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Making molds for porcelain sculpture


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I started doing porcelain dog art about 4 months ago and since then have sold quite a bit of my work and bought a Skutt 818 kiln. I'm very happy about my new creative process and have lots of ideas. I have a mold maker who started out charging me decent prices for my first couple of molds and is now upping the price twice as much of what I was paying him. I would like to learn to make molds myself and am wondering if this is a nightmare waiting to happen. I have seen plenty of full figure porcelain art so I know it can be done. Can anyone possibly enlighten me on some YouTube videos that I might look at? You can see some of my art on my website at www.winddancingart.com under "Shop". Thanks in advance! Diana

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This looks to be a three piece mold.

My questions are -

does your mold maker make a master mold and also the rubber mold casts to make more working molds from?

Or just one working mold for you????

 

Back to a three piece mold -they can be involved but you can learn from books on how to make them-I'm not a big u-tube guy

I did partner in a slip business and had lots of mold from masters to working.

If you really want to do this right hire a MASTER (that is one who only does this) mold maker to make the master/mold and the rubber mold masters so you can pour your own working molds from-this is the most efficient way cost wise.

Mark

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This looks to be a three piece mold.

My questions are -

does your mold maker make a master mold and also the rubber mold casts to make more working molds from?

Or just one working mold for you????

 

Back to a three piece mold -they can be involved but you can learn from books on how to make them-I'm not a big u-tube guy

I did partner in a slip business and had lots of mold from masters to working.

If you really want to do this right hire a MASTER (that is one who only does this) mold maker to make the master/mold and the rubber mold masters so you can pour your own working molds from-this is the most efficient way cost wise.

Mark

 

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This was an 8 piece mold. The "My Toy" toy on the side is separate. You have to forgive me on this as I'm really still in the novice state. The pieces are out of plaster of paris (or whatever mixture he used) and it sits on a base and then all the pieces are in a coccoon (?) piece that holds the whole thing together when I pour, etc. There is no rubber mold in this. So, I guess it's just one working mold for me that I pour my slip into. All my art is original and sculpted by me. So, sounds like I need to keep using him, suck it up and hope the next piece doesn't cost 4x's as much. My question also is on the standing figures...........are these hard to do in porcelain. Thanks for your response Mark! Diana

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This was an 8 piece mold. The "My Toy" toy on the side is separate. You have to forgive me on this as I'm really still in the novice state. The pieces are out of plaster of paris (or whatever mixture he used) and it sits on a base and then all the pieces are in a coccoon (?) piece that holds the whole thing together when I pour, etc. There is no rubber mold in this. So, I guess it's just one working mold for me that I pour my slip into. All my art is original and sculpted by me. So, sounds like I need to keep using him, suck it up and hope the next piece doesn't cost 4x's as much. My question also is on the standing figures...........are these hard to do in porcelain. Thanks for your response Mark! Diana

 

 

8 piece is a complex mold.

Buying one working mold at a time is expensive.

How many of these do you want to cast?

1- 50

50-100

100-1000??

Making a mold from an orginal art piece is what we all do-it just depends on how many pieces you want to cast of it that will determine how many working molds you will need.

A porcelain figure is not a big deal unless its has lots of appendages-what temperture/cone are you firing to?

Mark

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I would say not more than 50 pieces. I like to bring out new art rather than doing the same piece for a long time. I have done about 6 different sculptures in the porcelain since I started and am chompin' at the bit to do more asap. Everything so far is laying down or "sleeping" or sitting.

 

The horses and dogs, standing, probably I'd like to do 1-2 feet on the ground moving, and of course there are ears and fur, etc. My bisque fire is at a cone 04, then the glaze fire at a cone 6. I then china paint at least 2x's a cone 018. I hope that helps. I'd have to go find the exact temperatures for that. I'd like to do pieces up to around 8-10 inches in length/height, if possible, but don't have a problem with starting smaller to get the hang of it.

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Less than 50 pieces is not very many and a few molds should handle that easy.

This will be expensive to have these made with so many undercuts (every undercut is a mold piece) and so few pieces in a run so just plan for this.

Cone 6 should be fine with porcelain figures

Mark

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Less than 50 pieces is not very many and a few molds should handle that easy.

This will be expensive to have these made with so many undercuts (every undercut is a mold piece) and so few pieces in a run so just plan for this.

Cone 6 should be fine with porcelain figures

Mark

 

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