Here’s my new sketchbook cover for this year! I tried out some mold-making and casting, for a change. I like the way it turned out!
The process: Firstly, I pulled the original cover off the book and sealed it. Next was the sculpting. I used plastalina clay- oil based, and never-hardening. Through trial and error I arrived at my final design. Rachel, from over at Maewyn’s, helped me with the casting process. Once the sculpt was done, it was boxed in with leftover clay, and silicone was poured to make the mold. After that set, we pulled the silicone mold off the sculpt and cleaned out the stuck clay. Next was pouring the resin. It cures much faster than the silicone, and I soon had a new, plastic cover for my book! I had to clean up overflow and edges on the thing. I used a dremel and a drill to clear out the holes for the binding, and a utility knife to cut the overflow on the edges. After that, I sanded down all the edges and sanded the interior sides so it would take paint better. Painting was done with familiar techniques- Thin washes to work dark colors into the crevices, and dry brushing to highlight the peaks.
Once everything was re-assembled I found out just how much heavier the plastic is than the original cardboard. It’s totally worth it, though!
