Project 2: Evaluation and Reflection

The aim of this project was to use body casting methods to produce body forms that could be used to shape other sheer and less dense materials that could then be stiffened to capture the body form in a less solid way.   In terms of the materials and some of the processes I intended to use; these were to be very much experimental and trial and error as the results were unknown.

For example my attempt at using netting was unsuccessful (with PVA anyway), as I couldn’t get the fabric, which was quite floppy, to stick to any defined area of a hand cast, however, the trials with having distressed the fabric were more promising as was the stitching on dissolvable fabric which I would like to experiment more with.  Had I a face cast or a larger body part to apply it on, I think it will be moving closer to what I want to achieve.  The lack of bigger body part was a result of having bought a duff bag of alginate, and although having now experienced the process of having a face full of the stuff in an attempt to create a face cast, I still have no cast with which to work.  I do now have some new alginate and my intention is to still pursue this project idea.  I would like to experiment with heat reactive materials as well and resins still, but this is time and space dependent.

My other body casting trial involved draping net material over myself before having plaster poured over it.  This was not to create a detailed cast but more to create the impression of a piece of fabric that may for example, have blown in the wind and caught some of the shape of a human form.  The idea was for the plaster to stiffen the fabric sufficiently.  It did not.  I think if I were to attempt this again I would need to use an initial layer of mod roc in the hope it would add sufficient support and strength to the form.

As already stated this was very much experimental and was limited by time in terms of sourcing material and working around assistant help.  In terms of outcomes, there is no end product but successful in terms of experimentation and learning.