster pour. A plastic container was used for the pout to minimize mess and a barrier was built up so no more plaster would be used in the pouring than needed.
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1171_zpse12772dc.jpg
The plaster was dyed blue while mixing with food coloring so it would be easy to identify where the plaster was and where clay still needed to be removed from. It was left over night to set, although it didn't need that much time better safe then sorry as they say.
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1172_zps8ae15410.jpg
The next morning, the clay barrier could be moved away from the cast and while carefully flexing the plastic container the edges of the mold were released. When the the cast was flipped over though some of the plaster had gotten under the edges of the sculpt. This would have to be removed, a bladed sculpting tool was used to gently scrap away the excess plaster. After working away the extra plaster the edges of the original clay sculpture were visible.
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1173_zpse2e04b98.jpg
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1174_zpsab3efe91.jpg
To remove the clay from the plaster another clay tool to was used to pry the edge of the sculpt up a little at a time as to avoid damaging the cast.
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1175_zpsff4801e5.jpg
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1176_zps644ad0e5.jpg
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1177_zps18d4f57e.jpg
Unfortunately, the ridges of the gill cast didn’t survive the clay removal. Chalking this up to trial-and-error. Next time a the mold will be made with a more durable resin.
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag117/Tashina_Obrecht/Sinthetic%20Siren/IMG_1178_zpscbe8129c.jpg
To be continued...