Make-Up, Hair and Costume for Film and Television

Working with Plaster or Stone

Plaster of Paris is a good material with which to make moulds and is easy to use, though it can be heavy if too much is used. It produces a soft ‘stone’ so is easily damaged. Dental stone gives a harder result so the lifespan of impressions is longer. Very large moulds can be strengthened by adding hessian, scrim or fine garden mesh to the final layers.

It is extremely important to realize that you must know what you are doing and be proficient at working with these materials before attempting to take an impression of someone’s face. Plaster is never applied directly to skin. The impression is taken first with Alginate, a dental material, and the plaster used over that to give it strength.

Plaster will stick to plaster, ...