Creating & Casting a Silicone Mould

In this lesson students explore mould making and how repeating an artwork can have an impact on the meaning of a piece. Students will also experiment with creating casts from their silicone mould using resin and different materials to create a sculptural work.

Step 1

Students explore repetition in artworks such as Andy Warhol’s prints and Rene Magritte’s paintings. Discuss how repetition can be created with sculptures and what forms could be repeated in an artwork to create meaning.

Show students the process in creating a silicone mould. Students use an oil based clay to create a small sculpture which can be cast. This sculpture must have a flat bottom. Students should consider what the sculpture is that they are creating and how this would read as a repeated artwork.

Step 2

Students finish their small sculpture. They place this sculpture on to a plastic sheet and build oil based clay walls around it. Students mix silicone and pour it over their sculpture to create a mould.

Step 3

Students remove the clay walls and sculpture from their silicone mould. Students cast a sculpture from their mould. Students may choose to cast in resin, wax, clay, etc. Students can create multiple casts using the same mould exploring different materials and how repetition of an object impacts the meaning of an artwork.