For the longest time, I worried about losing plasticine. But knowing I'm making a mold for multiple, multiple future uses, I got over that. Thank you for sharing. I'm about to dive into this process in the next few weeks. Love the channel!
I use it all the time on monster clay and dont have any issues. If you are sculpting on a super small scale then you might. If thats the case then you can float off the residue by submerging the clay in water and working it a bit.
man its been a long time but figured id throw in a thank you, this video taught me how to mold masks and ive made around 8 now...cant thank you enough this was the most simple and effective way for me.
I used water based clay in this video- it was White stoneware from Laguna. Just two different batches hence the color difference. Im glad you like the vids.
@ndstephens yes you can, the issue that culd come up more than the cooking spray and clear coat is small plaster chips from the mold ittself. I nnormally dont reclaim clay. At least not all of it. I do keep a few five gallon buckets of it around (in water) to use when the cleanest of clay is not required. Like for the interior of large sculpts.
you cannot do a one piece mold of a full overhead mask. It would be impossible to remove the clay from the mold. I do have a half mask video which shows a one piece mask mold for a half mask.
if you want a rigid helmet, then you will need a flexible mold like urethane rubber or silicone. Where are you located I can help you source materials.
@ndstephens I didnt use oil based clay on this particular sculpt because I knew the time table for it. this was a half a day at work for me. the sculpt was finished in three hours and the first half of the mold was done that day. the second half of the mold was done the next morning. I have a wolfman Im sculpting now that has been in the works for three weeks-its a personal project (and in oil based clay). For a hobbist who isint going to finish it in one day oil is the way to go.
Thanks for these videos! I really screwed up on making my first 2-part mold (due to the vagueness of my instruction booklet). After watching these two vids, I'm alot less nervous about starting all over.
Good, my intention was to make a video reference library of haunted house projects that were easy to understand and economical in nature. i am glad you are liking them!
Water based clay is the way to go for large sculpts actually. Its much faster than oil based clay because its softer, also the more you have of itthe better it holds its moisture. It can be covered in plastic and will last for a long time. The queen alien, pumpkin head, Jurassic park dinosuars, monster squads gillman, Kothoga from Relic, all sculpted in water based clay. Im very fast and Im on a schedule because its my job so I tend to err on the side of speed.
Any white low fire clay will work well for sculpting. Make sure it has no grog ( a sand type texture). I may do a latex armor soon, I actually have an Ice golem to make and I was going to do him armor style.
Your videos are by far the easiest to understand for someone like me who only has the jist of what they're trying to do; very helpful. I also like your commentary ;D About how much ultracal would it take to make a mold for a project about the same size as yours in this video? I'm working on the cheap and don't want to buy 50 bucks worth if 20 would do it. Would a 1 gallon bucket do the trick, do you think?
I'm not much of a sculptor, Can you use other items to make molds of does it have to be clay? Can use a statue or even another latex mask that you may want to modify or recreate? Thanks for your Awesome tutorials!
@doggieshop you could remold a latex mask, but its easier to sculpt it. Practice, you will get better try to sculpt from picture refrences and fiddle with the clay till it looks like the pic. Im not that great at it, but I will be doing a few more sculpting tutorials along the way. When you want to replicate a rigid piece like a statue, you need a flexible mold. I will do a flexible sheet mold soon as a tutorial, a silicone mold for resin parts, keep at it.
I was never thinking about the egg cartons. But you brought it up, then never said what was in them!! Now I’m going to wonder until the end of time. What was in those cartons?
I will be doing this soon. Do you think i shuld use dulling spry on the sculpt after the crystal clear has dried right before molding. I've heard people say you should so the plaster does'nt beed off. Thanks for your help.
Love your videos! Quick tip: if you hit your sculpture with a layer of dulling spray after the crystal clear, the ultracal won't bead up and roll off so easily :)
Avoid Plaster of paris. it is not strong and it likes a consistant mix ratio. try to get ultracal or hydrocal. oil based clay does not dry out- water based clay does. the oil based is also much firmer than water based clay.
Do you have a video of making a mold for a helmet that is more like a standard motorcycle helmet? I have a small toy helmet & I want to enlarge to fit my dog's head & only be used for photo op purposes & not safety. Should I use this process to do that or is there a different method that is better? I thought a 2-part block mold would work, but what would you suggest? I want to be able to make a couple of helmets to add changes on them, as necessary. What is the best hard silicone to use? Thanks
Gloves are good for quicker cleanup. Ultracal is a cement and hydrocal is a plaster. Ultracal is stronger. Hydrocal is a very strong plaster (way stronger than plaster of paris). Ultracal is pretty much standard for spfx molds when you're going to cast soft latex/silicone/foam/etc.
