The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
AMATEUR PLASTER CASTS.
Easy to Make ir One 10 Patient, aud Not q,
All Expensive.

AMATEUR PLANTER CASTS.
Easy to Make ir Ono 10 Patient. aud Not q,
All Expensive.
Tho art OF plaster casting is so simple that
with a little patience any ono may acquire II
and get the most pleasing results. 1t is an mex
pensive amusement. The plaster costs only o
dollar n barrel. and enough may bo had fol
25 cents to last the most enthusiastic amateur
for months. For the beginner. who is not accus
toned to the freaks of plaster, 1t Is better to
experiment on a cast before attempting to dc
anything from life. A has relief In tho best
thing to practice on.
Tho first thing to consider in making q cast
Of a hand is to have the hand to be experiment.
cd with in tho best possible condition. The
nails should DO carefully shaped and the cuticle
pressed into place. The hand should be washed
in warm water so that the muscles become re.
Taxed and the fingers supple. and the cold tap
run over 1t long enough to close the pores: rub
the hand and as far up the arm as the cast is to
be ken with glycerine. This will prevent the
plaster from sticking. Great care should be
taken not to let the glycerine escape any part.
1t should be brushed under the finger nails with
a small camel's hair brush.
The next and most important thing Is tho
mixing of the plaster. For this take a largo
bowl and pour the water into 1t; then sprinkle
the plaster in until 1t reaches the surface OF the
water. Stir briskly until tho whole is of a uni.
form consistency. 1t must not. however, be
stirred too long or the plaster loses Its nature
and will not harden. When 1t is first mixed the
plaster should be like very thick cream.
The hand upon which the Rlycerine has been
rubbed is then laid carelessly and naturally
upon a piece Of old sheeting or a soft towel
which is dropped upon the table. and allowed to
assume its natural pose. Then the plaster
should be taken out in o small teacup and
poured over the hand in as thin a coat as pos.
siblo at first. So that no air bubbles may re-
main, the caster should blow the plaster until
every bit of air has escaped. After the hand is
we'll covered with the first coat, the rest Of the
plaster should be added quickly and evenly dis.
tributcd until the cast is about two inches thick.
The hand should be kept perfectly quiet until
the plaster has set. This takes about fifteen
minutes. AS soon as the hand begins to feel the
heat Of the plaster 1t should be carefully lifted
up by the caster and turned over. Then all the
little bits of plaster which have leaked through
between the fingers should be broken away by
the caster. Sometimes a dull tool. such as a
stonecutter's chisel, is of much assistance, and
1t must be that all the patience of
the caster and the sitter are required to remove
the hand without injury to the mould.
After the plaster has had ten or fifteen min.
~ $500 'hssN bhey bSkiA L "
wiggle and gradually work the fingers without
doing harm to the cast, and though the hand
appears to be firmly imbedded In the plaster It
will soon be felt to be breaking away II tho
muscles of the fingers are firmly stretched back
ward and forward.
Once the hand is free. tho cast must DO placed
where 1t will dry slowly. 1t should not be
touched for two or three days. Before the cast
Is made the mould should be washed out with
with a soft brush which win not injure the fne
the second time the outer covering can be- gently
Shipned out by blunt stonecutter,s chisel and q
hammer. This destroys the mould. but should
To mount the hand, I'LL a small obiong tray
or boiled oil with plaster OF paris. and before it
i ibs quite ,hs hard hard Place a the hand on the plaster SO
inlbedded enough to adhere.
Should tho caster be more ambitious and de-
sire to east the hand in the round. there are
plaster and allow. 1t to become half settled.
Then immerse the hand. which must have been
palm is half Embedded in the plaster; let the
plaster set Until 1t Is perfectly hard. and. with q
with boiled, oil end soap; then cover the hand
first with thin plaster-not forgetting to blow
out the bubbles-and then with the thicker.
AS soon as the hand begins to feel hot the
plaster Is well set. The upper covering can be
and one OF the back. When these are dry they
soap and tied firmly together. care being taken
that the back OF the fingers match evenly with
There should be no hole visible excepting at
the wrist. but In case there are any little cracks
down the sides Of the fingers, where the moulds
The mould is now ready for the plaster. which
first, so that Il may readily be washed round
ana round until y hardens In a thick crust on
Ter should DO applied until the cast Is spo iiIs.
When II is set, the moulds can be easily scpa-
Tniedi and tho cast should he allowed to dry. A
before tho plaster is set enables 1t to be hung
The casting Of the. face is more difficult than
the casting of the hand, II 1t Is done in the
proper way; II is most simple to have tho sit
the head. Great care should be taken in
glycorining the face particularly the eyelids.
coating OF clay. and a mustacho should be built
%Ht %iih clay, modelled In Just the form in
brought round the, front OF tho ears. and fas.
tened hTmly over the TOP of Ihe forehead. just
clay should he inserted In the %nostrils, through
MMhiGh the sitter draws breath, This allows tho
Is hcing taken of the mouth.
,h bstGre ne plaster Is applied II is most essential
the plaster has been applied he viii become
Conscious OF the feeling that It Is coins, 20 fall
un lHe race Many a. cast mas been spoiled by
Tho movement OF the muscles of sitters in their
Efforts TO explain that tho plaster is about to
fal! away from the face. This sensation is
cHnscd by its hardening. and is 4 false alarm.
The first coat Of plaster applied TO the face
should be very thin and put on with n brush.
must hc daubed rather than painted over.
u,ntil the features are covered with a coat
about an eighth OF an inch thick, then carefully
and with RB little pressure on the muscles AZ Is
possible. the plaster should be applied unit! IL
Is m inch and n half or two inches in thickness,
and as soon as 1t has set II can readily be lifted
from the face. Almost any number Of casts can
be made II the mould proves good