What is body casting?
Body casting - also known as life casting - is the process of taking a mould from a person's body. When cast this body casting is a unique piece of fine art that can be wall mounted, stood or suspended for display in your home, studio, office or workplace.
Each body is unique and special in its own right. By taking a mould directly from the body, the shape and all the details and expressions that make each person unique are captured. A body casting captures a person like no other art form. And because they are three dimensional it means that they can be touched and viewed from all angles unlike a photograph or painting.
Artists have been trying over many years of history to refine the art of capturing the human body. The detail and form of body casting allows the expression of a person and his or her personality exude through the sculpture.
A body casting is a memory that one can reach out and touch. It is also a way of recording the changes in the life of the body: A body casting might be made of a woman while she is pregnant or of a child's hands at different ages.
How body casting is done
Body casting is a three step process:
- The first step is to make a mould of the body part. This
takes about 15 to 45
minutes depending on the size and complexity of the body part.
It involves covering the body part with quick setting gel
(alginate) and then plastering the outer surface of the gel to
support the mould.
- The second step is to fill the mould with
a casting material - we mostly use a gypsum-based cement stone
with a finish like polished marble,
but we can also cast in material such as cold cast bronze or resin. This can take
a few weeks depending on the material used.
- The final step is removing the cured casting from the mould and detailing it to a high-quality finished product. This can take 3 to 4 weeks depending on the sixe and patina desired.
Download our Client/Model Information Sheet (PDF) for information on what to expect at a casting session.
Body casting is the art of taking moulds directly from the human body.
