It is a totally safe process, and fun since the people involved are actually participating in making a piece of art from their own body!
A mold is created from the body with the use of certified skin-safe material called “alginate” which is made from seaweed. It is the same material that dentists use in our mouth to make tooth impressions.
If it is your first time having a lifecasting, a skin test is applied prior to the process to assure you of its safety.
The type and duration of the molding process depends on the type of lifecast being created:
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Baby/children <5-6 y.o. hands/feet are dunked in the molding material, and must be kept in there for about 2 minutes. Τhey will definitely move their fingers around while in there (unless its nap time hence no movement) and that makes the final result always a surprise! See video here.
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Older children and adults can also be cast as in the above if the desired pose permits it (in this case it may take 3-4 minutes). Based on the selected pose though, a different technique may need to be used which takes about 30-40min to be completed. See video here.
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Casting a body part requires the model to be able to keep the selected pose for about 30-40min (standing, laid down or sitting). During this time the model’s body is supported (pillows, handles etc.) according to the selected pose to keep the body comfortable. See video here.
Once the mold is complete and removed from the body, the model’s contribution is also completed. Casting techniques are then applied to create the statue which is then hand finished for fine detail. It is then left to dry, and finally sealed & painted completing the piece ready for collection in 3-4 weeks.
During the casting process the mold is destroyed, ensuring the uniqueness of the final statue!
If you are interested in acquiring a lifecast, feel free to contact me for further information on the process.