Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1901-07-25
AMATEUR SCULPT0RS
THEY NEED COOL HEADS AND FIRST
GLASS PLASTER

Be Made If the Beginner Has LII
tIe Ingenuity and Patience-Cast of
the Baby's Hand
Few people realize the pleasure and
instruction that can be gained from
making plaster casts. 1t is Inexpensive
and the utensils required are found in
every household. \ cast of the baby
chubby hand or foot or, in fact, cast
of any kind is not only a delight but
an ornament. The great secret In max
ing successful plaster casts lies In not
getting excited Care should be used
when getting the plaster that it be
plaster of paris and that it be bought
from some shop where IL IS sure to be
fresh, as that which is obtained from
a drug store is apt to be stale and VIII
not set properly.
4 few quarts Of plaster should be
sufficient for a first attempt. A bucket
Of water. a tin basin, tin spoon, some
oil or soapsuds and, If possible, some
common modelling clay and bottle of
ink are all the materials required. \
mold is first taken of the object, and
when this is filed it gives the cast.
There are two kinds Of casts-those
where only part of the object IS shown,
the other part resting on a tile or
plaque, and those that show the whole
object or are In the ''round." The hand
is about as simple an object as can be
found and is more interesting than
most things. as the hand on the tile
IS the easiest, II would be well to start
with that. Place a sheet Of paper on
table and then grease the hand thor
oughIy with the oil or thick soapsuds
TO prevent the plaster from sticking to
the skin when removing the mold.
When the hand is placed in the posi-
ton wanted, fill the spaces underneath
II, where it does not touch the table,
with clay, or If clay cannot be obtained
use putty 1t IS convenient to make
small wall of clay around the object to
prevent the plaster from running, but
it is not necessary. Put about a quart
Of cold water In the basin and pour the
plaster into 1t, stir quietly and keep the
spoon under water to avoid making
bubbles. Use enough plaster to make
II the consistency Of batter. II little
salt is added or hot water Instead OF
cold Is used, the plaster Will harden or
set more quickly. 4 small quantity OF
ink or any coloring matter will make it
easier to distinguish the mold from the
cast and Will also make 1t more brittle
or rotten and easier to separate the
two. Pour the plaster over the hand,
taking care that there are no bubbles,
until 1t ~ about half an inch thick. IL
Will require n few minutes for IL to set
and is ready to lift off when 1t can be
scratched with u knife. 1t IS easier to
turn the hand and mold up and lift
the hand out than to take the mold Off
the hand If any plaster has run under
the fRgers, cut 1t away with dull
knife.
Should the hand not come out easily,
working the fingers separately VIII Of
ten loosen them. The mold should he
allowed to dry few hours and then be
filed with white plaster, the same con-
sIstency as was used for the mold. \
wall Of clay about an inch high viii
have to be built around the edge Of the
mold, which when filed gives the tile
for the cast 20 rest on. Let the whole
dry and then chip the mold away with
a knife. The mold, being of "a different
color, can be readily distinguished from
the cast.
In making the mold for n cast in the
round, after the hand has been oiled,
sink it to about half an inch In bed
OF plaster, leaving about half an inch
for thickness. Make the rim smooth
and, when hardened, oil. Now cover
the upper half with plaster. When set,
this should knock apart easily and the
hand be lifted out.
Another way. but more difficult
one, after putting the hand half way
in the plaster and before this has dried,
Is to put thin strong string around all
the edges OF the fingers, letting the
ends come out at the wrists. When
the hand is entirely covered with plas-
ter and before It has hardened, pull the
string out, which cuts it In two. The
manner of filling both these kinds Of
molds is the same. Oil and tie the two
halves tightly together and fill with
plaster, let harden and lift the molds
off.
molds like these. At shops where plas-
ter casts are made and sold and a
number Of the same casts are wanted
a gelatin mold is made. Being elastic,
IT Is easily pulled off without harm to
the cast and still retains it's shape and
can be filled any number Of times. The
yellow or ivory finish that is given to
many casts is Obtained by using white
shellac. which can be had already
mixed from paintshop. BY adding
oil paint any desired color can be OBJ
talned. Rubbing with cloth gives a
high polish. a bronze finish can be
given by coating with n mixture Of
white wax dissolved In turpentinc, to
which bronze or green paint has been
added
a fine set of casts, which would In
terest children and could be used In the
lchoolroom, could be easily made, such
as fruit or vegetable forms, apples, ba-
nanas, potatoes and corn, or simple
animal forms, such as frogs, fish, etc;
also models that one has made and
wishes to preservc.-Good Houseleep-
| ing.