Dramatic Contexts
By Kate Garrett
Eye Bags.
As you can see I have gathered a selection of images to show different types of eye bags; from different ages to different causes.I used firgue 11.0 as my refrence for sculpting the shape, a common shape seen in eye bags as I have never sculpted before I though it would be best to start with something simple.
I tried to recreate this shape but instead of being for a 20-30 year old where there skin would be smooth I choose to do a 80 year old so that I could practise using different Sculpting tools and tecniques to create wrinkles as seen in figure 11.3.
Flat Pieces.
Tools.
Cermaic Tile
Clay (Laboute)
Sculpting Tools (shown to the Right)
Talcum Powder
LighterFluid or Alcohol
Figure 11.0
Figure 11.1
Sculpting.
The image above is a up close to show the finished detail.
The four images to the right show the grounding process preparing the sculpt ready for mould making.
Sculpting & Grounding Evaluation.
Working with sculpting tools was a new experience for me which I struggled with for a while, I wanted to keep using just my hands which was okay when I was getting the basic shape but texture wise this was impossible. But after a while having a play I learnt what was best for different texture, my personal favourtie during this sculpt was the plastic bristled brush as this too the harsh edges that you could tell had just been carved away. It really bought a natural feel by breaking the clay up. Although I did find it very hard to know when to stop with adding in texture I always wanted to keep going, whether this is becasue it is a new technique I'm learning and I was just getting carried away or there is a fine line between doing enough but not too much.
Creating the basic shape was a relativly quick job which I found quiet easy due to copying my visal refrences. The mistake I made when sculpting was my postion on the tile, there was not enough room for grounding so I had to peel it away and replace which made it very difficult to get my smooth seamless edges again without taking away from the sculpted bag. In the future I would always sculpt in the center to save runing the edges.
Cuts.
For cuts I used my knowledge from previous units to bas my sculpt off, this is a very basic cut with a few fat cells visiable through the middle.
Evaluation.
From the previous sculpt I learnt to preapre my clay in strips/saugsages that I could then place in my board in the desired shape and blend together, doing this allowed me to have more working time with the clay before it became sticky and hard work. I had also a plan of what sort of texture I wanted to created, skin pores, I had problems with this translating through the lense. First this I used sand paper and pressed it into the clay then went over with the plastic bristle brush to soften the perfect holes. Looking at these photos I could have used a grainier sandpaper for bigger pore as the clay still looks too smooth, in person it looked like enough but through a lense it is no wher near enough. However becasue of this issue I could place the cut on the inside of the wrist on the smooth skin meaning it would blend in better. I has the same issues with the continuous side/height of the grounding as I did this all a the same time.
Making the Mould
Evaluation.
This process was easy to grasp and I had no issues with making the mold except the esitmating the quantities, but as I do more and practise the better I will get at estimating how much will be needed. I believe this is something that comes from experience. Demoulding had two options, I choose to pull the silcione mold away from the clay because it seemed the tidiest method, which suits the way I work. It also allowed cleaning the tile very easy and quick.
& Demoulding.
Preparing the Mould.
Casting with Silicone.
Evaluation.
The preperation of the mold I don't know the outcome of until I remove the piece however when I pushed my pin round the edge to test it it held in one piece but didn't create any holes, which at the moment seems like it was a good consitsancy. The process of measure, mixing and pigmenting was quiet easy to follow and understand however I found measuring the silcione parts very fustrating to get them all the exact same weight. I also mixed up way too much so had the same problem as when making the mold but experience will solve this issue. What I hadn't realised was to leave the overspill on the tile to judge when it had dried without prodding my piece and leaving marks over it.
Removal -Eye Bag.
Evaluation.
Product measurements:
pro gel 10 part A : 20g
pro gel 10 part B : 20g
pro gel 10 part C : 80g (the total of parts a and b added together and times by 2 to get 200 %)
Removing the piece from the board was quiet easy and non of the cap plastic/IPA solution ripped - it was a good consistancy however the silcione itself was a disaster I had put the exact amounts in for 200% soften piece but I dont think I had mixed it enough, it was way to sticky showing it hadn't cured correctly even when left over night- this may be that I hadn't mixed it throughly so all the parts hadn't reacted to each other properaly meaning it would not set! Next time I will mix for twice as long to double check scooping all edges and angles in the cup so it's fully mixed and the mistake is corrected.
Continued..
This was harder than I expected to get the clay the same thickness and height all the way round took a long time with a not so great result, this would not be acceptable in indusrty. However to solve this problem using a clay extruder would ensure a good perfect shape to work with initally making the process easier to clean up and quicker.
I found the Le beau touche clay very sticky and unco-operable at times especially once it had been handled for few minutes with hot hands, however for the first 5 minutes it was very nice easily became soft and workable. This was an advantage when sticking the wall down and sealing to to stop any leaks. However I did find it very fustrating trying to build up texure espcially if i used my hands. when using brush tools on the clay very little balls were picked up and caught in the grooves created, then meaning I had to spend time cleaning the piece before carrying on.
Products & measurements used:
Pro Gel 10 - part A: 75 grams
Pro Gel 10 - part B: 75 grams
Figure 11.2
Figure 11.3
Application - Cut.
Problem- This came out of the mold alright however shortly after the cap plastic had ripped; it was too thin. When I felt this I could feel the left sidefelt alot thicker than the right, as this didnt happen to the eye bag maybe I had applied it always starting on this die and brushing across which is why it is uneven?
Solution - Next time I will apply it alternating which side I start hopefully this will mean it is more even, I could also cross hatch to spread the solution around and make it stronger preventing it from ripping.
Evalutation.
This was a disaster. I found because the cap plastic around it was very thin on one half and ripped controlling the piece when applying very difficult as I had less area to glue down which also shortened my bleeding edge on one half. As you can see some of the edges looked better than others, I was pleased with the bottom edge but not around the front end it has wrinkles and has a sharpe edge- this is from bleeding too close to the silicone and it has removed the top layers and mixed with the silcione giving it that claggy look.
Colouring worked better than expected as I had bleeded through the cap plastic coating. I mixed a combinationg of the Mac foundations to create an off white colour (this cut was to be part of a vampire look overall) and filled it slightly with a red tone illustrator before applying the blood. Looking now though I have over filled the wound with blood which mak it look really obvious and fake. It also sat along the edges making them more prominent which highlighted my issue with bleeding. Over all I am not happy with my efforts for this flat piece.
