Silicon Mask Making Part 1 - 3

Brian Le

Silicon Mask Making Part 1

• How much EM210 did the instructor use?
• How much amount of Sculptex clay was used and which hardness was used?

• At 1:23 in Prepping Epoxy for Mold Making, we are instructed to use the EpoxAmite 102 catalyst but when I Ctrl + f "EpoxAmite" I dont see EpoxAmite 102 in the list of materials. Why do I see EpoxAmite 101 hardener instead of EpoxAmite 102?

• In Applying the EpoxAcoat, can generic cabosil be substituted for Ure-Fil9?

• In Applying the EpoxAcoat, when attaching the nails to the mouth, how deep should the nails go? Is it supposed to hit the core? Do I have to worry about the nails hitting the clay sculpture?

Silicon Mask Making Part 2: Finishing The Epoxy & Fiberglass Mold


What are some things to do before and after I start making the mold? Here it says there are courses for sculpting specifically for silicon masks, have sculpting courses for silicon masks been released yet? I've seen some different courses on painting silicon skin such as How to Paint Realistic Silicone Skin - Silicone Painting Techniques by Tim Gore and Painting Silicone Skin - Realistic Flesh Tones by Jamie S. Grove. What are the differences between the two? I'm looking to sculpt, mold, cast silicon masks, and paint human faces. What courses should I take?


Silicone Mask Making Part 3: Casting and Demolding

Do I have to make my own pattern for the powermesh hood? Are there any available? Because when I buy powermesh it comes as fabric and not a hood correct? 

How many lbs of Chavant clay should be sufficient to be making a sculpture on the core similar to the one in the lecture? Should I be using soft, medium, hard Chavant clay or is it a preference?

Can I use the 4 oz Silc Pig Green and Silc Pig Fleshtone?
 

Matt Winston

Hi Brian, 

I've passed along your question on Silicone Mask Making Part 1 to instructor Mikey Cooke and will get back to you when he responds. 

Regarding some of your other questions:

1 - Mask sculpting - we haven't shot a course specific to sculpting silicone masks, but we have two course series that will teach you many of the same techniques you will use to sculpt a silicone mask:

First, check out Bruce Spaulding Fuller's course on sculpting a multi-piece silicone makeup:
https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/tutorials/prosthetic-makeup-sculpting-character-creation-tutorial

Secondly, we have an amazing mask sculpting course by Norman Cabrera here (for latex masks):
https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/tutorials/how-to-sculpt-a-mask-sculpting-monsters-in-clay-norman-cabrera-part-1
https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/tutorials/how-to-sculpt-a-mask-sculpting-monsters-in-clay-norman-cabrera-part-2
https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/tutorials/how-to-sculpt-a-mask-sculpting-monsters-in-clay-norman-cabrera-part-3

As I mentioned in the older comment you posted, one of the main things to keep in mind with silicone mask sculpting is not to sculpt too thick. Silicone is fairly heavy compared to foam latex or slip latex, and you want your mask to be comfortable to wear, so keep your thickness around 1/4", although you can go thicker in areas, of course, and a bit thinner around the eyes and lips, as long as you reinforce those areas during the casting process with power mesh to prevent tearing.

2 - Silicone mask painting - Either of the two courses you mentioned by Tim Gore or Jamie S. Grove will be perfect to learn techniques for painting silicone.

3 - Power mesh hood - you will have to make your own pattern based on the dimensions of the core you're using. Review the chapter where Andrew Freeman and George Frangadakis discuss power mesh for tips on how to go about it.

4 - Every sculpture is different so I can't tell you how many pounds of Chavant you will need for your sculpture. I would start with buying a smaller amount. If that doesn't give you the amount of clay you need, buy more. Most sculptors in the industry prefer working with Chavant Medium over the hard or soft variety. You can cut it up and put it under a heat lamp or in a toaster oven on low setting to keep it soft enough to work with.

5 - Silc Pigs are great for pre-tinting silicone to the base tone you're looking for. You will add it to the Part A of the silicone rubber system and then mix thoroughly before mixing with Part B. Don't add too much though or it could inhibit the curing process. A little goes a long way.

Good luck on your mask making adventures! The most valuable advice I can give you is to get started! You will learn the most by doing.

Matt

Matt Winston

Hey @Brian Le - I have those answers for you from Mikey Cooke:

Q: How much EM210 did the instructor use?
A: I used about a half block of EM210.

Q: How much Sculptex clay was used and which hardness was used?
A: I used a minimal amount of Sculptex. I prefer soft Sculptex, but any firmness should be fine.

Q: At 1:23 in Prepping Epoxy for Mold Making, we are instructed to use the EpoxAmite 102 catalyst but when I Ctrl + f "EpoxAmite" I don't see EpoxAmite 102 in the list of materials. Why do I see EpoxAmite 101 hardener instead of EpoxAmite 102?
A: Epoxamite 101 and 102 refer to the type of catalyst used for the 100 series. You can choose whatever working and cure time works best for your application. I use 102 for the increased work time since I'm not worried about the cure time.

Q: In Applying the EpoxAcoat, can generic cabosil be substituted for Ure-Fil9?

A: Generic cabosil should be fine, but I recommend testing it out before using it in the final mold.

Q: In Applying the EpoxAcoat, when attaching the nails to the mouth, how deep should the nails go? Is it supposed to hit the core? Do I have to worry about the nails hitting the clay sculpture?

A: I put the nails all the way until they hit the first gel coat layer. You should be mindful of hitting the sculpture and avoid putting the nails into the clay.

Brian Le

https://theengineerguy.com/white-clay-laguna-em-210/

The only place I can find EM210 clay is from The Engineer Guy's website. I see the options are 25lbs and 50lbs, did the instructor use half a block of 25lbs EM210? Is EM210 clay a product of Laguna Clay brand? Or is it a generic term for a type of clay? Also is there anywhere else I can get EM210 clay other than The Engineer Guy?

Chris Ellerby

Hi Brian,

EM210 is a brand/formula from Laguna.  You can find it online from multiple retailers, though some I found while searching for it on amazon/google are currently out of stock.  Local clay/pottery stores may also have it, depending on where you live.

The most common block size is the 25lb block, unless you are working on larger projects.

If you have trouble finding it, you may want to reach out to Laguna and see if they have a retailer in your area or can recommend an online vendor.

/Chris

Matt Winston

@Brian Le Mikey Cooke used about half of a 25lb block of the Laguna EM210 (aka White Clay).

Brian Le

What's the difference between EM210 and white clay? Can I use just any white clay? Or should it be EM210m

Matt Winston

@Brian Le - EM210 is commonly known as "White Clay" and is the FX industry standard, so this is the clay you should use.

Brian Le

What's the difference between Tim Gore and Jamie Grove's lectures?

Matt Winston

@""Brian Le" They are both painting silicone, but Tim is painting a dummy head and Jamie is painting a mask. So Jamie's is probably more relevant to your project.