Cheryl Smeja technique

[Patrice]

While looking on ebay trying to find a plastic mold for making masks like the one on the Making wearable masks by Cheryl Smeja, i found a person who's seeling solid polymer clay mold like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CNS-polymer-clay-mold-...4QQcmdZViewItem

I was wandering if by using the technique on the other video of Cheryl, it would be possible to wet a small once leather and aplly it in the mold and shapping it with modeler and ball modeler to make thge leather conform to the mold?

In order for the leather to retain it's 3D shape, i was thinking about using Rob leather powder to fill the 3D shape.

[joet]

I am not familiar with the videos you mentioned, but I did take a class at the IFoLG show in Denver a couple of years ago, where we did reverse molding. We used plastic candy molds and cookie molds with a ball modler to press the leather into shape. 3-4 ounce leather was used and they came out reall nice; let them dry and paint and we had instant Christmas decorations. I hope this helped. Joet

[whinewine]

While looking on ebay trying to find a plastic mold for making masks like the one on the Making wearable masks by Cheryl Smeja, i found a person who's seeling solid polymer clay mold like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CNS-polymer-clay-mold-...4QQcmdZViewItem

I was wandering if by using the technique on the other video of Cheryl, it would be possible to wet a small once leather and aplly it in the mold and shapping it with modeler and ball modeler to make thge leather conform to the mold?

In order for the leather to retain it's 3D shape, i was thinking about using Rob leather powder to fill the 3D shape.

My son has used foam heads that he purchased from a beauty supply house (the places that sell stuff to beauty shops & beauty schools). He's then cut off the backs of the heads to make them lie flat so he could do his molding..

Also, Cheryl Smeja does have a website (I think it's www.csmeja.com - if it isn't, do a google search for Cheryl Smeja, & something should come up to link to her site). She does have the molds & they are not too expensive (but what they would cost in Canada, with shipping & possible duty, I don't know).

Patrice: I'm not sure what you want to do: do you want to make a wearable mask, or do you want to fill up a mold with leather powder to make a positive image that is non- wearable (sort of like an embossing plug)? If you fill up a negative mold with leather powder, you won't be able to wear it; however, if you want to use a negative mold to make a positive image that can be worn, go ahead & use the wet leather & ball modeler. Once dry, the mask will retain its shape.

[The Major]

Patrice,

Actually the process works very well. I started playing around with doing this about a year ago for making some leather versions of charms I have cast out of silver and gold.

What I like to do is first make a wax piece using the mold, when cooled I remove the wax from the mold and make the necessary trimmings on the wax.

Next I soak a piece of leather (1/2oz) in warm water. Lay the leather in the mold and place the wax piece in the crevass of the mold. Now I simply use pressure to make the impression on the leather. I use my clamp type vulcanizer, but a couple blocks of wood and some "c" clamps work just as well. Just leave it there for an hour. Take the leather and wax pieces out together and see how good of an impression you have. You can fill in the details by spraying a little water on the positive side of the impression and using a modeling spoon. When it is where you want it, stop, and spray with water until saturated, and let it sit overnight.

Now that it is dry you can do your coloring. At this point, take out the wax piece.

Finally you have a couple options.

1. Coat the wax piece in a few coats of a clear acrylic finish. and glue this in your leather piece as a plug.

2. use sawdust or leather dust to fill the void.

toss another piece of leather on the back and glue it down. trim and glue the edges.

and wallah you have a finished piece.

[Patrice]

Patrice: I'm not sure what you want to do: do you want to make a wearable mask, or do you want to fill up a mold with leather powder to make a positive image that is non- wearable (sort of like an embossing plug)? If you fill up a negative mold with leather powder, you won't be able to wear it; however, if you want to use a negative mold to make a positive image that can be worn, go ahead & use the wet leather & ball modeler. Once dry, the mask will retain its shape.

In fact, i was thinking to made a leather armor with embosse plug. For those who have seen Lord of the ring, i would like to make emboss leather armor inspire by Rohan like armor! So, i would mold thin leather in location i like, an the glue heavy lether under the light leather to make a storng and, i hope, superbe leather armor!