However inspiration was at hand for not only had I bought my beloved a card, I had also splashed out on some cup cakes for her sweet tooth! (Truly I am a God amongst Husbands!)
With the thought of baking firmly in my mind, I decided to turn my hand to some press moulding; having seen this done on many blogs and youtube tutorials over the past few years I've been meaning to have a crack at it.
I decided to start small and simple; I'd used a Death Company icon from the Forge World Blood Angel Icon Pack on my Death Company Drop Pod and although I've still got a couple from that pack I wanted to have a ready supply for other pods and DC vehicles. I've also chosen to use the winged chalice icon on all my 'Drinkers airborne elements.
Kit List
Items you wish to duplicate (one sided only)
Green Stuff
25mm Bases
Modelling Knife
Cooking Oil
Kitchen Towel
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| Check out the date, yes I am old and yes it's probably been in a box since then! |
First up I chose a couple of standard round 25mm bases (without the slots) as my mould trays and using their size and depth as a guide I mixed up a two balls of Green Stuff. The depth of the base appears perfect for these smaller items, ensuring that a good layer of Green Stuff remains underneath the item you are duplicating.
I pressed the Green Stuff into the bases, flattened it out and then smoothed over the surface with a piece of kitchen towel dabbed in cooking oil (mine was sunflower but I don't know whether the type will make a difference).
I gave the icons a good coat of oil as well and finally the flat surface of another 25mm base; the oil is of course to stop anything sticking during the pressing process and enable you to recover your original item from the mould.
Taking the icon I pressed it (sculpted side down) gently into the Green Stuff just a fraction to position it; then using the flat oiled surface of the spare 25mm base, I pushed the icon slowly into the Green stuff until it was fully embedded. The spare base ensures an even spread of pressure stopping the item from tipping when pushing it in and thus warping the mould.
Once done I put them aside for the night to cure.
The next day, using a modelling knife blade (I removed it from the handle to allow me to use it more delicately and with less pressure, but please watch your fingers these buggers are sharp) I gently teased the icons from the cured Green Stuff. This takes a bit of patience as you don't want to damage your original or the blank.
And...Ta Dah! Would you believe it, two fine looking blanks. So far so good, I'll be moving onto the casting process in part two, but first a little clearing of the forge is required...there's something alive in here...something just moved past my leg! ;o)
5 comments:
That was a big bloody rat my friend, good work on those though.......
Well done. A much needed tutorial.
Nice. I'll tell you what though... Blu-Stuff is far superior for doing this kind of thing. It's what I use to do this kind of thing all the time.
Ron, FTW
Cheers chaps :o)
@Angry, lol I do hope not, my Missus would be over the moon, she's wanted a pet rat for years. Plus I don't think our cat Merlin would be too impressed, it'd mean he'd have to do some work.
@Loken, so chuffed you dropped by the Veil and liked the post. Propworx auctions some amazing stuff, although the size of my piggy bank means I mainly just visit to window shop. Also was sadly in the dark regards your Apocalypse 40k blog, great stuff now following and being tempted by many goodies I may otherwise have missed.
@Ron, always great to hear from you mate, I went straight to your FTW Archives and read up on the Blu-Stuff, amazing, I will be looking to get my hands on some of it in the near future. Thanks for the advice.
It will make what you are doing here much simpler and easy by a long stretch.
Ron, FTW
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