You can dry the papier mache faster by putting the head (the puppet head I mean ) in the oven, or even in the microwave; I have done it with good results. Nevertheless, I do not know what can happen with the plasticine: I allways work with negative plaster casts, which can go to the oven

I think I'm going to give the negative plaster casting a try on my next project. I bought the plaster from Dick Blicks Art Supply online. (ArtMolds CastRite Casting Stone) Never done it before. But, I read a good book about it.

The Prop Builder's Molding and Casting Handbook
Author — Thurston James

I want to use Rubber or latex.  What kind of plaster do you use? I'm gonna have to check that book out of the library again. Or better yet just go buy it.

By the way Shawn. I love Creative Paper Clay!  I wish they sold it in 5 gallon buckets!

Oh yeah...and as for papier mache materials. I finally found a use for those old phonebooks! You can alternate between white pages and yellow pages. The wieght of the paper is similar to paper towel/tissue. In the future I'll use phone book and brown paper towel.

Has any one tried making there on plasticine clay? I found this recipe online................

Billy d.

Making your own oil-based clay


10 lbs Micro-crystalline Wax
1/2 gal Purified Mineral Oil
4 lbs Vaseline
25 lbs Clay Powder

Melt wax, oil and Vaseline together in an electric frying pan; stir clay powder in slowly once melted. Mix thoroughly and pour into shallow microwave-safe plastic containers. You can also use a portion of beeswax for part of the wax component for an even smoother clay. Don't use to much though, as it can become too sticky.

OR

this is on that does not use clay, it works well.

480 g bee wax or Micro-crystalline Wax is less sticky
200 ml purified mineral oil
192 g Vaseline
1200 g talc (white)
In an electric fry pan ( 60 C don't get it too hot to let wax smoke) mix beeswax + mineral oil + Vaseline. Before they become entirely liquid, mix in the talc) you can play around a little with the amounts, mix the types of wax.
    

I have never worked with rubber or latex, even do not know if plaster is a good material for casting rubber or latex.

Try to find a building materials store if you are intended to use a lot o plaster. I usually buy 1 kg package (enough for one puppet) each time, but when five years ago I teached a puppet construction course, a 20 kg bag intended for bricklaying was as expensive as two 1kg package at fine arts shop and worked fine.

Whenever I used latex in a mold it was just regular old plaster I got at the hobby or hardware store. You do want to make sure your plaster molds are completely dry before you pore your latex in. You can even do latex in or over Plasticine clay.

20 kg bags are much cheaper per kilo here too. The saving makes it worth while getting "dental plaster" which is even finer than general plaster of paris, giving better resolution. Also dental plaster gets less bubbles if you pour it over the sharp, fine edge of a cup into the mold. When you cast rubber final positives into it, less bubbles means less "pimples" on the latex, though you can sand it down. Plaster negatives are great for latex positives. The plaster is porous enough for the latex to "go off" through the plaster, the solvent (amonia?) evaporates through the porous plaster leaving a skin around the edge. I've used fibre glass molds and had to tip in the latex, swish it around and pour it out, over and over. With plaster negatives you pour in the latex, filling the mold to the top and let it go off through the plaster wall till you are happy with the thickness (break the skin on top occassionally and check at a discreet spot at the back) then pour out the latex from the middle to use again another time, preferably for hands or feet.
Of couse your mold has to be tight enough to hold the liquid, best done with clamps or "rubber bands" made from tyre inner tubes. Any "flash" along the seams can be trimmed with a knife and even sanded down, but, as always, it's best to have seams at the back or hidden in lines of the face etc...
Sorry, to rave but it was such an improvement on other molds, had to share. off o bed now
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Go to you tube and search for "brickintheyard" for everything you might want to know about casting. Be warned there's hours of interesting video...

Very, very interesting! And a lot to learn

I dry my plater molds in the oven on very low temp and baked over a while to ensure they dont dry to fast and crack. There is some really nice latet some that cure to different levels of hardnes but still retain a slight flexablility.