Restorative Art- Restoring Dead Bodies: Clay Heads

Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science requires each student to complete a three day intensive restorative art lab for graduating. There are several projects they are graded on during the course of the 3 day session. This video covers the first session which is the clay heads. Students must construct a face from clay over the hard plastic skull base. They will be graded three times for this one task.
1. Mouth and nose
2. Eyes and eye brows
3. Ears and overall appearance
Kari the Mortician spent the three days with the students...check out a behind the scenes with the PIMS students.
‪@KaritheMortician‬
[e-mail]
‪@pittsburghinstituteofmortu3145‬

[@margaretlaycock42]

All the students seemed very confident doing every part of the face.Intriging how the features were measured to fit in with one another that is not noticed when you look at somebody.For me the mouth would be the trickiest part to attempt! ... Well done students ... 👍

[@KaritheMortician]

Thanks!

[@gregdiiamond3899]

I could never do that. I am that bad at art, especially art with an important purpose like this. This must be a top school in the country. I respect these people a lot.

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you

[@carolchoc8659]

I am so glad you are doing another video i really appreciate it

[@KaritheMortician]

More to come!

[@carolchoc8659]

@@KaritheMortician enjoy watching your KZbin videos because it makes me understand everything but I hope you can break me out of my beard of being scared of being around dead bodies

[@tomklock568]

Thanks for the video. Much respect to those that have to carry this out and can do so well and identifiably.

[@KaritheMortician]

Thanks for watching!

[@billpelland2543]

I love watching your videos!!! Janet from Wi

[@KaritheMortician]

Glad you like them!

[@candice6137]

Yes I can't wait!!!!

[@KaritheMortician]

Yeah!!

[@gingerninjawhinger9986]

Thank you, Kari, for sharing such an extremely fascinating video because it's not something one thinks about as a layperson. Particularly interesting is the correlation between the measurements of the eyeballs, nose and mouth.

[@KaritheMortician]

thank you

[@Ave43able]

This is SO interesting! Thank you for this!

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!

[@JTG_Performance_friesians]

Hi kari a huge thank you for doing what you do. Your videos are helping me get through my fear of death xx love from the UK xxxx

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!

[@JTG_Performance_friesians]

@@KaritheMortician would it be possible if I could send you a question? Xx

[@susanouellette2700]

Hi Kari, thank you for your videos, they are so very interesting and informative, I wish I started watching these when I was younger, this is an interesting field to go into

[@KaritheMortician]

You are welcome

[@robincook2530]

Very interesting and informative 👍 Thanks for sharing this Kari. Looking forward to part 2

[@KaritheMortician]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mula2626]

I’m surprised that 3D printing hasn’t taken over this laborious method.

[@KaritheMortician]

Yes it can be used but it is not something available to a lot of funeral homes because of cost

[@bellezanegra0206]

@@KaritheMortician so would they 3D print with wax?

[@trudyramgren8817]

Very interesting Kari!

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!

[@kennygore1395]

that is so cool.

[@KaritheMortician]

Thanks!!

[@rolfsinkgraven]

A very interesting video again.

[@KaritheMortician]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Decgyrrl]

When my dad was alive, he and my late uncle used to draw. My father, was very artistic. Had he chosen this as his profession, he would've done really well. And I'm not saying this, bc he was my dad. I'm saying it, bc it was true abt him. He had a lot of hobbies, that had something to do with the arts. He liked photography, and he took wonderful pictures of ppl, landmarks & family. He used to draw (he tried to teach me, but that didn't work out too well; as this is a God given talent...) so he bought me play dough, onion skin paper, to trace Sunday comics & silly putty😉💀. But my creativeness, came out in out ways.....I used to crochet, I made my own belts, as kid. I made keychains with lanyards, and I crocheted clothes for my barbies.....then I started looking at boys🧟‍♀️ In closing, my father retired from the bakery & confection union, after 40 yrs., of service.❤🕊

[@KaritheMortician]

40 years of service is amazing. Thank you so much for sharing this about your father.

[@SilknSass76]

I’m not in mortuary science but this makes me want to be!

[@KaritheMortician]

:)

[@idamaeteufel4371]

Amazing 👏

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@MiguelHernandez-rw4xu]

Great Video

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!

[@stupidmovies85]

I’m leaving to go there tomorrow! My lab starts Saturday!

[@KaritheMortician]

Good luck!!

[@stupidmovies85]

@@KaritheMortician thank you :-)!

[@russellwilkins2449]

🤩

[@KaritheMortician]

:)

[@michelecaron]

I would love to take these classes. Lucky students

[@KaritheMortician]

Such a fun class

[@ritafirestone761]

That was really interesting.

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!

[@yummymummy63]

Are all the students working from a photograph of someone's face? Fascinating video.

[@KaritheMortician]

No they are just going from scratch

[@yummymummy63]

@@KaritheMortician thank you. X

[@jeanaesamuel47]

Awesome video and awesome job students!!!💙❤😊

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you 🤗

[@conorwinston6205]

Wow. I would want to practice a really long time on this.

[@KaritheMortician]

Yeah its an intensive time crunch for sure

[@francisjohnson665]

Some are really good, some not . Seems like too me the eyebrows were the hardest part. I didn't see a single eyebrow that looked good . But , what do I know . Liked the video. 👍👍👍

[@TICKLEMEEMO29]

my work is on the thumbnail. the eyebrows were extremely difficult!! we were required to use needle nose tweezers to pick up the hair one by one, dip it in glue, and then place on the face. we were also on a time crunch so it felt nearly impossible. I definitely need to practice more!!

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!!

[@pmfmpls]

So fascinating. I've long wanted to attend mortuary school. A background in fine arts and psychology with a major interest in biology is useful, I think. How old is too old to go to mortuary science school?

