Mold, it's good right?

I'm trying my hand at plaster mold making.  I'd really like to be able to make miniature dolls from my own sculpts and this has been at least a decade long pursuit.  There isn't a whole lot out there about making molds for dolls.  I found a really good book on Amazon, chuck full of information, but you have to read it over and over to get those nuggets (at least I do anyway!).

I take my original prototype (sculpted from polymer clay) and embed it into very soft Sculpey clay.  It's quite the art I'd say.  You have to establish a parting line and watch out for undercuts or your mold just won't work.  I set little beads into the clay to mold out "keys" so the two halves of the mold fit together nicely.

So from this book I've learned how to mix the plaster and set up the "frame".  I use an old makeup remover wipes container of which I cut out the bottom.  I've tried using cottle boards, but those are not leak proof, and you really don't want any leaks!  Plaster is messy!  I take strips of Sculpey clay and push in and around the edges sealing it as best I can.

After the plaster mold halves have both been poured, I dry them out in front of a fan.  From this point, after they have dried, I can then pour porcelain into them.  There are a couple of "waste" pours at first, to condition the mold, but then you've got yourself a unique, one of a kind mold of your sculpt!  One thing I keep in mind is to sculpt the original prototype about 2 times larger than you would like your porcelain piece to be and remember that porcelain shrinks about 18% in the kiln.  In keeping with 1" scale, this can be tricky.  The reason I make it so much larger is to refine the prototype from the original, make another mold of it and then have a final mold!

Here's a great link to a mold making tutorial, specifically for miniature dolls:

http://www.ginabellousdolls.com/miniature-mold-making/

I just wanted to share my "technically boring" process :)  It's kind of interesting right?  It's a means to an end and I love working on Lilli's Littles products.  I'll keep you updated on this latest mold making adventure!  Now, to clean out the clay that's under my nails....