Memory making: Family plaster project
Families are always finding new ways to preserve memories together, especially when children are small. Sometimes they press their baby's foot or hand prints into clay, other times they make a cast of mom's pregnant belly as they anxiously await the arrival of their offspring. Here is another creative way to create a family keepsake: a 3-D replica of everyone's hands holding on to each other in a circle.
You will need:
- Molding and casting plaster kit
- Plastic to protect your work surface
- Bucket
- Plaster powder
- Paintbrush, tweezers (optional)
Here's how:
Prior to mixing the molding material according to the manufacturer's instructions, make sure to cover your work surface with a protective layer of plastic. You should also decide on the position you want your final sculpture to be in. Only then are you ready to pour the molding material over your family members' hands. It's best to have someone help with this process as you want all the family members to remain as still as possible.
In our example, the molding material turns grey as it solidifies.
Once the mold has completely dried, all the family members may carefully remove their hands one by one. This forms the mold that the plaster is poured into.
Once the plaster has been poured and completely dried, carefully pull the mold away. Plaster is easily breakable, so make sure you aren't too rough during this step.
You can use a brush or tweezers to remove the mold from fine lines and creases - and then you'll have this beautiful result.
Here is a short video of the molding and casting process:
You can also try this project with larger families.
Of course, you can get creative with the shape of your plaster statue. This family filled a bucket with the molding material and stuck all of their hands down into it.
The resulting unique "family circles" are not only symbols of togetherness, but also the circle of life. It's quite remarkable to see how the cast captures even the tiniest of details. The resulting statues make beautiful and very personal decorative pieces.