Richard and Glenda Manu approached me about getting a lifecast sculpture done after they saw one I did previously for a mutual friend and his wife at their dinner party. As they had a wedding anniversary coming up they thought it would be a unique way of remembering this special date for themselves and something they could pass down to their family.
I remember Glenda being a little bit apprehensive about having the alginate and plaster on her face, but after I explained exactly what would happen and took her through the process, step-by-step she relaxed into it.
This all comes down to trust as it’s not easy to give up control and let somebody else completely cover your face. It also doesn’t help either that you have to close your eyes, your mouth, and only breathe through your nose throughout the process for up to 60 minutes. I find that it helps to talk with the subject and explain everything I’m doing as I go along. I also usually play soothing music in the background to create a relaxing environment. Richard on the other hand took the whole process in his stride.
Lifecasting is a very unique experience that captures a moment in time. Those that have taken part have thought it to be a fascinating experience. Everyone is always blown away by the amount of detail that the alginate picks up from the skin, everything from beauty spots to hair follicles. After making moulds of the faces I use a basic alpha to pour into the mould as this picks up a little more detail than the average plaster.
I then go about the process of moulding the hand holding the face. In this particular piece the man has to have his face, his hand and lower arm moulded. From this point onwards, I no longer need the two subjects present and I get to work on joining the two faces in what I like to call ‘the eternal kiss’.
When I’m happy with the piece another mould is made from silicon and fibreglass so the client can have their sculpture in the material they desire. The water clear resin for e.g. is one of the more eye-catching finishes, that requires a technical skill to achieve. Glenda and Richie chose to have a bronze resin finish. This is a labour-intensive process but the finished lifecast will be able to stand the test of time.