Would it make a difference if you used latex gloves to spread the casting instead of your bare hand? Also, what is the difference between hydrocal and ultracal 30? I'm looking at a basic mask making kit on The Monster Makers's website and was wondering what would be the best to use?
your videos are incredible, thank you so much. I have a question for you though. I live in Hawaii and can't find Ultracal anywhere and they want to charge me a fortune to ship it here. I can only find Plaster of Paris on the shelf. Any suggestions on plaster options? thanks.
stilt beast studios. thank you for all your wonderful videos. on your two part mold videos I noticed you clay is packaged in a huge square block. when I order WED or air dry clay it is never that square, which makes even cuts impossible. I dont live where there is a to to purchase it. Could you please recommended a place where I can get it just like the kind displayed in this video. it would make life so much easier. thank you very much, and please keep up the awesome creations. Brian M
Hello Allen, I have been using Oil based clay for most of my sculptures for my masks what type of water base do you use by chance... I like oil based but come winter time its a pain to heat up and smooth out all the time, looking at differant options. Also have you been getting requests to make a video on latex armor at all? and casting it up? Just thought of it working on some armor the other day. Thanks as always for showing us all how to be better mask makers.
Thank you for your awsome videos! They are so helpful, my book on mold making doesn't give clear pictures just drawings so this helped a lot. question. the clay you use to sculpt after you use the pam is it reusable or no
Great video. I'm attempting my first mask this Halloween and was wondering how many pounds of plaster will I need to make the 2 part mold. The ones I'm looking at come in 25 and 50 pounds.
Is there a particular kind or brand of water-based clay I should buy? Every ceramic place I go has a ton of options but they know little to nothing about making sfx molds....Thx for the great vid!
+StiltbeastStudios can you clarify for me on what condition your sculpt should be in when you cast it? should the clay be dry, wet, or somewhere in between?
+William “kamikazemearkat” Steerman No it would not- for a hard finished piece you need a flexible mold. Im making a mold to make a flexible latex mask so it can be a rigid mold. You cant pull a rigid piece from a rigid mold.
So using Krylon clear matte would work better than the gloss finish you used? and i was also wondering if the Ultracal 30 was the same from wherever becuz i found a 50 pound bag on this one website and it says Ultracal 30 Gypsum Cement, so i was wondering if thats still the same thing- Thanks
Can you sculpt and make a retaining wall with both wed clay? I always have trouble removing the wall after half of mold is dry, since it sticks to itself. When you remove the wall, there are usually small pieces of clay that "stick" right in that little ridge where the molds will go together.
+troy mccombs I do it almost exclusively, make sure you crystal clear your sculpt BEFORE you make the wall, then you have a layer of separation between the wall and sculpt.
StiltbeastStudios my sculpture is made from newplast plasticine, what clay type should I use for Making the wall? Water based clay? Or could I try making a wall from plasticine over the plasticine sculpt?
I'm just getting started with mask making. I've always been intrigued by them and now want to be able to make my own. I'll keep you posted :). Can I have an email that I can reach you at?
StiltbeastStudios my original question was, would the removal of the clay wall require "touching up" the sculpt under the wall? like for high detail pieces?
Not necessarily, that is one technique this is another. With the clay wall you have more control over the placement and shape your wall has, it is by far the more popular technique- I also feel the seam lines are easier to clean up because nothing disturbs the sculpture.
Buy plaster of paris and portland cement. mix them together in equal quantities, that will be pretty close to ultracal.
For the longest time, I worried about losing plasticine. But knowing I'm making a mold for multiple, multiple future uses, I got over that.
Thank you for sharing. I'm about to dive into this process in the next few weeks. Love the channel!
I like the way you do you instructions. You do talk to us but not making your audience feel stupid.
it is. what makes it tougher to use is not the pam, its little collected plaster chips and such that get stuck in it.
I use it all the time on monster clay and dont have any issues. If you are sculpting on a super small scale then you might. If thats the case then you can float off the residue by submerging the clay in water and working it a bit.
man its been a long time but figured id throw in a thank you, this video taught me how to mold masks and ive made around 8 now...cant thank you enough this was the most simple and effective way for me.
Awesome tutorial, and oddly mesmerizing! Thank you for these videos!!
Glad you like them!
mold banding straps, I will do a super quick video on them very soon.
I used water based clay in this video- it was White stoneware from Laguna. Just two different batches hence the color difference. Im glad you like the vids.
