From original clay models to replicas in synthetic modern materials
Over the years Geomodel has developed techniques and knowledge through experimentation with new materials of chemical derivation to apply to sculpture and scenography.
Behind the finished three dimensional models there are many phases of production that employ a range of materials and methods.
For example, for a paleontological reconstruction, after the initial stages of anatomical research the next step consists of three phases: realization of the original model, casting, and replication.
The original model is the sculpture created by an artist from which a cast is made.
It can also be an organic or non-organic element (a fossil, bone, fragment of bone, tree bark, human or animal matter etc...) but more often it is a model created by an artist using many materials.
Clay, plasticine, gesso, cloth, cemente, wood, marble, iron, alluminium, polystyrene, polyurethane, foam rubber; depending on the desired result of the replica any moldable material (and any technique and instrument) can be used and adapted to our needs.
The cast is the three dimensional negative created from the original model which is needed to reproduce the replicas.
Because you can use many materials for casting, it is important to consider the surface of the final result and the shape of the original model. For example, if the model has strong contours, making it difficult to remove from the cast and you don't want to break the cast (for example if you need many replicas) you could make elastic casts using industrial rubber (elastomer).
Another method is rigid casts.
For example, gesso has the inconvenience of being heavy, making it difficult to move, but because it is absorbent it is ideal for creating replicas in latex.
Latex is a natural material derived from India rubber, and it is one of the most commonly used materials in scenography for its ability to copy surfaces and its elasticity.
The polyester and epoxy resins are fluid materials that when mixed with a catalyst become hard.
These resins are frequently used in the Geomodel workshop, mixed with fiberglass in different quantities to create light and resistent casts.
Replicas are produced from the cast and are exact copies of the original model.
The choice of materials for creating replicas is even more vast than for casting and modelling.
The process of creating a replica from a cast depends on the material, for example if the material is creamy or rubbery we apply it with brushes and spatulars; with liquid or foam we pour or inject; in both cases we can create either solid or hollow replicas, elastic or rigid, pre-coloured or ready to be painted and decorated with brush or airbrush.
Some products are expandable, filling the cast.
The modern, chemically derived materials like rubber, resin and others products provide the opportunity to copie surfaces and simulate weight and sound.
It is also possible to just replicate a surface but with a different weight allowing for easy transportation.
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