Lifecasting
Encyclopedia
Lifecasting is the process of creating a three-dimensional copy of a living human
body, through the use of molding
and casting
techniques. In rare cases lifecasting is also practiced on living animal
s.
The most common lifecasts are of torsoes, pregnant bellies, hands and faces, and it is possible for an experienced lifecasting practitioner to copy any part of the body. Lifecasting is usually limited to a section of the body at a time, but full-body lifecasts are achievable too. Compared with other three-dimensional representations of humans, the standout feature of lifecasts is their high level of realism
and detail. Lifecasts can replicate details as small as fingerprint
s and pores.
s, wax
es, gelatin
s and plaster
. Plaster and gypsum cement are the most commonly used casting materials, but various clay
s, concrete
s, plastic
s and metal
s are also in common use. Ice
, glass
and even chocolate
have been used on occasion as casting materials.
Work is being done with imaging technology to map the skin's surface which may enable re-creation of the shape without touching the body. Since the weight of material deforms the body, if only slightly, this new technique may enable even more perfect work, but will not give the skin texture the above-listed materials do.
. The mold must not heat up too much or else discomfort and even severe burns
could occur. The molding process must also be completed within a relatively short time frame, usually a half hour or less, since people have limited endurance in holding a stationary pose. Methods to allow the model to continue breathing must also be used when a mold covers the mouth and nostrils. (Generally the nostrils are kept clear, but not with straws.) If the model is captured with lungs deflated it will be impossible to take a deep breath. To prevent injury or trapping the model in the mold, the shape and position of the mold must be well planned prior to application.
Even experienced lifecasters can occasionally have trouble with snagging small body hairs, and the mold being somewhat uncomfortable. In rare cases some models can have allergic reactions
to molding materials, can faint from holding a stationary pose for too long, or can experience anxiety
from being enclosed in the mold.
However, far from always being a negative experience, many models actually find the experience enjoyable. The necessity of an extended stationary pose and the feeling of being enclosed by the warm molding materials leads some to feel extreme relaxation or even enter into meditative
states. In relaxed poses some models even fall asleep while being lifecast. The application of the molding materials can also feel like a soft massage
. Models often compare the feeling of a face lifecast to the feeling of a facial
.
Beauty salons sometimes perform lifecasting when they apply plaster mixed with herbs to the face, over cream, with the goal of gently cooking the face with the cream and herbs.
art
by some, while others think it is more a technical skill and the work of artisan
s. Critics of lifecasting as an art claim that it lacks the talent or creativity that more conventional sculptural disciplines require. This criticism echoes that heard in artistic circles during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries relating to photography
. In fact lifecasting has been called a three-dimensional type of photography. As with photographs, lifecasts are sometimes manipulated, altered and incorporated with other media. Lifecasters are united only by the fact that each work starts with a lifecast. Artistic choices begin with choice of model, of pose, and of area of the body shown. Defining the edge is clearly a sculptural act.
Probably the most popular alteration is to add paint
and various finishes
to the surface of the lifecast.
Duane Hanson
is the best-known contemporary sculptor to use lifecasting in his works. He perfectly reproduced the entire body including hair and skintone. His "everyman" works were dressed and posed to look like unexceptional people.
Lifecasting is regularly practiced in the special effect
s industry, where it is used in the creation of prosthetic
s, props and animatronics, most commonly for film
and television
. Lifecasting finds medical use in the creation and fitting of prostheses and dentures
. Lifecasting has also found a niche market in the creation of personalized dildo
s, which are the cast replicas of erect penises. Several companies sell lifecasting kits designed specifically for this purpose.
A death mask
is a similar process to lifecasting, with the major difference being that a deathmask is created on a dead person's face. These were common in earlier times. Obviously there is no concern with breathing or discomfort.
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
body, through the use of molding
Molding (process)
Molding or moulding is the process of manufacturing by shaping pliable raw material using a rigid frame or model called a pattern....
and casting
Casting
In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process...
techniques. In rare cases lifecasting is also practiced on living animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s.
The most common lifecasts are of torsoes, pregnant bellies, hands and faces, and it is possible for an experienced lifecasting practitioner to copy any part of the body. Lifecasting is usually limited to a section of the body at a time, but full-body lifecasts are achievable too. Compared with other three-dimensional representations of humans, the standout feature of lifecasts is their high level of realism
Realism (arts)
Realism in the visual arts and literature refers to the general attempt to depict subjects "in accordance with secular, empirical rules", as they are considered to exist in third person objective reality, without embellishment or interpretation...
and detail. Lifecasts can replicate details as small as fingerprint
Fingerprint
A fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...
s and pores.
