What Is Used For Hand Casting?

Hand casting is the process of making a three-dimensional copy of a person’s hand using molding and casting materials. It dates back thousands of years, with evidence of ancient Egyptian and Greek artisans making castings of hands in metal and stone. In modern times, hand casting has become popular for creating lasting mementos, artwork, jewelry, and props for theatre and film.

The benefits and uses of hand casting are numerous. It allows an individual to preserve their handprint and fingerprints in a long-lasting form that can be passed down through generations. Hand casts can also memorialize a loved one’s hand or a meaningful event. From an artistic perspective, casts of hands can be used as unique sculptural pieces, incorporated into mixed media works, or to create wearable jewelry by embellishing the surface of the cast.

Additionally, hand casts provide an impression of the hand that is far more detailed than a photograph. Every line, wrinkle, and fingernail is permanently captured. This can have commercial applications too, such as for prosthetics, forensic science, or collecting consistent hand biometrics for identification purposes.

Overall, hand casting is a versatile process that allows for creative expression, preserving memories, and practical applications through creating accurate three-dimensional hand replicas.

Materials Used

There are several key materials used for hand casting, with the most common being:

Alginate

Alginate is a natural hydrocolloid made from seaweed that is mixed with water to create a quick-setting mold material. It captures fine details well and is easy to use for body casting. Alginate molds last only for a short time before deteriorating, so it is good for making quick casts.

Plaster

Dental plaster is commonly used to make castings from alginate molds. It is prepared by mixing plaster powder with water, then pouring it into the alginate mold. Plaster sets quickly, reproducing details from the mold.

Silicone

Two-part silicone rubbers can be used for making more durable, reusable molds. The silicone parts are mixed together, then applied to the hand to set. It flexibly captures details and can be used multiple times to produce castings.

Latex

Liquid latex can be painted directly onto the skin for making peel-off latex casts. Multiple layers are applied to build up thickness. Latex is flexible and can reproduce skin textures well.

Waxes

Casting waxes are available for hot and cold casting processes. Wax can capture intricate details from molds and be used to make jewelry or decorative hand castings.

Making an Alginate Mold

Making a mold from alginate is a common technique for hand casting. Alginate is a fast-setting material that captures fine details, making it ideal for reproducing the intricate contours of the hand.

To make an alginate mold, you will need alginate powder, water, a container, and visual barriers like vaseline or latex. The general steps are:

1. Mix the alginate powder with water according to package directions. The mixture should have a thick, pourable consistency.
2. Submerge your hand in the alginate mix up to the wrist line. Position your fingers naturally and avoid moving.
3. Wait 5-10 minutes for the alginate to set. It will become firm and hold the shape of your hand.
4. Slowly lift your hand out of the mold, being careful not to distort or tear the alginate.
5. Brush petroleum jelly on your hand and arm to act as a release barrier. Reinsert your hand into the alginate mold.
6. Allow the alginate mold to fully cure for 30-60 minutes before carefully peeling it off.

The resulting alginate mold will capture intricate hand details. It is flexible and can be reused to make multiple castings.

Casting from an Alginate Mold

Alginate molds provide a simple way to capture a detailed hand casting. Once the alginate mold has set up, a plaster casting material can be poured into the mold to create the finished hand casting.

Plaster is commonly used to cast from an alginate mold. The plaster starts out liquefied and pours easily into the mold. As the plaster cures, it hardens into a solid that captures all the detail of the mold. Some key tips when casting plaster into an alginate mold:

• Use a plaster specifically formulated for casting into skin-safe alginate molds.
• Mix the plaster according to the package directions until smooth. Avoid bubbles.
• Carefully pour the plaster into the mold, starting at the fingertips and working downwards.
• Tap the mold gently to release any air bubbles.
• Allow the plaster to fully set and cure based on package directions before demolding.

Once the plaster has cured, gently flex and peel away the alginate mold from the plaster cast of the hand. Carefully clean off any excess alginate. Allow the plaster cast to fully cure for 24 hours before painting or handling extensively.

Making a Silicone Mold

Silicone is commonly used to make molds for casting various materials such as resin, wax, plaster, and concrete. The flexibility and durability of silicone makes it an ideal material for capturing intricate details and creating reusable molds.

There are a few main types of silicone that can be used for making molds:

• Platinum-Cure Silicone – This 2-part silicone cures via a platinum catalyst and produces no harsh fumes. It is durable and more dimensionally stable than tin-cure silicone.
• Tin-Cure Silicone – This type uses a tin catalyst to cure the silicone. It is affordable and accessible but can produce some fumes during curing.
• Addition Cure Silicone – This is a high-performance 1-part silicone that cures via exposure to moisture in the air. It is very flexible and works well for complex molds.
• Condensation Cure Silicone – This single-part silicone cures through a condensation reaction when exposed to moisture in the air. It is a budget-friendly option.

Using a release agent is crucial when working with silicone to allow the cast material to de-mold properly. Common mold releases for silicone include petroleum jelly, liquid latex, or a specialized spray release agent. The silicone mold should also be supported by a rigid mother mold, often made of plaster or fiberglass, to prevent distortion.

Casting Resin and Wax

Resin and wax are commonly used materials for casting finished products from molds. The type of resin or wax selected depends on the desired properties and end use of the cast.

