Kate Garrett
Make-up Exploration
Concept 1 - What is identity?
Making a brain.
Sculpting Analysis.
I was really happy with this shape it intially looked like a bottom however once I had changed the portions around it looked much better. Using my reference images I sketched a rough pattern to clay the carved into it to make grooves.
I learnt that using a smooth curved tool and pushing it along the edges of the groove rounf the edges making the shapes look more organic and less hacked at as they did before (image on the left). This is style of sculpting a 3D piece is a new skill for me so I have been able to develop my skills from a previous unit into more advanced areas.
Image 16.0 - Real brain side view.
Image 16.2 - Top of the brain
These are my key reference image for sculpting my minature brain. I am going to use them to create the general shape and for the deatling. The slimmy texture witll be something that I look at after colouring the piece.
Here I have the rought detail sculpt on the left side and the smoothed our final sculpt on the right side.
Here is the full smoothed out finsihed sculpt.
Fibreglass prep.
As I have moved o to 3D sculpting the preperation for fibre glassing has chnaged slightly. You can either bilud a clay wall around the centre or use thin mental (that is used in cans of pop).
I chose to use the metal method as it allowed me to get a better mould as the centre detail is an important part to the piece. This was a quick and simple method, also very cheap. Over all this is a good preperation clearly defing the seperate areas.
Fibreglassing analysis.
This was different to before as I found out the whole surface was curved which meant a lot of airbubbles poped up when I had flatten down the other side. Then I used smaller strips which worked alot better. This time the process took alot quicker as I was confident in the process which allowed me to cut down my time substancly.
This was easy to trim down now I am familar with the tools, the difficult part was prising the two halfves apart, even though the mould was well coated in release agent. I think this was down to me leaving the mould 5 days before demoulding so it had chance to not be as effective. Next time I will demould it 24 hours later so that it is a easier job. In the end a cobination of leaverage and strength managed to prise them apart.
Fibreglass Demoulding.
Silicone brian.
Here I used a new product call ?? which you add a small amount into the mixed up silcione to thicken it. This allowed me to use a spatular and mould the silicone into the fibre glass mould. I loved this process it made this process alot easier for creating my outer layer as I was concered that it would not pick up all the detail if I just poured it is and that it would run to the bottom leaveing the side very thin and transparant. I then joined the two halves and poured int a runny silcione mix for the rest. This worked really well and I am very happy with the out come of this piece.
I used skin illustrator to colour the silicone which worked really well as it allowed me to easily build up the layers of colour and apply more intensity where needed. As you can see I applied a little of kryolan wet blood to the bloody vessels because they didnt have the wet brain look as seen in the research images, I think used glistering to give it a slimy look,however it ran off the silicone quiet fast so next time I am going to try olive oil. But overall I am really happy with how the mould worked and the colouring.
Gelatin Brain.
This was the quicker method of creating the brain however the outcome was not to the same high standard, it was also alot heavier so to be used as a prop it would be heavy and therefore not wanting to be carried or held for a long period of time as this may cause injury to the wrists.
When I first started to colour the gelatin with the illustator I was not keen on the effect as it took a very long time for it to loose it clumpy apperance. HOwever I was really please once I added the scratch blood then olive oil over the top it bought it to life which I didn't think it woul dmake that much of a difference. I do feel that the colouring on this piece reflects the real brain better than the silicone on due to the yellow undertone. Overall I am pleased with both outcomes and pleasently surpised with the enjoyment of working with gelatin as it is something I normally struggle with.