Lifecasting process
There are a variety of lifecasting techniques which differ to some degree; the following steps illustrate a general and simplified outline of the process:- Model preparation. Unless alginate is used, an oily substance such as petroleum jellyPetroleum jellyPetroleum jelly, petrolatum, white petrolatum or soft paraffin, CAS number 8009-03-8, is a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons , originally promoted as a topical ointment for its healing properties...
is applied to the skin and/or hair of the model to help prevent the mold adhering to their skin and hair. Alginate does not stick to skin or hair. If the lifecast is to include the face or head, a rubber swimming cap may be worn to prevent the mold from adhering to the head hair. - Model pose. The model takes the desired stationary pose, and must remain in this pose until the mold is removed from the body. Supports to help the model are carefully designed.
- Mold application. Mold material is applied to the surface of the model's body. The mold material is usually applied as a thick liquid that takes the shape of the body. Body parts may also be dunked into containers of mold media (except plaster).
- Mold curing and reinforcement. The applied mold material cures to a more rigid and solid form. Sometimes more materials are added at this point to further strengthen and support the mold.
- Demold. Once the reinforced mold has attained the necessary strength it is carefully removed from the model's body.
- Mold reassembly and modification. If the mold was created in multiple parts the parts are now sometimes joined back together. The mold itself may be repaired, altered or added to. Walls may be constructed to help contain the casting material, or further mold reinforcements added.
- Casting. A casting material is painted or poured into the mold, usually in liquid form, though deformable solids can be used as well. Artists commonly incorporate hanging hardware at this stage as well.
- Demold cast. Once the casting material has acquired the shape of the mold and cured fully, the cast is carefully removed from the mold. Molds may survive but often do not, resulting in one-of-a-kind, "one-out" works. Silicone molds will last for many castings.
Molding and casting materials
A variety of materials can be used for both the molding and casting stages of the lifecasting process. For molding, alginate and plaster bandages are the most popular materials. Less common mold materials are siliconeSilicone
Silicones are inert, synthetic compounds with a variety of forms and uses. Typically heat-resistant and rubber-like, they are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medical applications , cookware, and insulation....
s, wax
Wax
thumb|right|[[Cetyl palmitate]], a typical wax ester.Wax refers to a class of chemical compounds that are plastic near ambient temperatures. Characteristically, they melt above 45 °C to give a low viscosity liquid. Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in organic, nonpolar solvents...
es, gelatin
Gelatin
Gelatin is a translucent, colorless, brittle , flavorless solid substance, derived from the collagen inside animals' skin and bones. It is commonly used as a gelling agent in food, pharmaceuticals, photography, and cosmetic manufacturing. Substances containing gelatin or functioning in a similar...
s and plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
. Plaster and gypsum cement are the most commonly used casting materials, but various clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
s, concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
s, plastic
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
s and metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
s are also in common use. Ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
, glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
and even chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
have been used on occasion as casting materials.
Work is being done with imaging technology to map the skin's surface which may enable re-creation of the shape without touching the body. Since the weight of material deforms the body, if only slightly, this new technique may enable even more perfect work, but will not give the skin texture the above-listed materials do.
Lifecasting risks and challenges
Compared to the molding of inanimate objects, lifecasting poses some specific challenges and risks. Since the mold is made directly on the skin of the model, for safety and health reasons the molding materials must be non-toxicToxicity
Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can damage a living or non-living organisms. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell or an organ , such as the liver...
. The mold must not heat up too much or else discomfort and even severe burns
Burn (injury)
A burn is a type of injury to flesh caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, light, radiation or friction. Most burns affect only the skin . Rarely, deeper tissues, such as muscle, bone, and blood vessels can also be injured...
could occur. The molding process must also be completed within a relatively short time frame, usually a half hour or less, since people have limited endurance in holding a stationary pose. Methods to allow the model to continue breathing must also be used when a mold covers the mouth and nostrils. (Generally the nostrils are kept clear, but not with straws.) If the model is captured with lungs deflated it will be impossible to take a deep breath. To prevent injury or trapping the model in the mold, the shape and position of the mold must be well planned prior to application.
