Lifecasting - Bodycasting

Lifecasting is also known as Bodycasting and is the of creation a three-dimensional replica of the living body, using moulding and casting techniques and a very profitable hobby for me. The most common casts are of torsos, pregnant bellies, hands and faces, and it is possible for an experienced lifecast practitioner to copy any part of the body. Castings are usually limited to a section of the body at a time; however full-body casts are achievable too. When compared to other three-dimensional representations of the human form, the standout feature of a lifecast is the high level of detail. These casts can replicate details as small as pores and fingerprints.

The Lifecasting Process

There are a multitude of lifecasting techniques which all differ to some degree. The following steps are a general and simple outline of the process:

Preparing the Model. Unless you are using alginate , a substance such as Vaseline or petroleum jelly is applied to the skin and/or hair of the model to help prevent the mould sticking to their skin or trapping hair. Alginate does not stick to skin. If the cast is to include the face or head, a rubber swimming cap may be worn to prevent the mould from trapping the head hair.

Posing the Model. Have the model take the desired, and ensure that they are comfortable and can remain in this pose until the mould is removed from the body.

Making the Mould. The mould material is applied to the surface of the model's body, taking care to ensure any undercuts are properly filled.

The mould material usually applied in the form of a thick liquid that quickly takes the form and shape of the body. Body parts may also be immersed into containers of mould media (Warning do not do this with Plaster).

Curing and Reinforcing the Mould. The applied mould material will cure to a more rigid and solid form. At this point more materials usually in the form of plaster bandages are added to give the mould more strength and support, it also makes for easier handling and removal of the mould.

Removal of the Mould. Once the reinforced mould has attained the required strength, carefully remove it from the model's body.

Reassembly and Modification of the Mould. If the mould was created in multiple parts the parts are sometimes joined back together. The mould itself can be repaired, altered or added to at this stage. Walls can be constructed to help contain the casting material, and further mould reinforcements can be added.

Making the Cast. A casting material is painted or poured into the mould, usually in liquid form, though deformable solids like clay may be used as well. Most artists would commonly incorporate any hanging hardware at this stage.

Demoulding the Cast. Once the casting material has acquired the shape of the mould and is fully cured, remove the cast carefully removed from the mould. Moulds may survive but more often than not, they do not, resulting in one-of-a-kind, unique piece of work.

Moulding and casting materials

There a variety of materials that can be used for both the moulding and casting stages of the lifecasting process. For moulding, alginate and plaster bandages are the most popular materials. Less common mould materials are silicones, waxes, gelatines and plaster. Plaster and resins are the most commonly used casting materials, but various clays, concretes, plastics and metals are also in common use. Ice, glass and even chocolate have been used as casting materials. Although there is imaging technology to map the skin's surface which may enable the re-creation of a more perfect shape without touching the body, as the weight of mould material can slightly deform the body, this new technique may produce an even more perfect work, but will not give the skin texture or detail the above-listed materials do.

Lifecasting risks and challenges

Compared to the moulding of inanimate objects, lifecasting can pose some specific challenges and risks. Since the mould is made directly on the skin of the model, for safety and health reasons the moulding materials must be non-toxic. The mould must not heat up too much or else discomfort and even severe burns could occur. The moulding process needs also be completed within a relatively short time frame, usually a half hour or less, since most people have limited endurance of holding a stationary pose. Methods to allow the model to continue breathing must also be used when a mould 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 near impossible to take a deep breath. To prevent injury or trapping the model in the mould, the shape and position of the mould must be well planned prior to application.

Even experienced lifecasters can occasionally have trouble with snagging small body hairs, and the mould being somewhat uncomfortable. In rare cases some models can have allergic reactions to moulding materials (it is advised that a skin patch test is done to prevent any allergic reaction in the model)., can faint from holding a stationary pose for too long, or can experience anxiety from being encased in the mould.

However, far from it being a negative experience, most models actually find the experience enjoyable. The necessity of an extended stationary pose and the feeling of being enclosed by the warm moulding materials can lead to some to feel extreme relaxation or even enter into meditative state. In relaxed poses some models can even fall asleep while being cast. The application of the moulding 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 a form lifecasting when they apply plaster mixed with herbs to the face, over cream, with the goal of gently heating the face with the cream and herbs.

Lifecasting and art

Lifecasting is considered a sculptural art by some, while others think it is purely a technical skill and the work of artisans. Critics of lifecasting as an art claim that it lacks the talent or creativity to that of the more conventional sculptural disciplines. This criticism echoes that which was heard within artistic circles during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in relation to photography. In fact lifecasting has been likened to a three-dimensional type of photography. As with photographs, lifecasts can be manipulated, altered and incorporated with other media. 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 maybe the best-known contemporary sculptor to use lifecasting in his works. He perfectly reproduced the entire body including hair and skin tone. His "everyman" works were even 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 effects industry, where it is used in the creation of prosthetics, 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 erotic items, for which several companies sell casting kits designed specifically for this purpose.

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