[@KaritheMortician]

Never too old!

[@lanaj1107]

3 days? I thought at least 3 weeks, maybe more would be the bare minimum. I'm betting there's a lot of OJT going on?

[@KaritheMortician]

It is really intense

[@stevejarrettnc]

Here in the south, we say, bless their hearts.

[@KaritheMortician]

LOve that

[@aimeetahon6744]

I live in pgh. And did not know they had a school here.

[@KaritheMortician]

Yes!

[@dawn7818]

This is so cool. I would love to do restorative work. It looked as though a lot of students had trouble with the mouth on their clay piece - most of the lips looked sort of pursed. Do they go over how they can make them look more natural? I’m wondering if this is as big of an issue as it seems to be. I’ve been to a number of viewings over the years, in different places, and it is rare to see a mouth that doesn’t look odd. Is this to do with how it is connected to stay closed? You mentioned ears are difficult to sculpt, but most of what the students did looked good there. Now I need to see if you’ve done any videos on shaping the mouths of the dead. If not, could you address that??

[@KaritheMortician]

That seems to be the biggest "mistake" to me is that the mouth is not incorporated more into the face but more pouty off the face

[@bellezanegra0206]

When I see mouths in person, they always look pulled back too far and smiling. I don’t think I’ve seen a body that has to have the lips rebuilt though.

[@dawn7818]

@@bellezanegra0206 Same, although I’ve never seen anyone who looks as though they’re smiling - most just seem pulled or otherwise odd. I’m very curious to know how/why they look that way. I’ve seen a few that looked great, as though they were sleeping, so I’m sure there’s some technique to get a far more natural look. This isn’t saying the students did poorly, in fact they handled a huge project very well! I only noticed they all seemed to have difficulty with the mouths, which reminded me of the multitude of odd-looking mouths I’ve seen at viewings. I realize there is only so much that can be done, but this makes me very interested to know what makes it go wrong? I’m hoping to find some examples…I know there isn’t s lot we can view on KZbin without issues, but I don’t think they’d be up-in-arms by photos of cropped lips?

[@Debdiencal]

Amazing! What artist you also have to be to be a mortician. Are they also following a photo they are trying to recreate?

[@KaritheMortician]

They are not at this school. Some schools they do

[@ryan_torres]

I'm fairly certain that I wouldn't be able to do this. I lack soooo bad in art! My stick figures look horrible, much less anything else lol!

[@KaritheMortician]

I do too but you can do more than you think

[@RockStop22]

It's so sad there are so many unclaimed bodies, especially babies! Would the unclaimed babies be from a woman having it and abandoning it at birth? Like when find the poor little ones in a garbage bag somewhere? Just so sad! 😥 Also, Thank you Kari for sharing this with us! Very interesting and informative!🙂

[@KaritheMortician]

Yes it is. It is more so that when they go to the medical examiner no one from that point makes plans for disposition with anyone

[@tiffanysright3713]

What's the longest time a person can be " long time" stored if not claimed?

[@KaritheMortician]

There is no set period of time really

[@hamburgerdan1963]

I noticed they work directly in front of the face. Would it be more likely to have to work on them from one side or the other than nearly face to face? Not to find fault ,just curious.

[@KaritheMortician]

They did get up and move around but not a lot

[@hamburgerdan1963]

@@KaritheMortician ok. By the way, I like your behind the scenes videos sharing the life of a morticians' work.

[@hamburgerdan1963]

@@KaritheMortician Is it harder to work on children or adults?

[@hamburgerdan1963]

What about blunt force trauma to the face and the whole chest and upper extremities perhaps from a bad accident? DO they focus only on the face?

[@xxpgh412xx]

Kari I live in Pittsburgh Pa. Just 10 minutes away from downtown. I sent you a request on Facebook I would love to be your friend on there (just so I could brag to my friends) lol but it’s awesome to know you visited my hometown. Hope everyone treated you well and you had a good time!

[@KaritheMortician]

I do not accept personal friend requests unless I know you in my everyday life but you are welcome to follow my Kari the Mortician Facebook or IG

[@xxpgh412xx]

@@KaritheMortician I figured 😂 but it’s totally understandable. You probably get a good bit of friend request. But I love your videos hope all is well keep up the good work and keep bringing us this great content!

[@janaexclusive]

Great job ❤ Is there something I can purchase or things that could help me prepare or start studying ahead for this course?

[@KaritheMortician]

You can get text books and can order a head and wax and such

[@MegaTinni]

For the ears couldn't molds be used from different type of ears?

[@KaritheMortician]

Yes they possibly could

[@michaelh8800]

Question if they somehow dont pass do they gotta take the whole course over

[@KaritheMortician]

Yes they would

[@michaelh8800]

@@KaritheMortician that's must be hard on them

[@pumpedupkicks4522]

Kari, have you ever had a person with any learning disabilities join the program ? if so did they graduate? what is your opnion about a person with learning disabilties joinging a program such as this one and do you think it can be done ? i would really appreciate your feedback thank you. M

[@taylorqueensbury170]

I like that there are lots of women in these classes.

[@KaritheMortician]

Almost all!

[@TICKLEMEEMO29]

My face!!!! 😭

[@KaritheMortician]

Yeah!!

[@tebogotema]

All the way from South Africa and I hope it is gonna be from a real human head.

[@KaritheMortician]

No real bodies

[@tebogotema]

@@KaritheMortician aow mara😢💔

[@p.sherman3158]

Again. If someone is so damaged why are they trying to put them together again. Let them rest in a closed coffin. Such a waste of money.

[@hamburgerdan1963]

perhaps family members needing closure, just to see them one more time with as least amount of damaged face as possible.

[@KaritheMortician]

Many people need that final view to help understand the death