Casting Minis - Tutorial

Hi all,

        whilst I have been waiting for my current project to dry I have been playing around trying out lots of different things from my ideas book.  I thought I would share with you a really easy and quick way of casting pieces.

You will need some plasticine, something to cast and some casting powder.
I used the casting powder shown below.  In my opinion it is much better than plaster of paris as it mixes really well and does not get air bubbles.  Plus it seems more robust. 

The item I am casting was part of a child's toy that I cut up to use. 

First you need to make the plasticine pliable, but not so it goes very soft.  You want to be able to push your item into it and then pull it out without it being deformed.  

Push your item in the plasticine, you might need to push the plasticine against the edges of the item so there are no gaps.  Then remove the item from the plasticine leaving behind a mould.

Next mix the casting material so it is the consistency of double cream.  Then pour it into the mould.

Give the mould a wiggle and the surface of the casting material should level out.  Leave to dry thoroughly. 

Remove the plasticine from the cast. 

Finally clean up your cast using a craft knife and fine sand paper to remove extra bits and level off the base if required.   If you find your plasticine has stained it slightly you can remove this using some nail polish remover. 

This is my finished casting.  It can now be painted or decorated as required.  I will show you what I do with mine when I decide how to decorate it.