Bodycasting

Alginate is the material used by bodycasters as it creates exact copies of the hand, foot or other body parts. As a casting material A1 is easy to process, works excellent in combination with alginate and, due to the expansion of the A1 during curing, creates a very detailed copy of the original. A1 can be coloured or painted afterwards to create the desired expression.

Video

Instruction sheet

Instruction sheet - Bodycasting
Mix the required amount of alginate.
Place, in this case, the hands in the alginate and wait for the alginate to cure.
Take the hands out of the alginate mould. Be careful the alginate does not tear or break.
Weigh 1 part A1 Liquid and 2 parts A1 Powder and mix. The A1 is ready as soon as you run out of lumps or air bubbles. Tip: Gently tap the bucket on a hard surface to release air.
Slowly pour some of the A1 along the edge into the opening(s). Let the A1 flow through the shape in all directions to reduce air entrapment. Turn and tap on the bucket so the A1 fills the empty spaces properly and any air bubbles arise. Pour in the remaining A1. Again, tap on the bucket and fill to where necessary.
Let the A1 cure for about 1 hour.
Carefully turn the bucket over so the cured alginate slides out of the bucket with the cured A1.
Check on the outside of the alginate where the hands are.
The A1 is dry, but not yet fully cured. Therefore, carefully remove the alginate where the pouring holes are located.
Work carefully towards the fragile parts. This can be done with the help of small tools.
With a small tool you remove the remaining alginate pieces from the object.
The end result is an exact copy with all the fine details.