How to Make Elf Ears - Casting Clay Ears in Silicone (Part 5)

Casting Your Clay Ears in Silicone, is the step where you take the ears your sculpted in clay and you make a silicone mold of them. If you followed the steps in video "Part 4" then your mold will have all the over flow areas needed to make beautiful ears once this (Part 5) is finished.
To simplify the materials here is a list of what you need to make silicone elf ears.
THE PLASTER used in this process is called Hydrocal B11 White. This plaster is best because you can scrape it and clean it easier than Ultracal 30 plaster. Which either one is good it's just I prefer Hydrocal.
THE SILICONE used in the molding process can be either a Tin Cure silicone or a platinum silicone. Platinum is preferred by most effects artist. lately I have been using Dragon Skin 30 for the molds instead of the blue (Tin Cure) silicone. I think Platinum silicone sometimes reacts in a way that makes the platinum silicone not want to cure. So use the Dragon Skin 30. It is available from Smooth On and on Amazon.
For the prosthetic ears use either use PlatSil Gel 10 silicone or Dragon Skin 10. (PlatSil is a little more expensive. I have used it for many years and it's my favorite. :)
For coloring the silicone use the recommend silicone tinting products.
The plastic material I use in the video for making the ear forms is called Repo 1 (Reproduction plastic). You can also use Smooth On Smooth-Cast® 385. I think it might be cheaper and easier to use. Or use the Resin/Bondo mix I explain it another video at the end of this series.

[@rockinHurley777]

Could you just use smooth on casting rubber?

[@scottstephens8121]

Love the series so far. Great, very easy to follow instructions, and video presentation very clear too. Thank you so much for your videos!

[@amhoral]

Hey! Love your videos. Since they are not subtitled in Spanish, it is a little difficult for me to follow the explanations. What are the plasticine strips that you put before casting the plaster for?

[@EggHeadFX]

Thanks Scott

[@BisectedBrioche]

If the original ear casts are already plaster, is vasoline enough to stop them all sticking together?

[@camerone8674]

I've only been doing this for a few years so I'm somewhat of a beginner and I don't have the materials or the money to do a live cast of an ear. I have WED Clay so I was thinking I could sculpt an ear out of clay and follow the same process. Are there any additional steps I would need to do in order to be successful?

[@monsterminx3797]

some really nice mould making techniques here ^_^ what silicone did you use to cast with please?

[@EggHeadFX]

+Redd Toxin General purpose silicone from www.fxsupply.com

[@EggHeadFX]

You can use Smoothon Dragon Skin

[@EggHeadFX]

Use Smooth on Dragon Skin 30. The sample kit is perfect for a set of ear molds.

[@Minkkyblacc]

just adking is all the extra steps and molding on top of molding necessary?

[@EggHeadFX]

I am only explaining one method. You can find other methods on KZbin that are simpler for making latex pointed ears.

[@paladinimaquiador6204]

I just LOVE your videos , very well explained ! I tried to make the ears this way but the ear broke when i tried to release the mold , then i found VERY difficult to clean inside the silicone , even using fluid to melt the clay :(

[@EggHeadFX]

Hi Paladdini,Did you use Naptha to dissolve the clay out of your silicone mold? That is if you sculpted your ears with an oil based clay? Is your silicone very ridged (hard silicone not very flexible)? The plaster ear can be glued together with super glue. I don't know if I answered your questions completely. I am not sure exactly what you mean?

[@paladinimaquiador6204]

Thanks for replying :) yes i used oil based clay ,naphta to dissolve it but i couldn't really remove everything :( and the silicone was a bit rigid! I glued the ears and i run the silicone (gel10 ) inside the silicone mold but it was so dirty with clay it didn't work ... Well gonna try again thanks

[@EggHeadFX]

Paladini Maquiador Yes rigid silicone is probably going to make the process difficult for you. When you watch the video of me cleaning the clay out of the silicone ear molds, I am able to stretch the silicone and reach into the ear molds to get the clay out. Be careful cleaning them, you could tear your molds if you are not careful. Good luck my friend.

[@EggHeadFX]

+Paladini Maquiador What type of plaster did you use? I would recommend using Ultracal plaster. You can not use plaster of paris like many people try, it's just to weak of a plaster.

[@EggHeadFX]

I used a General Purpose Silicone from www.fxsupply.com www.fxsupply.com/silicone/silicone.html

[@ikanasisse9661]

hey, I don't know if you still read the comments but I just have on question : what should I use to seal a plaster mold?

[@jensenthom]

If you’re using plaster ears instead of a resin type ears you can paint a thin layer of Vaseline on the plaster and it will keep the silicone from sticking to the plaster because plaster is porous. If you are using Plaster of Paris for your ears they will not pull out easy and probably break apart while separating from the silicone.

[@madamfru]

Hi, Love the video but could you tell me how wet the clay sculpture should be before making a mold of it? Is it leather hard or pretty wet, does it make a difference? - Many thanks

[@EggHeadFX]

madamfru Hi, I am not using a waterbase clay for this purpose. The clays are all oil base. The sculpture is made from, Chavant NSP medium clay, The white clay for the overflow areas is a softer oil based clay called, Van Aken from Hobby Lobby. Part 4 in this video series explains the clays I used. Remember, the Clay has to be a sulphur free clay. Sulphur base clays will react to the silicone and cause the silicone not to cure.

[@AlixJayde]

Is there anything else can use for the walls?

[@EggHeadFX]

Yes, you can use anything that can be wrapped around what you are molding and can hold wet plaster. Even card board. Be careful because some materials that get wet will fall apart and mess up your molding. Hot glue is great for keeping walls secured to the ground surface when molding. Thanks for commenting. :)

[@gatobrado]

hi, i asked you the other day how i could make a prosthethic ear i have everything but the back of the mold how can i make a two piece mold, the side with the ear and the side with the back of the ear? since i have taken a mold of his affected side of the head (with no ear) so it fits just like a glove, i cant make the keys i hope i explained it correctly please help!!

[@gatobrado]

i just need advice on how to make the mold with the surface on which the ear will stay

[@EggHeadFX]

+gatobrado Basically the say way the video shows with or without an ear the surface area is casted the same. If you are un-familiar with these techniques you should find a makeup effects artist in your area that can assist you.

[@SistaWinnifred]

Dear Egg Head, I followed your instructions and (till now) everything work out (somehow). I am not a pro so it is try and error for me. My problem is that the silicone I used (dragon skin 10) did not set completely behind the ears. The last cast I did had the same problem on the tip of the nose. What did I do wrong? Can I still use a not completely set silicone-mold to cast the ears or will it effect the new silicone I will pour in? Thanks in advance, Winni

[@EggHeadFX]

Hi Winni, I need to ask you a few questions regarding your techniques. Can you message me on facebook so we can start a conversation? facebook.com/eggheadfx/

[@Sam-tb1ix]

What is the purpose for the mother mold?

[@EggHeadFX]

+Sam Bakos The mother mold helps keep the silicone mold from warping when pressed against the positive ear mold. This way the feathered edges touches evenly and flush with the surface of the positive ear mold. And if you need to apply pressure to create a better seal, the plaster mother mold will keep the pressure without warping the silicone mold because it holds in in place with keys that lock it to the ear mold and keep it from sliding.

[@Minkkyblacc]

I'm trying to see how to just mold ears not mold the mold of the ear if the silicone already has the ear inside why do you need the plaster part

[@EggHeadFX]

The plaster keeps the silicone from warping. You don't need it but it does help keep the seams tight and clean so you can get a perfect ear almost every time. without the plaster you have a chance of warping your ears and making the seams thicker.