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www.NetherDen.com

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1) The finished ear sculptures. They are sculpted in Chavant NSP Medium over a pair of ear casts. They have been smoothed using alcohol. The final step is that they have been sealed with several layers of spray-on acrylic sealer (I use Crystal Clear by Krylon).

2) Build a wall out from the sculpture at a 90% angle using water-based clay. It should be at least 2 inches wide. Carve at least a couple of divots in the wall for keys (to help the moulds fit back together easly). Lastly, build a wall upwards all around the outer edge of the mould. This will hold in the mould material and should be a couple of inches high all over.

3) Same as previous. Another view showing how I have build support under the ear using more water-based clay.

4) Mix up a thin batch of your mould material. I used Plaster of Paris for this, but ideally I would use UltraCal 30 gypsum cement. Brush your thin batch over the sculptures, ensuring that you fill in all of the little details. Mix up a thicker batch and fill up your mould the rest of the way. Let this set for at least 30 minutes.

5) Clear away all of the water based clay. If you let it dry out a bit, it will be easier to peel away or brush off. For any very hard-to-get spots, simply run it under some water and brush at it with a paint brush and the clay should dissolve away after a while.

6) Same as previous. Different view showing the flatness of the original clay mould wall.

7) Brush the contact surface of the mould with petroleum jelly. The contact surface is the surface where the second half of the mould will be touching the first half. Now stick a clay wall on there.

8) Same as previous. Side view.

9) Same as previous. Both ear moulds shown.

10) Repeat steps #4 and #5. Shown: the moulds after the clay has been peeled off.

11) Very gently pull the two mould halves apart. If anything cracks, just superglue it back together. I got a crack on the right mould in the thin area near the base. I lost the piece that went there, so I just put some Chavant clay there to fill it it. You can also fill in missing pieces with a few drops of plaster and smooth it out. You should let your moulds dry out a bit (preferably overnight) before casting latex in them, since the moulds work by drawing the water out of the latex. I let these moulds dry under a fan for several hours before using them.

12) Tape the moulds all the way around, then prop them up to keep the top level (I'm using my ear cast plates). Take your latex in a cup and try to remove any bubbles by blowing and tapping on the cup. SLOWLY pour the latex into the mould - the slower you go, the less likely you will have bubbles or an incomplete fill. Fill them almost all of the way, then tap and rock the moulds gently to release any trapped bubbles. Fill the latex to the top. It is okay if it runs over a little - you want to coat the area right outside the opening anyway. Let the latex "dwell" for around 45 minutes to an hour, then pour the latex back out. Lay the moulds on their sides (top of the ear down) and let sit for a few minutes to collect any extra, then pour out. Set the moulds (open side up) in front of a fan to dry, preferably overnight. My ears took about 12 hours to dry this way. It is better to wait longer so that you don't risk damaging ears that may still be too soft to remove.

To remove, first put some talcum powder in the ears and blow to coat the inside (latex sticks to itself otherwise, and is near impossible to un-stick). Pull the latex around the opening away from the mould as mush as possible (dust with talc as you go), then gently pull the two mould halves apart. The ear will usually stick to one side, so dust that half with talc. Pull the ear out of the other half and dust the other side.

Description
www.NetherDen.com

Left to Right, Top to Bottom

1) The finished ear sculptures. They are sculpted in Chavant NSP Medium over a pair of ear casts. They have been smoothed using alcohol. The final step is that they have been sealed with several layers of spray-on acrylic sealer (I use Crystal Clear by Krylon).

2) Build a wall out from the sculpture at a 90% angle using water-based clay. It should be at least 2 inches wide. Carve at least a couple of divots in the wall for keys (to help the moulds fit back together easly). Lastly, build a wall upwards all around the outer edge of the mould. This will hold in the mould material and should be a couple of inches high all over.

3) Same as previous. Another view showing how I have build support under the ear using more water-based clay.

4) Mix up a thin batch of your mould material. I used Plaster of Paris for this, but ideally I would use UltraCal 30 gypsum cement. Brush your thin batch over the sculptures, ensuring that you fill in all of the little details. Mix up a thicker batch and fill up your mould the rest of the way. Let this set for at least 30 minutes.

5) Clear away all of the water based clay. If you let it dry out a bit, it will be easier to peel away or brush off. For any very hard-to-get spots, simply run it under some water and brush at it with a paint brush and the clay should dissolve away after a while.

6) Same as previous. Different view showing the flatness of the original clay mould wall.

7) Brush the contact surface of the mould with petroleum jelly. The contact surface is the surface where the second half of the mould will be touching the first half. Now stick a clay wall on there.

8) Same as previous. Side view.

9) Same as previous. Both ear moulds shown.

10) Repeat steps #4 and #5. Shown: the moulds after the clay has been peeled off.

11) Very gently pull the two mould halves apart. If anything cracks, just superglue it back together. I got a crack on the right mould in the thin area near the base. I lost the piece that went there, so I just put some Chavant clay there to fill it it. You can also fill in missing pieces with a few drops of plaster and smooth it out. You should let your moulds dry out a bit (preferably overnight) before casting latex in them, since the moulds work by drawing the water out of the latex. I let these moulds dry under a fan for several hours before using them.

12) Tape the moulds all the way around, then prop them up to keep the top level (I'm using my ear cast plates). Take your latex in a cup and try to remove any bubbles by blowing and tapping on the cup. SLOWLY pour the latex into the mould - the slower you go, the less likely you will have bubbles or an incomplete fill. Fill them almost all of the way, then tap and rock the moulds gently to release any trapped bubbles. Fill the latex to the top. It is okay if it runs over a little - you want to coat the area right outside the opening anyway. Let the latex "dwell" for around 45 minutes to an hour, then pour the latex back out. Lay the moulds on their sides (top of the ear down) and let sit for a few minutes to collect any extra, then pour out. Set the moulds (open side up) in front of a fan to dry, preferably overnight. My ears took about 12 hours to dry this way. It is better to wait longer so that you don't risk damaging ears that may still be too soft to remove.

To remove, first put some talcum powder in the ears and blow to coat the inside (latex sticks to itself otherwise, and is near impossible to un-stick). Pull the latex around the opening away from the mould as mush as possible (dust with talc as you go), then gently pull the two mould halves apart. The ear will usually stick to one side, so dust that half with talc. Pull the ear out of the other half and dust the other side.