Types of Resin

Polyester resin is an inexpensive resin that cures quickly and produces durable casts. It does have a strong odor during casting. Epoxy resin is more expensive but cures slowly, producing casts with excellent detail reproduction. Silicone resins are flexible and ideal for casting body parts. UV-cured resins cure under ultraviolet light for fast casting turnaround.

Mixing and Pouring Resin

Liquid casting resins come in two parts that must be thoroughly mixed together according to manufacturer directions before pouring. Care should be taken to avoid bubbles while mixing. The mixed resin is poured slowly into the mold cavity and allowed to fully cure before demolding.

Wax Casting

Wax can be melted and poured into molds to create durable wax casts. Common waxes used include beeswax, paraffin wax, and microcrystalline wax. Wax casts can capture intricate details but are relatively soft and fragile compared to resin casts. Wax casts are often used to create secondary molds.

Painting and Coloring Hand Casts

After the casting material has fully cured, the hand cast model is ready for painting and finishing. There are many options when it comes to coloring a hand cast to achieve different artistic effects.

Traditional acrylic or oil paints can be used. Pigments suspended in a medium like oil or acrylic polymer allow the artist to apply smooth and even coats of color. Pigments come in endless options, from earth tones like yellow ochre and burnt umber, to synthetic pigments with bright hues like cadmium red and phthalo blue. Metallic pigments containing real metal flakes or powder provide a shiny, gleaming finish.

Airbrushing is a popular technique for coloring hand casts. Airbrushes spray fine mists of acrylic paints to gradually build up smooth, seamless layers of color. Airbrushing allows for effects like smooth gradients. The artist can mask parts of the cast while airbrushing to create crisp lines and color blocking.

Other coloring techniques include using artist pens, soft pastels, or alcohol inks which flow and blend on the surface. Hand casts can also be painted from the inside to create stained glass effects by coloring the clear casting resin before pouring.

Applying a clear gloss coat as a finish protects the paint and gives the hand cast a smooth, glass-like surface. Matte varnishes provide a subtle sheen. Polyurethane or epoxy resin can also be poured over painted hand casts for a thick, glossy top coat.

Displaying Hand Casts

Once a hand cast is complete, creative display options can really enhance its visual appeal. Hand casts can be mounted, framed, or displayed in cases in many artistic ways.

Mounting a hand cast on a base or stand is a simple yet attractive option. Casts can be mounted on wooden blocks, acrylic stands, marble pedestals, or metal bases. The stand should be sturdy enough to securely hold the weight of the cast. Neutral colored stands work well to highlight the cast itself.

Framing a hand cast in a shadow box frame allows you to create a striking wall art piece. Choose a deep frame with enough space to comfortably fit the entire cast. Line the inside edges with fabric or colored paper for a polished look. Creative lighting like small LED lights can also be incorporated into the shadow box.

For a clean, museum-like display, house the hand cast in a glass dome or bell jar. Place the dome on a base for stability. This helps create the effect of a collectible object on exhibit. A decorative wood or marble base complements the dome shape nicely.

Hand casts can also be displayed in cases like cabinet curiosities or bookshelves. Illuminated glass cases work especially well to spotlight each unique cast. Group multiple casts together in one display to create a collection. Position casts on acrylic risers to tier them for optimal visibility and visual interest.

Commercial Applications

Hand casting has widespread commercial uses, especially in the film, television, and theater industries. Detailed and realistic-looking hand casts are commonly used for props, special effects, and prosthetics.

In the world of special effects makeup and costuming, hand casts allow artists to create extremely lifelike fake hands, arms, and other body parts for characters and creatures. The process starts by making a mold directly from a live actor. That mold is then used to produce casts that perfectly match the actor’s hands, skin texture, and details.

These prop hands can be made rigid, posable, or designed to be glued directly onto an actor for scenes that require non-human appendages. The hand casts are painted, textured, and finished to convincingly portray fantasy races, monsters, aliens, and any imaginable creature.

Rubber or silicone hand props are especially common for the hands of creatures and monsters in horror films and fantasy genres. The flexible materials and intricate hand details create a realistic, organic look on screen.

More rigid hand casts are frequently used as static prop hands for mannequins, decorative elements, or set dressings. This allows set designers to pepper in fake but realistic-looking hands throughout scenes.

In the theater world, accurate hand casts help costume designers build elaborate non-human costumes for productions that require detailed creature hands or fantasy elements. The hand casts can be incorporated into large costume elements or worn directly by actors.

Overall, hand casting allows special effects artists to quickly and accurately recreate an actor’s hands for any imaginable scenario. This lends an authentic, organic touch to characters that would be difficult to achieve otherwise.

Artistic Uses

Hand casting has long been used by artists for sculptural works, body casting, and decorative pieces. The ability to capture intricate details of the human hand provides artists with a powerful medium of expression.

Sculptors may use hand casts to incorporate into larger works symbolizing themes of relationships, letting go, unity, and more. The highly personalized nature of the hand allows for moving representations of connection. Hand casts are also popular within figural sculpting to lend a sense of realism and humanity.

Body casting involves taking casts of the entire body or parts of the body for artistic purposes. Hand casts are common for body casting projects given the hands’ expressiveness. Body casters use alginate, silicone, plaster, and other materials to cast body parts. The resulting casts serve as studies of the human form or get incorporated into multimedia works.

Hand casts can become decorative art pieces on their own too. Colorful, creatively painted hand casts can hang on the wall or adorn surfaces as an artistic display. Some artists embellish casts with various materials to render more textured, three-dimensional works. The hands transform into an art form themselves.