Even experienced lifecasters can occasionally have trouble with snagging small body hairs, and the mold being somewhat uncomfortable. In rare cases some models can have allergic reactions
Allergy
An Allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system. Allergic reactions occur when a person's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment. A substance that causes a reaction is called an allergen. These reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid...
to molding materials, can faint from holding a stationary pose for too long, or can experience anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
from being enclosed in the mold.
However, far from always being a negative experience, many models actually find the experience enjoyable. The necessity of an extended stationary pose and the feeling of being enclosed by the warm molding materials leads some to feel extreme relaxation or even enter into meditative
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
states. In relaxed poses some models even fall asleep while being lifecast. The application of the molding materials can also feel like a soft massage
Massage
Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle"...
. Models often compare the feeling of a face lifecast to the feeling of a facial
Facial
A facial is a procedure involving a variety of skin treatments, including: steam, exfoliation, extraction, creams, lotions, facial masks, peels, and massage...
.
Beauty salons sometimes perform lifecasting when they apply plaster mixed with herbs to the face, over cream, with the goal of gently cooking the face with the cream and herbs.
Lifecasting and art
Lifecasting is considered a sculpturalSculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
by some, while others think it is more a technical skill and the work of artisan
Artisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
s. Critics of lifecasting as an art claim that it lacks the talent or creativity that more conventional sculptural disciplines require. This criticism echoes that heard in artistic circles during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries relating to photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
. In fact lifecasting has been called a three-dimensional type of photography. As with photographs, lifecasts are sometimes manipulated, altered and incorporated with other media. Lifecasters are united only by the fact that each work starts with a lifecast. Artistic choices begin with choice of model, of pose, and of area of the body shown. Defining the edge is clearly a sculptural act.
Probably the most popular alteration is to add paint
Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
and various finishes
Surface finishing
Surface finishing is a broad range of industrial processes that alter the surface of a manufactured item to achieve a certain property. Finishing processes may be employed to: improve appearance, adhesion or wettability, solderability, corrosion resistance, tarnish resistance, chemical resistance,...
to the surface of the lifecast.
Duane Hanson
Duane Hanson
Duane Hanson was an American artist based in South Florida but born in Minnesota, a sculptor known for his lifecast realistic works of people, cast in various materials, including polyester resin, fibreglass, Bondo and bronze...
is the best-known contemporary sculptor to use lifecasting in his works. He perfectly reproduced the entire body including hair and skintone. His "everyman" works were dressed and posed to look like unexceptional people.
Applications of lifecasting
Lifecasting allows creation of exact portraits and body reproduction, works which may have artistic and personal value.Lifecasting is regularly practiced in the special effect
Special effect
The illusions used in the film, television, theatre, or entertainment industries to simulate the imagined events in a story are traditionally called special effects ....
s industry, where it is used in the creation of prosthetic
Prosthetic makeup
Prosthetic makeup is the process of using prosthetic sculpting, molding and casting techniques to create advanced cosmetic effects...
s, props and animatronics, most commonly for film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. Lifecasting finds medical use in the creation and fitting of prostheses and dentures
Dentures
Dentures are prosthetic devices constructed to replace missing teeth, and which are supported by surrounding soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. Conventional dentures are removable, however there are many different denture designs, some which rely on bonding or clasping onto teeth or dental...
. Lifecasting has also found a niche market in the creation of personalized dildo
Dildo
A dildo is a sex toy, often explicitly phallic in appearance, intended for bodily penetration during masturbation or sex with partners.- Description and uses :...
s, which are the cast replicas of erect penises. Several companies sell lifecasting kits designed specifically for this purpose.
A death mask
Death mask
In Western cultures a death mask is a wax or plaster cast made of a person’s face following death. Death masks may be mementos of the dead, or be used for creation of portraits...
is a similar process to lifecasting, with the major difference being that a deathmask is created on a dead person's face. These were common in earlier times. Obviously there is no concern with breathing or discomfort.
External links
- ArtMolds' Alginates, EZ Cast Lifecasting Kits & Supplies, Video Instruction, Workshops
- Accu-Cast Alginates, LifeCasting Kits & Supplies, Illustrated Procedural Guides
- The Association of Lifecasters International
- Essensual Life Sculpture - Modeling for a Lifecasting
- Free step by step videos on taking your baby's hand or foot casting
- Lifecasting Step-by-Step Photo Tutorials, Videos, Technique tips, Application Examples etc.
- Life-Bronze Memorials, Funerary Sculptures, Casting Supplies & How-to Tutorials
- A comprehensive life casting instruction manual and tutorial