When a piece has been completed, oftentimes reproductions are desired as gifts, for display, even for sale. To make the reproduction1, a mold and cast of the model must be made in one of a variety of casting mediums, such as plaster, bronze, or bonded bronze. A mold is the negative or hollow cavity produced around a sculpted piece for use in creating multiples of that piece. A cast is the positive or reproduction of the original piece of sculpture created by pouring casting material into a pre-formed mold.

Some of the most popular materials used for mold making include: plaster, latex rubber, paste maker, moulage, gelatin, white rubber and polymer or chemically activated multiple part mold rubbers.  Popular casting materials include: plaster (Gypsum), resin, metal (bronze, aluminum, lead, silver and gold), and casting rubber.

Sculpture House also offers plaster casts and anatomical study casts for viewing proportions of specific parts of the body.  The ear, nose, lips, and eye study casts are larger than life for easier analysis and make up the primary study group.  Others included an anatomical figure, skull, hand and blocked bust.

Visit our mold making and casting store to view our mold making and casting materials as well as a variety of mold making tools and casting accessories.  In addition, many modeling and ceramic tools are equally functional in mold making and casting. 

 

 

For detailed explanations of the various techniques of mold making and casting, please refer to the many publications on mold making and casting written by experienced mold makers.