Day 4: Trying Everything

Once I received my 3D-printed pieces, the workshop had closed for Christmas, so I was left to experiment at home. As I now had the ability to work at any time of day and cause chaos in my parent's kitchen, I began to try all the casting methods I could think of.

Experiment 1: Youtube Tutorial

Initially, I watched someone on youtube who used a cardboard shell lined with plastic to create a shell for a silicone mould. I began trying this method, but once I had decided that this absolutely was not going to work, I discarded the idea and moved on.

Experiment 2: Oasis

For this experiment, I covered one of my 3D models in vaseline and pressed it into the oasis. I left the other pieces dry in order to assess the difference. Once I had filled the moulds, I was not very optimistic as it appeared the oasis was absorbing a lot of moisture, however, after leaving them to dry overnight, I managed to break the oasis away and leave the pieces whole. I used my fingers and an old paintbrush to scrape off the excess oasis and was left with a green-tinted piece. I really love the texture and colour my pieces were left with as they remind me of old buildings covered in moss, linking back to my initial architectural research. The actual mould, however, has to be destroyed in order to extract the pieces, meaning only one thing can be cast from each mould which does not fit my brief.

As a result, I want to try mixing the plaster of paris with some leftover oasis to see if I can incorporate it into my pieces without having to use it to cast in, meaning I can create a reusable mould while still achieving the texture.