All your videos have been extremely helpful! Thanks for the guidance.
@ndstephens yes you can, the issue that culd come up more than the cooking spray and clear coat is small plaster chips from the mold ittself. I nnormally dont reclaim clay. At least not all of it. I do keep a few five gallon buckets of it around (in water) to use when the cleanest of clay is not required. Like for the interior of large sculpts.
you cannot do a one piece mold of a full overhead mask. It would be impossible to remove the clay from the mold. I do have a half mask video which shows a one piece mask mold for a half mask.
a price to make what? and what went wrong?
You have the best Halloween how-to videos on RUclips.
if you want a rigid helmet, then you will need a flexible mold like urethane rubber or silicone. Where are you located I can help you source materials.
Amazing tutorial, I can't thank you enough! I'm interested in starting this serious kind of building. I shall now watch part 2!
As always another good video. I haven't done this is such a long time I was just excited to watch someone else do it.
Ice Cream Truck
@ndstephens I didnt use oil based clay on this particular sculpt because I knew the time table for it. this was a half a day at work for me. the sculpt was finished in three hours and the first half of the mold was done that day. the second half of the mold was done the next morning. I have a wolfman Im sculpting now that has been in the works for three weeks-its a personal project (and in oil based clay). For a hobbist who isint going to finish it in one day oil is the way to go.
Thanks for these videos! I really screwed up on making my first 2-part mold (due to the vagueness of my instruction booklet).
After watching these two vids, I'm alot less nervous about starting all over.
Good, my intention was to make a video reference library of haunted house projects that were easy to understand and economical in nature. i am glad you are liking them!
Water based clay is the way to go for large sculpts actually. Its much faster than oil based clay because its softer, also the more you have of itthe better it holds its moisture. It can be covered in plastic and will last for a long time.
The queen alien, pumpkin head, Jurassic park dinosuars, monster squads gillman, Kothoga from Relic, all sculpted in water based clay.
Im very fast and Im on a schedule because its my job so I tend to err on the side of speed.
stiltbeast rules!! You are so generous with your knowledge. Thank you!
Any white low fire clay will work well for sculpting. Make sure it has no grog ( a sand type texture). I may do a latex armor soon, I actually have an Ice golem to make and I was going to do him armor style.
the block is 11.4 kg or 25lb here in the states. two block bags come in a box.
Your videos are by far the easiest to understand for someone like me who only has the jist of what they're trying to do; very helpful. I also like your commentary ;D
About how much ultracal would it take to make a mold for a project about the same size as yours in this video? I'm working on the cheap and don't want to buy 50 bucks worth if 20 would do it. Would a 1 gallon bucket do the trick, do you think?
I'm not much of a sculptor, Can you use other items to make molds of does it have to be clay? Can use a statue or even another latex mask that you may want to modify or recreate? Thanks for your Awesome tutorials!
sweet im really enjoying your vids thanks
@doggieshop you could remold a latex mask, but its easier to sculpt it. Practice, you will get better try to sculpt from picture refrences and fiddle with the clay till it looks like the pic. Im not that great at it, but I will be doing a few more sculpting tutorials along the way. When you want to replicate a rigid piece like a statue, you need a flexible mold. I will do a flexible sheet mold soon as a tutorial, a silicone mold for resin parts, keep at it.
I skip burlap more often than not. I do make the walls thicker when I know I wont be using burlap at least 1/2".
I was never thinking about the egg cartons. But you brought it up, then never said what was in them!! Now I’m going to wonder until the end of time. What was in those cartons?
I will be doing this soon. Do you think i shuld use dulling spry on the sculpt after the crystal clear has dried right before molding. I've heard people say you should so the plaster does'nt beed off. Thanks for your help.
Love your videos! Quick tip: if you hit your sculpture with a layer of dulling spray after the crystal clear, the ultracal won't bead up and roll off so easily :)
You could make a silicone caulk mold out of this sculpture for a Latex mask? Or latex doesn't work well on silicone?
Nice videos!
no,use plaster for latex masks like in the video here. flexible silicone molds are good for rigid pulls like fiberglass masks.
Dose the clay wall run on the edge of the ear or right threw the middle of it ?
Good video man! And your text comments made me piss myself laughing! XD
@Sn00kyCr00ksWorld Oil based is Ok, I really focus on speed so I like the faster sculpting time of water based clay.
Avoid Plaster of paris. it is not strong and it likes a consistant mix ratio. try to get ultracal or hydrocal. oil based clay does not dry out- water based clay does. the oil based is also much firmer than water based clay.
that is a sculpted split so the mask will easily fit onto an actors head.
