Duration: 38s

In this workshop, John Brown continues from Sculpture 4: Molding and Casting the Maquette, demonstrating how to plan and execute precise cuts with clear registration marks, and carefully refinish separated areas. He emphasizes that thorough preparation makes mold-making more manageable and ensures higher-quality, successfully reassembled final molds.

Duration: 31m 9s

In this lesson, John begins to prepare the main section of his character model, emphasizing the importance of proper stabilization and planning when creating a two-part mold for the sculpture. By maintaining structural supports and securing the base as a foundation, he shows how to follow an efficient and safer workflow.

Duration: 3m 41s

In this lesson, John demonstrates the initial setup of a foam core support and dam structure, which significantly reduces the amount of clay needed for molding. The method is practical, forgiving, and helps make the overall mold-making process more efficient and manageable.

Duration: 11m 12s

In this lesson, by placing parting lines at the apex of curves and using a straight edge to identify problem areas, John shows how mold makers can ensure their castings will release cleanly. While strict rules apply in most cases, experienced artists learn when flexibility in the silicone layer allows for strategic rule-breaking to achieve optimal results.

Duration: 5m 49s

In this lesson, John presents a practical and cost-effective method for achieving consistent clay thickness. By creating a simple jig with readily available materials like paint sticks and a hot glue gun, sculptors and mold-makers can ensure precision and consistency with the clay they need. In this instance it is water-based clay, which is necessary for the following processes as it does not adhere to the oil based clay of the base sculpture.

Duration: 3m 3s

This lesson covers essential mold-making techniques for creating a proper parting line and preparing a sculpture for silicone mold casting. While making the clay dividing wall, John stresses that eliminating undercuts and creating rounded edges is crucial for successful casting and easy removal of finished pieces. By working methodically and keeping materials moist, he demonstrates foundational skills necessary for professional-quality mold making.

Duration: 14m 24s

In this lesson, John provides detailed instruction on the critical preparation phase before casting a plaster mother mold. The emphasis on proper registration keys, surface preparation, and strategic planning demonstrates that successful mold-making depends heavily on meticulous setup work. By understanding how each clay element represents a future mold component and taking time to create proper alignment mechanisms, the mold-maker ensures the final product will function correctly when pouring silicone into the voided space.

Duration: 19m 30s

In this lesson, John prepares burlap strips in advance, highlighting the importance of organizing materials before beginning plaster work. This preparation ensures a smoother, more efficient mold-making workflow and better final results.

Duration: 2m 58s

In this lesson, John showcases essential techniques for creating professional plaster mold jackets. His focus on preventing air pockets while applying his plaster, managing working time through controlled mixing, and building up layers systematically demonstrates the importance of this workflow and experience when working with fast-setting materials.

Duration: 14m 15s

In this lesson, John demonstrates how creating a reinforced plaster mold requires speed, technique, and proper layering. He shows how careful shaping with tools, like spatulas and rasps produces clean, professional results. The key is working efficiently before the plaster sets while maintaining consistent pressure to eliminate air pockets and achieve uniform thickness throughout the mold.

Duration: 19m 17s

In this lesson, John demonstrates a critical transitional phase in mold-making where proper technique is essential to maintain the sculpture's integrity. He highlights the importance of structural support (via plumber's piping) and careful handling during the flip process. This process ensures the mold remains stable and undamaged for completing the second side.

Duration: 3m 51s

In this lesson, John prepares the back side of the sculpture for the second mold half, carefully removing structural elements and methodically preparing edges. By emphasizing cleanliness and protecting the clay from drying, he demonstrates the attention to detail needed to create a well-fitted mold capable of producing high-quality castings.

Duration: 6m 16s

In this lesson, John shows how creating the second half of a matrix mold is considerably more efficient than the first, primarily requiring careful plaster application and proper release agent use. The key to success lies in understanding timing, applying multiple coats before previous layers fully cure, and gaining hands-on experience with the materials through practice runs.

Duration: 13m 28s

In this lesson, John demonstrates how to open a plaster mold and prepare it for silicone casting. By measuring displaced clay to estimate silicone needs, he ensures accurate material planning and minimizes waste, while emphasizing gentle handling and careful preparation for professional-quality mold-making.

Duration: 9m 36s

In this lesson, John shows a methodical approach to building clay mold walls for silicone casting. He works on roughly applying, then careful refining the sculpture's edges, while maintaining flush surfaces and eliminating air pockets. Perfection isn't necessary along the parting line at this point, since cleanup happens in later stages.

