How to Cast Hands with Jesmonite

One interesting thing about Jesmonite is its versatility in creating different art forms, from simple flat trays to complex shapes like body parts and other types of objects. If you’re interested in exploring the creative versatility of Jesmonite, read on and see how you can cast hands with Jesmonite.

What Is Jesmonite?

Jesmonite is a composite material used for arts and crafts projects. It is made of acrylic resin that contains gypsum-based material. The uses of Jesmonite apply to more than creating art and decorative pieces but also to construction.

Jesmonite is a fine alternative to resin-based media like fiberglass and polyester and is also used for laminating and casting.

There are several benefits of using Jesmonite, such as:

• Jesmonite is durable and can withstand impact such as falls or blows from another object. This means that items made with Jesmonite are difficult to damage and last long.
• Jesmonite is eco-friendly, which makes it a popular choice among artists
• Jesmonite is skin-friendly and won’t cause any reactions if used for casting body parts
• Jesmonite is lighter than other materials like stone, concrete, and glass
• It is easy to use because it easily outlines all details of whatever is being cast
• Its fire rating is in accordance with the European Fire Classification
• It is customizable in terms of color and texture.

Materials Required for Casting Hands

The materials for casting hands with Jesmonite include:

• Alginate for the molds
• Mixing cups
• Mixing sticks
• Weighing scale
• Jesmonite acrylic resin
• Water for mixing the alginate
• Container that is big enough to fit your hand 

Steps to Cast Hands

You can follow these steps to make a casting mold:

• Pour the alginate into the container and mix with water. Add 250 grams of water to every 100 grams of alginate for a balanced mixture. Larger hands, like adult hands, will require more, about 450 grams of alginate.

• Give it some time to dry, but still retain its flexibility so that you can easily put your hands in and pull it out without destroying the mold.

• Dip the hand into the mixture for a few seconds so that when you pull it out, an imprint of your hand will be cast in the alginate. It helps to apply soap or oil to your hands before doing this to make it easier when pulling your hand out of the mold.

After the mold has been made, you can proceed to cast with the following steps:

• The first step is to create the casting mixture, made with Jesmonite acrylic resin. The Jesmonite acrylic resin has a powder and liquid base in the right proportion: 1kg of liquid for every 2.5kg for the perfect solution. An adult hand will require about 500 to 600 grams of resin, while a child’s hand will require approximately half of that.

• You can add pigment to the resin if you want, and it’s a good idea to add it while making the mixture so that it is properly mixed before going to the next step. Stir the pigment into the mixture thoroughly and make sure to get rid of lumps and air bubbles. The mixing process should take about 15 minutes for good results.

• Once the pigment (optional) is mixed in properly, you can start pouring the mixture into the alginate mold. It is advisable to pour the mixture into the mold a little bit at a time so that it gets into every corner of the mold. Make sure there are no bubbles while pouring the resin into the mold; you can do this by tapping the container gently.

• The cast takes about three minutes to one hour to set, after which it’s time to break the alginate and reveal the resin masterpiece.

• Turn the entire mold out of the cast and start breaking off the alginate to reveal the acrylic hand. Make sure you remove the alginate from every corner, so there are no particles in the final result.

If you like to make a reusable mold so that copies of the hand can be cast without redoing the entire process, consider making the mold in silicone so that you can always recreate the same structure without dipping your hand in alginate. This process takes less than an hour to complete, and the results can serve as beautiful gifts or amazing decorative pieces for your home. The same process can also be applied to any other body part or even items that you want to cast.

As the leading distributors of Jesmonite in not only Canada and the USA, but also Puerto Rico and many other countries, SSG Brands is your one-stop-shop for all Jesmonite products. Shop online or get in touch to find a dealer near you.

Also Read: What Is the Difference between Jesmonite AC100 and AC730?