Do you have a video of making a mold for a helmet that is more like a standard motorcycle helmet? I have a small toy helmet & I want to enlarge to fit my dog's head & only be used for photo op purposes & not safety. Should I use this process to do that or is there a different method that is better? I thought a 2-part block mold would work, but what would you suggest? I want to be able to make a couple of helmets to add changes on them, as necessary. What is the best hard silicone to use? Thanks
Gloves are good for quicker cleanup. Ultracal is a cement and hydrocal is a plaster. Ultracal is stronger. Hydrocal is a very strong plaster (way stronger than plaster of paris). Ultracal is pretty much standard for spfx molds when you're going to cast soft latex/silicone/foam/etc.
Just out of curiosity, was the crack down the back of the sculpt for a reason or was it just the 2 types of clay happened to look like that? thanks.
Would it make a difference if you used latex gloves to spread the casting instead of your bare hand? Also, what is the difference between hydrocal and ultracal 30? I'm looking at a basic mask making kit on The Monster Makers's website and was wondering what would be the best to use?
your videos are incredible, thank you so much. I have a question for you though. I live in Hawaii and can't find Ultracal anywhere and they want to charge me a fortune to ship it here. I can only find Plaster of Paris on the shelf. Any suggestions on plaster options? thanks.
And do you recommend or not recommend just doing a one part mold if your not comfortable with the pry points?
I get mine from beauty supply stores for $3 to $5 each. I buy a lot for tradeshows and have not found a cheaper source even for volume.
@tzkelley Wow thanks alot, Im glad you think so. I would never claim such a thing- youtube is a great resaource with a ton of great stuff on it.
you don't need a burlap reinforcement layer for a strong 2 piece mold? i was hoping i could skip that step.
Are you saying to spray it with crystal clear then pam or just use Pam inplace of crystal clear? Than you,
@StiltbeastStudios
How much clay did you use for this mask? Or rather, how many kg is that block? Thanks so much, amazing tutorial~
Very nice, thanks for sharing! Might actually get me to try this sometime soon!
stilt beast studios. thank you for all your wonderful videos. on your two part mold videos I noticed you clay is packaged in a huge square block. when I order WED or air dry clay it is never that square, which makes even cuts impossible. I dont live where there is a to to purchase it. Could you please recommended a place where I can get it just like the kind displayed in this video. it would make life so much easier. thank you very much, and please keep up the awesome creations. Brian M
Did you use a water or oil base for your sculpt?
Hello Allen,
I have been using Oil based clay for most of my sculptures for my masks what type of water base do you use by chance... I like oil based but come winter time its a pain to heat up and smooth out all the time, looking at differant options. Also have you been getting requests to make a video on latex armor at all? and casting it up? Just thought of it working on some armor the other day. Thanks as always for showing us all how to be better mask makers.
Looks like WED Clay
it depends on the kind of clay, but alcohol and mineral spirits work best for me, and a few passes with a heat gun really help.
Thank you for your awsome videos! They are so helpful, my book on mold making doesn't give clear pictures just drawings so this helped a lot.
question. the clay you use to sculpt after you use the pam is it reusable or no
hey man...you can shine a light onto the mask and trace the shadow onto the flat pieces of clay. just a thought.
your videos are really helpful mate thanks, and do you have any tips for smoothing out an oil based clay sculpture?
you can, or you can just use a flat spray paint. watch my lobster boy video to see the whole process.
Love the "Pam" reference...Popcorn anyone.
just curious,how did you break a titanium ring, twice?
What is the type of clay you use for the wall?
Do you let the first coat completely heat up and cool before the next coat? Or is it advisable to put it on while the first coat is still curing?
+troy mccombs I do not, If you wait to long it will delaminate.
Was the the clay still fresh when you added clear coat?
No, for a mask mold this size you are talking 20-25lbs of plaster.
Very good Video! You sound a little little bit like Bob Ross! Which is meant as a compliment! We germans love Bob Ross!
love it man,good job.
Good tutorial, very straight forward :) thank you sir
Great video. I'm attempting my first mask this Halloween and was wondering how many pounds of plaster will I need to make the 2 part mold. The ones I'm looking at come in 25 and 50 pounds.
25 is fine for one mold.
would plaster apris work ? and whats the difference with oil based clay or water based?
Great video, thank you for sharing!
Is there a particular kind or brand of water-based clay I should buy? Every ceramic place I go has a ton of options but they know little to nothing about making sfx molds....Thx for the great vid!
+Caterina Snyder ask for white stonewear or modeling clay.
