3D Experiment continuation

Mod Rock

3D

24/9/14

As part of my 3D studies, I have moved on to using Mod Rock, which, as with all materials used when making a 3D sculpture, requires care and consideration:

Safety when using Mod Rock

Mod rock is a material consisting of a bandage like material which is covered in a thin layer of plaster, this plaster, when dry can be dangerous if misused. To stay safe when using it, there are a few simple rules.
Some may be allergic to the plaster in Mod Rock, as so gloves must be worn if this is the case. Latex gloves, however are not recommendable, as many may also be allergic to these as well.
When cutting the Mod Rock into workable and sensible sized strips, care must be taken as the plaster dust from the dry Mod Rock can become a problem, therefore, when cutting the material, it must be done on a table, where it is away from the mouth or eyes, which reduces any risks considerably.
Mod Rock tends to be a material used for casting, and plaster, when drying, goes through a chemical reaction in which heat is produced and given off. While this isn't as much of a risk when using Mod Rock, it is a precautionary measure. Therefore, during casting, it is advisable not to put your hand into a bowl full of plaster, as the heat would cook it.
When dry, Mod Rock is extremely hard, therefore, when casting, it wouldn't be the best of idea's to cast completely around someones hand, for example, as the cast would not then come off.
Another measure taken is using clingfilm on any area's that are being cast, as without this, the Mod Rock, as well as causing any allergies to flare up, would also dry onto any small hairs on the area being casted, which, when removed would rip out all of the hairs that have dried into the plaster,

 Casting a hand

When casting a hand it is important that you do not cast all the way around it, otherwise it will inevitably end in having to get the cast cut off, therefore casting only half of the hand at one time is suitable.

To assure that the cast didn't stick to and rip out any hairs on the hand and arm, gloves were to be worn by the model. Before doing anything further, the Mod Rock then had to be cut into usable lengths carefully.

Once this is done, you can then begin on the cast. A bucket of water is required nearby so that you can soak the strips of Mod Rock, it needs to be kept away from the material, however, to avoid getting the dry strips damp, therefore making them unusable.
Applying carefully onto the covered area of the model, you lay the strips across the hand longways so that the cast will be stronger, you then smooth the plaster over the bandage like material so as to fill any holes, which will ultimately strengthen the cast.

 Mod Rock dries and sets reasonably quickly, however, care must be taken whilst creating a cast, and the workspace must be kept as clean as possible during the process to avoid any issues.
Only half of the hand at one time must be cast so that no situations arise in which you cannot get the cast off when completed.

To test if the Mod Rock is set when the cast is complete, you tap gently using the back of your nail and listen, you can usually tell if the Mod Rock is set, the sound and the stiffness of the cast will tell you this. If the cast is stiff and remains in the position you casted in while the model moves their hand then it's ready.

The finished cast, while not entirely accurate and a slightly odd shape depending on the number of layers used to create it, should be sturdy and workable, and will then allow you to develop it if you so wish.