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Silicone
What is Silicone?
It is a synthetic polymer made up of silicone, oxygen and other elements, most typically carbon and hydrogen. There are two types of silicone...
Health and Safety
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Does not come out of fabric and clothing
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Must wear PPE equipment when using. E.g. Aprons, gloves, masks.
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Always read manufacturer's instructions - ALWAYS CHECK THE RATIO BEFORE MEASURING AND MIXING
Condensation Cure Silicone
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Sometimes known as Tin Cure silicone
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Is a two-part condensation cure silicone rubber.
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It is used for silicone mould making where it is mixed (with its catalyst) and then poured to create a flexible silicone mould.
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These are high-tear silicone rubbers that are known as the “workhorse” of the industry because of their performance and economy.
Addition Cure Silicone
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Sometimes known as Platinum Cure Silicone
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Exhibit the lowest long-term shrinkage and have the longest library life of all mold rubbers (with a price tag to match).
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While good for making molds for casting a variety of materials, platinums also have application and physical properties that other rubbers do not.
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They are used for other applications. For example, some are certified “skin safe” and can be applied directly to human skin. They are also used for making prosthetic and orthotic devices, skin safe appliances and effects, etc. Some are certified “food safe” for culinary applications.
Mathematical calculation
10 + 1 = 11
100 divided by 11 = 9.09 recurring x 10 = 90.90
Prosthetic Silicone moulds range from Shore A 20-40, and for applied pieces Shore 00 and A 0-10.
Silicone Shore Hardness Scale
Dickey, L. (2019) Introduction to silicone. Available at: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1l6ft9Bb78kH6e6Fbyftt5X5ENpLxS3LrtlWa8aURKIE/edit#slide=id.p (Accessed: 13/3/19)
 IMG_6380 |  IMG_6659 |
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 IMG_6382 |  IMG_6383 |
 IMG_6386 |  IMG_6388 |
 IMG_6664 |  IMG_6665 |
Step by step process
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Sculpt out your design using clay, I used NSP medium.
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In a well ventilated area, mould release the sculpt using Macwax.
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Work out what percentage of part A&B you need.
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Label each cup so you don't cross contaminate your products.
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Make sure the scales are on 0g.
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Once measured, pour part B into part A and mix until you can't see any white.
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Once well mixed, pour the mixture, from a height, into your mould.
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Tap the side of the mould so that any air bubbles pop.
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Leave to dry.
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Sculpt out another mould.
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In a well ventilated area, mould release the sculpt using Macwax.
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Label each cup A&B.
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Make sure your scales are on 0g.
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Measure out part A&B. My mould is 100g, therefore I used 50g of each.
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Mix them both together thoroughly.
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From a height, pour the silicone into the mould.
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Tap the side so the air bubbles pop.
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Leave to dry.
Silicone 1
Silicone 2
 IMG_6702 |  IMG_6661 |
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 IMG_6657 |  IMG_6660 |
 IMG_6697 (1) |
Relflection
I made sure to mix both silicones over the airbench to ensure there were no strong fumes. When mixing the first silicone piece up, I made sure I got the correct amount for each part and mixed until the white had disappeared and filled it to the the top of the mould. However, when I removed the mould from my clay, I noticed that the bottom was extremely see through and it nearly had a hole through it. It was then that I realised I had not added enough silicone into my sculpt. Luckily, there was no hole in the bottom of the mould, therefore I kept an eye on it when cleaning it and didn't apply much pressure. Due to me not being able to apply much pressure, it left the mould with bits of clay stuck inside. Next time, I will make sure to put enough silicone in when filling my sculpt.
When I went on to fill my next silicone piece, I made sure I put enough in the mould so it came out thicker. I was happy with how it turned out as I liked the shape. However, I did notice some little holes through my vein which makes me think that I didn't tap the side enough to get rid of the air bubbles.
Smart target
By the end of next month, I aim to create my moulds for my final piece. This will help me become confident in creating these pieces. I will do this by running a silicone mould each week until I have successfully created all of them.
How will I store them?
1. Assemble all transfers
2. Spray with a light coat of mould release.
3. Lightly brush the mould with baby powder.
4. Mix up quick-setting resin and pour into mould. Create a positive casting to use for references.
5. Place the positives into a zip bag and label them.
6. Place the moulds into a zip bag and label them so they correspond with your positives.
7. File away
Make Up Artist. (no date) Make Up Artist. Key Publishing Group, Issue 95, P 76,77.
This will keep my pieces safe and organised for my upcoming project. I will be able to see what each one is for and where they are when I set up my station.
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