@4rekiller So now Im thinking of a prop that requires a six pack...
Hello! What do you do after making the 2 part mould? How do you make sure it fits the model without any space inside?
tryed to use the ultra-30 didn't work out all that well. Didn't know what I was doing. If I gave the H-W-D could you give me A price to make one
Do you bake your sculpt first or just let it harden on it's own?
+andgalactus1 No, I just let the air get to it for a few hours.
+StiltbeastStudios
can you clarify for me on what condition your sculpt should be in when you cast it? should the clay be dry, wet, or somewhere in between?
I love your work. I could use your advice on where to order 50 pounds of ultracal 30. Thanks, Brian M
Will the crystal clear ruin my oil based clay
Would this mold work to make a fiberglass helmet? Like a Stormtrooper helmet from star wars
bump.
+William “kamikazemearkat” Steerman No it would not- for a hard finished piece you need a flexible mold. Im making a mold to make a flexible latex mask so it can be a rigid mold. You cant pull a rigid piece from a rigid mold.
thank you so much. I will get the parts and try this.
Better to do the back then the front first?
yes, do the back then lay it down. that way gravity helps you on the face and you are not working against it
found this very helpful man thanks
+nightwing2016 batsvssupes cool, glad it helps you out!
So using Krylon clear matte would work better than the gloss finish you used? and i was also wondering if the Ultracal 30 was the same from wherever becuz i found a 50 pound bag on this one website and it says Ultracal 30 Gypsum Cement, so i was wondering if thats still the same thing- Thanks
yeah ultracal 30 is a gypsum based cement plaster- and it comes in 50 lb bags. I get mine from reynoldsam dot com
Can you sculpt and make a retaining wall with both wed clay? I always have trouble removing the wall after half of mold is dry, since it sticks to itself. When you remove the wall, there are usually small pieces of clay that "stick" right in that little ridge where the molds will go together.
+troy mccombs I do it almost exclusively, make sure you crystal clear your sculpt BEFORE you make the wall, then you have a layer of separation between the wall and sculpt.
Thanks for the reply. Btw, would matte finish spray work as well as clear acrylic? I have that handy already, that's why I ask :)
+troy mccombs yes, two coats or so
Do I really need to use the Krylon Crystal spray or any spray at all?
you dont have to- since this video I have switched to pledge furniture polish- it works great. but technically you dont need anything.
@@StiltbeastStudios Great! How much plaster did you use through the whole process?
i know this video is a few years old but i wanted to know how long is the dry time for the cooking oil to the start of putting hydrocal? ty
+GameSpace130 15 min is fine.
+StiltbeastStudios ty im learning all the tricks of the trade from you :)
+GameSpace130 I dont know about all, but I will help you with what I can!
along the edge is easier when it comes to seaming.
What’s the stuff called that you use to stop clay wall from sticking to the sculpture?
I dont use anything, I just apply and remove carefully. you could use a different type of clay which makes them easier to separate.
StiltbeastStudios my sculpture is made from newplast plasticine, what clay type should I use for Making the wall? Water based clay? Or could I try making a wall from plasticine over the plasticine sculpt?
Would marbles work in the place for the clay baller at 12:48-12:53 when you have to mark your spots??
Yup
Thanks its a full head sculpture and i wanted to be able to reuse my clay
Good thing I didn't buy any yet, haha. Thanks!
How long should i let The plaster cure?
it will heat up, when it is cool again then you can demold
Can you tell me where I can buy some cheap wig heads?
Isn't there a danger to doing this with bare hands? Can't the plaster burn you?
No, Plaster does not really get that hot until is curing- long after the stage it is workable with your hands.
I'm just getting started with mask making. I've always been intrigued by them and now want to be able to make my own. I'll keep you posted :). Can I have an email that I can reach you at?
is there a technique that preserves more detail under the actual mold wall?
Yea do a silicone mold. I don't understand this method.
I dont understand the question, there is no loss of detail. you remove the wall when you make the second half of the mold.
its difficult to cast a latex mask in a silicone mold.
StiltbeastStudios my original question was, would the removal of the clay wall require "touching up" the sculpt under the wall? like for high detail pieces?
I have that same shirt
very clever thanks
Why the clay wall? Wouldn't it be better to just stick like pieces of can or aluminium into your sculpture?
Not necessarily, that is one technique this is another. With the clay wall you have more control over the placement and shape your wall has, it is by far the more popular technique- I also feel the seam lines are easier to clean up because nothing disturbs the sculpture.
Where do you buy your clay?
+ImlerFX a ceramic supply store