Duration: 10m 43s

This lesson focuses on creating a ventilation system to ensure successful silicone casting. By strategically drilling holes at all the deepest points in the plaster shell where air is likely to be trapped, and thoroughly cleaning the mold afterward, John can avoid common problems like bubbles and incomplete fills.

Duration: 3m 38s

In this lesson, John demonstrates final cleanup and surface preparation before silicone molding. By cleaning the surface, carving registration channels, and applying a clear sealant, he shows how to create a properly prepared sculpture ready for high-quality silicone casting.

Duration: 5m 13s

In this lesson, John works on proper sealing with greased plaster bandages in order to prevent any silicon from leaking out of the mold. He also applies heavy stabilizing clamps to the whole mold to apply pressure and also prevent leakage. Taking time to properly complete these last steps will prevent any material from being wasted, and result in a cleaner, more efficient silicone pouring process.

Duration: 5m 46s

In this lesson, John presents a beginner's guide to the type of silicon he will be using to make his inner molds. He highlights the importance of using quality materials from reliable suppliers and following proper mixing ratios with appropriate measurement tools to achieve successful results in mold creation.

Duration: 1m 3s

In this lesson, John explains how to use the triple beam balance scale, an essential tool for accurately measuring silicone components before mixing. He shows how to use the three sliding bars and additional weights, so artists can measure batches of any size and ensure proper mixing ratios. Maintaining the 10% catalyst-to-base ratio is crucial for successful silicone mixing projects.

Duration: 2m 53s

In this lesson, John emphasizes the importance of careful preparation, precise measurement, and close monitoring when working with professional-grade silicone rubber. While quality silicone from manufacturers like Welco Materials can be expensive (around $120/gallon), the superior mold life and casting results justify the investment for serious mold makers.

Duration: 5m 1s

In this lesson, John covers the intermediate stage of mold-making between the first and second silicone pours. Understanding that silicone bonds only to itself is critical here, making it essential to grease all exposed silicone surfaces before the second pour. Proper preparation, including thorough cleaning and touch-up sculpting at this stage, ensures high-quality final castings without defects or mold adhesion problems.

Duration: 9m 31s

In this lesson, John teaches fundamental box-mold-making techniques that balance efficiency with material conservation. While box molds use more silicone than matrix molds, they're significantly easier and more practical for creating small sculptural components. The skills learned here, particularly understanding parting lines, undercuts, and registration systems, reinforce the lessons learnt so far.

Duration: 18m 38s

In this lesson, John covers the essential preparatory step in silicone mold-making: creating a leak-proof containment system. The careful construction of foam core walls around each box mold ensures that expensive silicone material won't be wasted through leaks and that the mold will form properly.

Duration: 7m 33s

In this lesson, John follows similar steps shown in earlier lessons as he showcases techniques for creating professional two-part silicone molds. He covers some fundamental preparation steps, like greasing edges with Vaseline, to ensure the mold halves can be separated later.

Duration: 5m 34s

In this lesson, John jumps back to the main mold, showing how the demolding process. While the original sculpture may be sacrificed during demolding, the silicone mold has permanently captured all the artistic information needed for reproduction. Proper cleaning, trimming, lubrication, and reassembly ensure the molds will function correctly for creating high-quality castings in the next phase of production.

Duration: 8m 18s

In this lesson, John shares his troubleshooting advice, such as dealing with air pockets and imperfect castings. He demonstrates that achieving quality results may require several attempts while learning the proper techniques.

Duration: 11m 36s

In this lesson, John shows a straightforward method for permanently mounting the final casted plastic model onto a stable base, transforming it into a display-worthy piece. The combination of internal plastic reinforcement and external bolt mounting creates a secure, professional-looking result that's both functional and aesthetically pleasing. This technique is particularly useful for creating custom trophies, sculptures, or display pieces that need to be both stable and durable.

Duration: 4m 18s

In this lesson, John shows the importance of careful preparation and patience when finishing cast plastic sculptures. The combination of mechanical cleanup, proper alignment, and epoxy putty work transforms his rough cast pieces into a seamless final product. John stresses that this process requires multiple hours and potentially multiple sessions to achieve professional results.

Duration: 12m 15s

In this final lesson, John highlights the importance of iterative surface preparation, using paint primer to reveal imperfections and guide corrections. His “prime-identify-correct-repeat” approach demonstrates that achieving a professional finish requires patience, attention to detail, and a willingness to refine the model until it meets the highest standards.

Duration: 9m 24s