Casting a leaf skeleton

Using the method I used for casting my butterfly wings I wanted to try cast a leaf skeleton. The casting required a vertical sprue with a horizontal sprue to ensure the leaf casts due to how thin the wax and leaf are.

Bowes, K., (2020). Leaf Skeleton and wax

Bowes, K., (2020). Casting preparation

Silver Butterfly wing

I cast another butterfly wing but this time in silver (Fig.2). I attached the wing to the wax the same way I did the first casting (Fig.1) and it worked just as well as the first prototype. All the details came through in the silver but I still feel the piece is too thick for a butterfly wing. I am going to file it thinner but I want to get more wings to make a few more but using a thinner layer of wax. 

Figure 1- Bowes, K., (2020). Wing set in wax.

Figure 2- Bowes, K., (2020). The silver casting of the wing.

Quick cast

On my way to campus, I found a butterfly wing that I thought was interesting and a good addition to my display at my bench. The wing was torn so I thought about attaching it to wax to give it stability for when it is pinned up. Once I figured out how to attach the wing to the wax it dawned on me that it could possibly be cast, Figure 1. I sprayed the wing and wax with clear lacquer spray, as organic objects can be porous, then I invested and crossed my fingers that it would work. After casting I was so shocked to see how much detail was transferred to the metal, Figure 2. This was a random test that could possibly lead to future projects.

Figure 1-Bowes, K., (2020). butterfly wing on wax.

Figure 2 -Bowes, K., (2020). the cast wing.

Plant casting

Using my inspiration from Burnout casting and my very badly made Silicone molds. The vertebra I found on the beach and made a silicone mould of it which I then injected wax into the mould. The wax roses I cast in the same flask as the vertebra were from a mold I made last year (Fig. 2). Wax is what is what is normally used for casting as wax burns out easily in the kiln but I wanted to try cast plants.  I grew succulents (Haworthia and Sedum Adolphii) and picked the newly budding ones so that when it is cast it will not weight too much in metal(Fig. 1). Plants will burn to ash in the kiln unlike the wax that will vaporize in the kiln but succulents are water based. The flask would need to be raised so that the water which will turn to steam has somewhere to evaporate rather than being trapped in the flask.

Figure 1 -Bowes, K., (2020). Succulents for casting.

Figure 2- Bowes, K., (2020). wax vertebra and roses.

I cast the succulents and vertebra in gilding metal (Fig. 3 and 4) as I was not sure if the burn out method for the succulents would work. This was an experiment as I did not have a final goal or use for these items once they were cast.

Figure 3 - Bowes, K., (2020). Haworthia and Sedum Adolphii. 

Figure 4 - Bowes, K., (2020). cast vertebra.

Wax injecting

Even though my silicone molds were soft and messy I still wanted to try inject wax into them. If the wax objects come out but the molds break apart from being soft then I could always cast the wax pieces and make our normal two part mold in the vulcanizer. Some of the molds I injected wax into worked but some details were lost due to the molds being messy. I am probably going to remake the molds but not in two parts.

A wax crab claw from the silicone mold

Silicone molds

Looking at my crab claw I wanted to try make some silicone molds. An object like a crab claw wouldn't survive the heat used to set molds that are made in a vulcanizing machine. I wanted to make two part molds so it is easier to take the objects out of the mold as wax is injected into the mold and wax is fragile. I used clay, in a plastic container, to press my found objects into; I then poured in the silicone. Once the silicone had set I removed the clay, flipped the silicone over so the found object was facing up and poured the second half of the silicone. Silicone is made by mixing a base and catalyst, my ratio of catalyst wasn't exactly correct. The silicone set but was very soft and the clay also made the silicone very dirty which can be seen in figure 1. I ended up trying to make a solid mold and cutting it open as seen in figure 2, but I forgot to cut in a zigzag so that the mold has keys which helps hold the mold together when working with it.

Figure 1 - A two part silicone mold

Figure 2 - A silicone mold that has been cut open

Findings

I love the interesting colours and patterns on this a crab claw that I found. The patterns on the middle of the claw I feel resembles fractal patterns that are common in the veins of leaves. The maroon patterns stands out against the off white of the claw.