I've recently gone through the process of making a mold and casting a blank using resin. I really enjoyed the process of sculpting and mold making (and to a lesser extent casting). I'd like to continue making fursuit heads using molds and sculpts as I personally enjoy sculpting and think it's something I'm better at than using foam for construction.
But, the more I read about resin, the less I like it... Not only is it bad for the environment, but it's bad for your health as well. I've noticed how many fursuit builders are starting to make heads out of resin now, and the more popular it gets, the more people are going to dive into casting with resin without reading up on health and safety issues and taking the proper precautions (using a respirator, gloves,ventilation, etc.). It's because of this issue that I've started looking into alternatives for resin.
I've found several environmentally safe and health safe alternatives to resin. My main concerns with these are:
1. Will it be light and comfortable enough to wear for prolonged periods of time?
2. Is it sturdy?
3. Can it be made to last?
4. Is it affordable?
5. Is it available in small quantities for personal use?
6. Can it be used in a mold for multiple duplicate casts?
7. Is it safe and environmentally friendly?
Here are some of the alternatives I've come across:
Of course, there are paper based casting methods (such as paper mache) which I, personally like. But I realize paper mache has a bad reputation as being cheap, delicate, and breakable. On one hand I know paper mache can be made to last and be sturdy; on the other hand if I ever start doing commissions, I don't know how many people would be willing to buy a paper mache based head...
Water based resins! So far, these look the most promising to me. These are advertised as being eco-friendly non-toxic substitutes to resin and fiber glass. They can be used in a mold or layered over an armature. Here are some companies selling water based resins:
Aqua-Resin: http://www.aquaresin.com/index.html
Jesmonite: http://www.jesmonite.co.uk/
Unfortunately, I'm not sure how easy these are to get a hold of for personal use, or if they are affordable.
There is also a company making eco friendly resin (and foam!) alternatives from plant bases. Their main use is for surfboards, but I don't believe their products are available to the public yet!
Sustainable Composites Ltd: http://www.suscomp.com/
Lastly, there are gypsum based resins available that significantly safer to use than plastic resins. My main concern with these would be whether or not they would be light enough to be used for mask bases:
duoMatrixNeo: http://www.smooth-on.com/duoMatrix%E2%84%A2-Systems/c8_1174/index.html
FortonMG: http://www.ball-consulting-ltd.com/forton_mg.html
About casting with FortonMG: http://www.artmolds.com/gateway/technique/forton.htm
So, I was hoping to get some input from you guys. I think I've pretty much decided I don't want to use plastic based resins anymore. I don't feel comfortable working with toxic, carcinogenic materials. But, I don't want that to stop me fro making molds and casts. If you have anymore ideas, or could share anything you might know about these materials, please comment!
But, the more I read about resin, the less I like it... Not only is it bad for the environment, but it's bad for your health as well. I've noticed how many fursuit builders are starting to make heads out of resin now, and the more popular it gets, the more people are going to dive into casting with resin without reading up on health and safety issues and taking the proper precautions (using a respirator, gloves,ventilation, etc.). It's because of this issue that I've started looking into alternatives for resin.
I've found several environmentally safe and health safe alternatives to resin. My main concerns with these are:
1. Will it be light and comfortable enough to wear for prolonged periods of time?
2. Is it sturdy?
3. Can it be made to last?
4. Is it affordable?
5. Is it available in small quantities for personal use?
6. Can it be used in a mold for multiple duplicate casts?
7. Is it safe and environmentally friendly?
Here are some of the alternatives I've come across:
Of course, there are paper based casting methods (such as paper mache) which I, personally like. But I realize paper mache has a bad reputation as being cheap, delicate, and breakable. On one hand I know paper mache can be made to last and be sturdy; on the other hand if I ever start doing commissions, I don't know how many people would be willing to buy a paper mache based head...
Water based resins! So far, these look the most promising to me. These are advertised as being eco-friendly non-toxic substitutes to resin and fiber glass. They can be used in a mold or layered over an armature. Here are some companies selling water based resins:
Aqua-Resin: http://www.aquaresin.com/index.html
Jesmonite: http://www.jesmonite.co.uk/
Unfortunately, I'm not sure how easy these are to get a hold of for personal use, or if they are affordable.
There is also a company making eco friendly resin (and foam!) alternatives from plant bases. Their main use is for surfboards, but I don't believe their products are available to the public yet!
Sustainable Composites Ltd: http://www.suscomp.com/
Lastly, there are gypsum based resins available that significantly safer to use than plastic resins. My main concern with these would be whether or not they would be light enough to be used for mask bases:
duoMatrixNeo: http://www.smooth-on.com/duoMatrix%E2%84%A2-Systems/c8_1174/index.html
FortonMG: http://www.ball-consulting-ltd.com/forton_mg.html
About casting with FortonMG: http://www.artmolds.com/gateway/technique/forton.htm
So, I was hoping to get some input from you guys. I think I've pretty much decided I don't want to use plastic based resins anymore. I don't feel comfortable working with toxic, carcinogenic materials. But, I don't want that to stop me fro making molds and casts. If you have anymore ideas, or could share anything you might know about these materials, please comment!