The three small objects above are the first attempt at action figures for the play set. Obviously based on Fisher Price toys from the seventies, I wanted the objects simple and direct and to work with the mold making technique that I am focusing on this semester. I began with three small pieces of clay that I allowed to dry to leather hard. Using sketches, I carved the solid figures so that they would have no undercuts so that they could be easily cast and reproduced. For the video I am wanting to produce several identical objects that can be broken and replaced through the course of the filming.
When the figures were complete I then made forms for the molds using foam core and duct tape. I made the forms in two pieces because the openings are small and I wanted simple access for notching the bottom piece. The top of the form was attached with more duct tape after the bottom half of the mold was cast. Rather than setting the object into clay to cast the first half, I placed the figures directly into the wet plaster after it had a moment to slightly set. This was a great innovation in several ways, however the figures did slip and move making the molds possibly unusable, especially in the case of the male office worker.
After the molds came out of the forms I separated them using hot water and cleaned them up with a metal loop tool. While I love the little molds I made, there is no doubt there is much improvement that can be made on them. I’m looking forward to another try.
Foxy-Wolff 